Joint Attention Deficits as a Key Indicator in the Early Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Analytical Study in Light of Previous Research
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Abstract
The present study focuses on the issue of joint attention deficits and the importance of diagnosing it at an early stage of a child’s development in order to detect autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Joint attention is considered one of the essential pre-linguistic skills necessary for the acquisition of subsequent language abilities. Children with typical development acquire these skills naturally, such as maintaining eye contact, exchanging and following gazes, staring, and using gestures. In contrast, children with autism often show deficits in these abilities, which affects their linguistic, cognitive, and social development. Recent studies have emphasized that early diagnosis of joint attention deficits can contribute to the early detection of autism, thereby facilitating effective therapeutic interventions that improve the quality of life for these children. Accordingly, this study aims to highlight the importance of joint attention as a key indicator in the early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
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References
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