To provide further prospective evidence for early detection, the researchers longitudinally studied social and communication development of children from 14 to 36 months of age.

The study included 107 infants at high risk for autism because a sibling had been diagnosed with it and 18 infants at low risk for autism who had no family history of the disorder.

Two children in the control group had impaired development. One had language delay and the other had social delay, but none were classified as having autism in the study.

Both groups were tested for autism at age 14, 24, and 30 or 36 months using the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile. This involved presenting babies with "communication temptations," such as demonstrating how to blow bubbles then putting the closed bubble bottle in front of the child, and probing them for responses to joint attention, receptive language, and an opportunity to play with toys.

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