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Randomized , controlled trial of an intervention for toddlers with autism : the Early Start Denver Model . OBJECTIVE To conduct a randomized , controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of the Early Start Denver Model ( ESDM ) , a comprehensive developmental behavioral intervention , for improving outcomes of toddlers diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) . METHODS Forty-eight children diagnosed with ASD between 18 and 30 months of age were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups : ( 1 ) ESDM intervention , which is based on developmental and applied behavioral analytic principles and delivered by trained therapists and parents for 2 years ; or ( 2 ) referral to community providers for intervention commonly available in the community . RESULTS Compared with children who received community-intervention , children who received ESDM showed significant improvements in IQ , adaptive behavior , and autism diagnosis . Two years after entering intervention , the ESDM group on average improved 17.6 standard score points ( 1 SD : 15 points ) compared with 7.0 points in the comparison group relative to baseline scores . The ESDM group maintained its rate of growth in adaptive behavior compared with a normative sample of typically developing children . In contrast , over the 2-year span , the comparison group showed greater delays in adaptive behavior . Children who received ESDM also were more likely to experience a change in diagnosis from autism to pervasive developmental disorder , not otherwise specified , than the comparison group . CONCLUSIONS This is the first randomized , controlled trial to demonstrate the efficacy of a comprehensive developmental behavioral intervention for toddlers with ASD for improving cognitive and adaptive behavior and reducing severity of ASD diagnosis . Results of this study underscore the importance of early detection of and intervention in autism .
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Intervention_Educational
intervention
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Intervention_Educational
Early Start Denver Model ( ESDM )
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Intervention_Educational
ESDM intervention
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Intervention_Educational
referral to community providers for intervention commonly available in the community
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Intervention_Educational
ESDM
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Outcome_Other
efficacy
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Outcome_Physical
IQ , adaptive behavior , and autism diagnosis .
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Outcome_Physical
rate of growth in adaptive behavior
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Outcome_Physical
change in diagnosis
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Participant_Age
toddlers
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Participant_Condition
autism
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Participant_Age
toddlers
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Participant_Condition
autism spectrum disorder ( ASD )
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Participant_Sample-size
Forty-eight
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Participant_Age
children
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Participant_Condition
ASD
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Participant_Age
18 and 30 months of age
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Participant_Age
toddlers
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Participant_Condition
ASD