Getting Attention boosts Speech in Preschoolers with Autism

LOS ANGELES -- Having adults engage the attention of autistic preschool children by gesturing and pointing to toys increases children's language skills, U.S. researchers say.
First author Connie Kasari of the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues said the study involved 40 children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder at ages 3 and 4, who received the intensive therapy program or standard intervention. The children were evaluated at ages 8-9, and all of the children in the study had attended preschool for 30 hours each week, Kasari said.