Bilingual Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Language Abilities and Social Communication

Parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) express concern about raising their child bilingually, and often hear advice from professionals against the use of bilingualism. Past research has shown no evidence for greater language or communication impairments for bilingual versus monolingual children who are typically developing. However, the associations between bilingualism and different domains of social functioning for children with ASD are not yet well understood. Several studies have examined the language and ASD-related social communication deficits of young children with ASD and have found no differences between monolingual and bilingual children. Limitations in these studies include small sample sizes, the absence of a monolingual non-English-speaking comparison group, and with few exceptions, they have not considered the impact of sociodemographic risk factors on these associations. The current study examined the relation between bilingualism and communication (global parent-reported adaptive communication, receptive language and expressive language, and ASD-related social communication deficits) among children with ASD, taking into account the effects of sociodemographic risk factors (household income, parental education level, and racial minority status) on theses associations. A bilingual Spanish and English-speaking group was compared to 1) a monolingual English-speaking group and 2) a monolingual Spanish-speaking group. Hierarchical linear regressions with sociodemographic risk factors as covariates were used. When comparing the bilingual group with the monolingual English-speaking group, results showed no association between bilingualism and any communication outcomes, including global parent-reported adaptive communication, receptive language, expressive language, and ASD-related social communication deficits. When comparing the bilingual group with the monolingual Spanish-speaking group, results showed no association between bilingualism and receptive and expressive language or ASD-related social communication deficits. Results initially showed higher global parent-reported adaptive communication for the bilingual group, but this became non-significant when sociodemographic risk factors were added to the regression. Thus, findings show no detrimental effect of bilingualism for the language or social communication abilities of young children with ASD. and Parents of children with ASD should be encouraged raise their child in a bilingual environment if it best suits the cultural needs of the family

Associations of preschool reactive bed-sharing with sociodemographic factors, sleep disturbance, and psychopathology.

OBJECTIVE: To advance understanding of early childhood bed-sharing and its clinical significance, we examined reactive bed-sharing rates, sociodemographic correlates, persistence, and concurrent and longitudinal associations with sleep disturbances and psychopathology. METHODS: Data from a representative cohort of 917 children (mean age 3.8 years) recruited from primary pediatric clinics in a Southeastern city for a preschool anxiety study were used. Sociodemographics and diagnostic classifications for sleep disturbances and psychopathology were obtained using the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment (PAPA), a structured diagnostic interview administered to caregivers. A subsample of 187 children was re-assessed approximately 24.7 months after the initial PAPA interview. RESULTS: Reactive bed-sharing was reported by 38.4% of parents, 22.9% nightly and 15.5% weekly, and declined with age. At follow-up, 48.9% of nightly bed-sharers and 88.7% of weekly bed-sharers were no longer bed-sharing. Sociodemographics associated with nightly bed-sharing were Black and (combined) American Indian, Alaska Native and Asian race and ethnicity, low income and parent education less than high school. Concurrently, bed-sharing nightly was associated with separation anxiety and sleep terrors; bed-sharing weekly was associated with sleep terrors and difficulty staying asleep. No longitudinal associations were found between reactive bed-sharing and sleep disturbances or psychopathology after controlling for sociodemographics, baseline status of the outcome and time between interviews. CONCLUSIONS: Reactive bed-sharing is relatively common among preschoolers, varies significantly by sociodemographic factors, declines during the preschool years and is more persistent among nightly than weekly bed-sharers. Reactive bed-sharing may be an indicator of sleep disturbances and/or anxiety but there is no evidence that bed-sharing is an antecedent or consequence of sleep disturbances or psychopathology

Associations of preschool reactive bed-sharing with sociodemographic factors, sleep disturbance, and psychopathology

Abstract Objective To advance understanding of early childhood bed-sharing and its clinical significance, we examined reactive bed-sharing rates, sociodemographic correlates, persistence, and concurrent and longitudinal associations with sleep disturbances and psychopathology. Methods Data from a representative cohort of 917 children (mean age 3.8 years) recruited from primary pediatric clinics in a Southeastern city for a preschool anxiety study were used. Sociodemographics and diagnostic classifications for sleep disturbances and psychopathology were obtained using the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment (PAPA), a structured diagnostic interview administered to caregivers. A subsample of 187 children was re-assessed approximately 24.7 months after the initial PAPA interview. Results Reactive bed-sharing was reported by 38.4% of parents, 22.9% nightly and 15.5% weekly, and declined with age. At follow-up, 48.9% of nightly bed-sharers and 88.7% of weekly bed-sharers were no longer bed-sharing. Sociodemographics associated with nightly bed-sharing were Black and (combined) American Indian, Alaska Native and Asian race and ethnicity, low income and parent education less than high school. Concurrently, bed-sharing nightly was associated with separation anxiety and sleep terrors; bed-sharing weekly was associated with sleep terrors and difficulty staying asleep. No longitudinal associations were found between reactive bed-sharing and sleep disturbances or psychopathology after controlling for sociodemographics, baseline status of the outcome and time between interviews. Conclusions Reactive bed-sharing is relatively common among preschoolers, varies significantly by sociodemographic factors, declines during the preschool years and is more persistent among nightly than weekly bed-sharers. Reactive bed-sharing may be an indicator of sleep disturbances and/or anxiety but there is no evidence that bed-sharing is an antecedent or consequence of sleep disturbances or psychopathology