Six Developmental Trajectories Characterize Children With Autism

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: Autism is widely considered a heterogeneous disorder in terms of etiology and phenotype. Although autism is usually a lifelong disorder, little is known about the rate or timing of how children develop regarding their communication and social functioning. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: Utilizing annual evaluations for a large population of children with autism, we describe the 6 most common trajectories from diagnosis through age 14 years. Trajectories revealed considerable variation, and high socioeconomic status children were more likely to experience rapid improvement.