biostudies-literatureWu DSimons FoundationNIBIB NIH HHSNICHD NIH HHSNIDCD NIH HHSNIMH NIH HHSNational Institutes of HealthNIH HHS838-851https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11014769biostudies-literatureUnknown17(4)Gestures are an important social communication skill that infants and toddlers use to convey their thoughts, ideas, and intentions. Research suggests that early gesture use has important downstream impacts on developmental processes, such as language learning. However, autistic children are more likely to have challenges in their gestural development. The current study expands upon previous literature on the differences in gesture use between young autistic and non-autistic toddlers by collecting data using a parent-report questionnaire called the MCDI-Words and Gestures at three time points, 12, 18, and 24 months of age. Results (N = 467) showed that high-likelihood infants who later met diagnostic criteria for ASD (n = 73 HL-ASD) have attenuated gesture growth from 12 to 24 months for boAutism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchInfants who develop autism show smaller inventories of deictic and symbolic gestures at 12 months of age.PMC11014769R01 HD055741R01 DC019660P30 HD003110U54 EB005149R00 MH108700R00-MH108700K99 MH108700P30-HD003110R00‐MH108700R01‐HD055741P30‐HD003110R01-HD055741R01-HD055741-S1140209R01‐HD055741‐S1Dager SPaterson SDas SShaw DWu DSt John TPruett JRavi SSwanson MRIBIS NetworkMcKinstry RMacIntyre LAbdi HGerig GConstantino JGu HHazlett HCWolff JPike GBSchultz RWolff JJPiven JFonov VMoraglia LEPandey JEstes AKostopoulos PBotteron KZwaigenbaum LElison JTCollins DLEvans ACChappell CfalseInfants who develop autism show smaller inventories of deictic and symbolic gestures at 12 months of age.Gestures are an important social communication skill that infants and toddlers use to convey their thoughts, ideas, and intentions. Research suggests that early gesture use has important downstream impacts on developmental processes, such as language learning. However, autistic children are more likely to have challenges in their gestural development. The current study expands upon previous literature on the differences in gesture use between young autistic and non-autistic toddlers by collecting data using a parent-report questionnaire called the MCDI-Words and Gestures at three time points, 12, 18, and 24 months of age. Results (N = 467) showed that high-likelihood infants who later met diagnostic criteria for ASD (n = 73 HL-ASD) have attenuated gesture growth from 12 to 24 months for bo2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Apr2025-07-04T03:05:59.296Z2025-07-04T03:05:59.296ZS-EPMC110147693820432110.1002/aur.3092