Language and literacy subtypes in young children with a high-functioning autism spectrum disorder

Individuals diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) present with language and reading abilities that range from far below average to far above average. There is a lack of research investigating the classification of children diagnosed with a high-functioning ASD (HFASD) according to language and reading ability. The present study aimed to explore the language and reading profiles within a group of young children diagnosed with a HFASD and to establish whether or not the language and reading profiles identified within this group were similar to those seen in age-matched children without a diagnosis of ASD. The results showed that children diagnosed with a HFASD present with language and reading ability profiles similar to those of non-ASD peers. Furthermore, regression analyses revealed that the predictors of decoding and also reading comprehension were similar for children with HFASD and their non-ASD peers.