Kelsey West, a developmental psychology graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh, will be presenting a talk entitled, "Links Between Communication and Motor Development: Insights from Studying the Infant Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder."
Abstract: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by atypical communication and motor development during infancy. How do these domains interrelate? My presentation will discuss how motor milestones set the stage for strides in communication; and consequently, how motor delays and disruptions may constrain communication in children with ASD.
About the presenter: Kelsey West is a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh working with Dr. Jana Iverson. Her research focuses on how motor skills help infants to learn complex systems of information – like language – through their physical interactions with the learning environment. Therefore, motor delays may have ripple effects on other areas of development. I study these processes in infants who are developing typically, those who have language delays, and those in autism spectrum disorder.
