Autism study says communication improves parent-child interaction

A study has found communication intervention in preschool children with autism improves parent-child interaction.

However, the researchers said the PACT (parents and children together) project did not “deliver clinically significant reduction in autism symptoms”.

The study, published online and in an upcoming edition of the Lancet, was written by Professor Jonathan Green of the University of Manchester.

Effective early intervention is an international health priority and PACT is important as it is by some way the largest autism treatment trial of its type yet undertaken internationally, the researchers said.

The rationale behind the PACT intervention was that children would respond with enhanced communicative and social development if parents were able to adapt their communication to their child’s specific impairments.

PACT assessed 152 children, aged two years to four years and 11 months, across three UK sites.

It concluded: “On the basis of our findings, we cannot recommend the addition of this PACT intervention to treatment as usual for the purpose of reduction in autism symptoms.

“The intervention does, however, significantly alter parent-child dyadic social communication in ways that are associated with subsequent positive child outcomes in longitudinal studies.”