Table 3 Clinical measures of the whole sample at T0 and T1, and number of children who improved in the different domains

T0

T1

p

ADOS composite

13.63 ± 3.67

10.85 ± 4.10

<0.0001

A

4.72 ± 1.74

3.39 ± 1.75

<0.001

B

8.91 ± 2.27

7.46 ± 2.79

<0.0001

C

2.86 ± 1.11

2.39 ± 1.28

<0.01

D

3.71 ± 1.56

3.17 ± 1.75

<0.01

CSS

5.34 ± 1.44

4.51 ± 1.46

<0.0001

DQ

0.64 ± 0.14

0.66 ± 0.15

<0.01

Cognitive abilities

0.72 ± 0.19

0.77 ± 0.21

<0.0001

Expressive language

0.44 ± 0.16

0.47 ± 0.19

<0.05

Receptive language

0.52 ± 0.18

0.57 ± 0.23

<0.01

Fine motor abilities

0.73 ± 0.15

0.73 ± 0.17

=0.915

Gross motor abilities

0.78 ± 0.16

0.78 ± 0.17

=0.799

Visual motor imitation

0.68 ± 0.15

0.68 ± 0.14

=0.964

Improvement in both ADOS classification and DQ level

Improvement in ADOS classification

Improvement in DQ level

Improvement in cognitive abilities

Improvement in expressive language

Improvement in receptive language

Improvement in fine-motor abilities

Improvement in gross motor abilities

Improvement in visual-motor imitation