To explore the language characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at different developmental levels.

The clinical data of 103 children with ASD who attended the Children′s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2018 to December 2020 was analyzed retrospectively. They were divided into typical development and abnormal development (including mild and moderate or severe) groups based on developmental diagnostic scale results, and also devided into 2-3, 4-6, and 7-8 years of age groups based on age. The language characteristics of children with ASD at different developmental levels and different ages were compared by Pearson′s chi-square or Fisher′s exact probabilty test, t test, analysis of variance, or Kruskal-Wallis H test. The relationship between language ability and core symptoms of ASD was analyzed by Pearson correlation test.

Among 103 children with ASD, 86 were males and 17 were females, with an age of (5.5±1.5) years. A total of 61 children were charactered as typical development and 42 as abnormal (32 mild and 10 moderate or severe). There were no significant differences in developmental scale, overall language, receptive, expressive, syntax, and semantics scores among the three different age groups (all P>0.05). The detection rate of abnormal language ability in the typical development group was significantly lower than that in the abnormal development group (49.2% (30/61)vs. 100.0% (42/42), P<0.01). Receptive, expressive, semantics, and syntax scores of the typical development groups were significantly higher than those of the mildly and moderately or severely abnormal group (89±13vs. 76±11 vs.71±8, F=18.61, P<0.01; 80±12vs. 66±8 vs. 58±7, F=29.69, P<0.01; 92±14vs.78±14 vs. 71±11, F=17.26, P<0.01; 83±10vs. 71±8 vs. 64±5, F=29.35, P<0.01). Within the abnormal development group, there were no significant correlations between language ability and the core symptoms of ASD (r=-0.02-0.58, all P>0.05). Within the typical development group, there were no significant correlations between language ability and social interaction, repetitive stereotypes, and limited interests (r=0--0.22, all P>0.05). However, overall language, receptive, semantics, and expressive language abilities were negatively correlated with communication (r=-0.28--0.36, allP<0.05), and there was no significant correlation between syntax and communication (r=-0.24, P>0.05) in typical developmental group.

The majority of children with ASD manifest language development disorders, mainly in the aspects of expressive and syntax language. Children with ASD with more delayed developmental level have more severe language disorder. About half children with ASD with normal development have language development disorders. The language ability of children with ASD is minimally correlated with ASD core symptoms.

Autistic; Language; Child development; Intelligence