Hearing Impairment, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Developmental Functioning in Infants and Toddlers

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tends to co-occur with other psychiatric disorders and medical conditions, and identification of comorbidities is crucial for appropriate intervention. Currently, little research has examined the relationship between ASD and deafness or hearing impairment (D/HI). The present study aimed to examine the effects of ASD and D/HI on autism symptomology as measured by the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits ( BISCUIT ), and developmental functioning in infants and toddlers as measured by the Battelle Developmental Inventory , Second Edition (BDI-2). Specific developmental domains were also investigated. This study compared children with atypical development ( n = 24), comorbid atypical development and D/HI ( n = 24), ASD only ( n = 24), and comorbid ASD and D/HI ( n = 24). The results indicated that an ASD diagnosis was a stronger indicator of ASD symptomology, overall developmental functioning, adaptive skills, personal-social skills, and communication skills than D/HI. However, the interaction between ASD and D/HI was more dynamic for the motor and cognitive domains. The results of the current study emphasize the importance of improved assessment techniques to identify both ASD and D/HI when they co-occur. Future research should be conducted to further elucidate the interaction of ASD and D/HI, as well as investigate these comorbidities in older samples.