Publications

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder of varying severity that is defined by challenges in social interaction and communication along with repetitive thought and behaviour patterns. It is evident from early childhood.1 Young children with ASD consistently exhibit gross and fine motor deficits, with or without abnormal movement patterns. Numerous studies have investigated a wide range of questions regarding the motor skills of older children with ASD. The prevalence of motor difficulties in autism has been widely investigated over the years. Ming et al.2 found 51% of children on the spectrum had hypotonia, which improved over time. However, Lloyd et al.,3 who investigated motor delays in young children on the spectrum, found that these delays increased over time. More recently, Hilton et al.4 estimated that around 83% of children with autism had motor skill deficits. The deficits can manifest in different ways—difficulties in balance and coordination, poor motor planning, postural instability, and odd gait patterns.