Imitation performance in toddlers with autism and those with other developmental disorders

The present study sought to examine the specificity, developmental correlates, nature and pervasiveness of imitation deficits very early in the development of autism.

Subjects were 24 children with autism (mean age 34 months), 18 children with fragile X syndrome, 20 children with other developmental disorders, and 15 typically-developing children. Tasks included manual, oral-facial, and object oriented imitations, developmental measures, joint attention ability, and motor abilities.