ISSN: 2165-7890
Barbara Manzi
Italy
Research Article
An Italian Prospective Study on Autism Treatment: The Earlier, the Better?
Author(s): Giacomo Vivanti, Barbara Manzi, Arianna Benvenuto, Barbara Battan and Paolo Curatolo
Giacomo Vivanti, Barbara Manzi, Arianna Benvenuto, Barbara Battan and Paolo Curatolo
Background: Neurocognitive models of autism suggest that starting a treatment at a younger age might be a critical factor in promoting optimal outcomes. The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between age at start of treatment and outcomes in a group of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) in Italy.
Methods: Thirty-nine children between 22 and 77 months of age diagnosed with ASDs were divided into two groups on the basis of their age at start of a community-based behavioral treatment. Measures of severity of symptoms, cognitive abilities and adaptive functioning were collected at the beginning of the treatment (Time 1) and one year after (Time 2) to examine group differences in treatment outcomes. Our working hypothesis was that children who started the treatment at a younger age would show a more positive response to t.. View More»
DOI:
10.4172/2165-7890.1000102