Impairment in movement skills of children with autistic spectrum disorders

• Aim:We undertook this study to explore the degree of impairment in movement skills in children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) and a wide IQ range.Methods:Movement skills were measured using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC) in a large, well defined, population-derived group of children (n = 101: 89 males, 12 females; mean age 11 y 4 mo, SD 10 mo; range 10 y-14 y 3 mo) with childhood autism and broader ASD and a wide range of IQ scores. Additionally, we tested whether a parent-completed questionnaire, the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ), was useful in identifying children who met criteria for movement impairments after assessment (n = 97 with complete M-ABCs and DCDQs).Results:Of the children with ASD, 79% had definite movement impairments on the M-ABC; a further 10% had borderline problems. Children with childhood autism were more impaired than children with broader ASD, and children with an IQ less than 70 were more impaired than those with IQ more than 70. This is consistent with the view that movement impairments may arise from a more severe neurological impairment that also contributes to intellectual disability and more severe autism. Movement impairment was not associated with everyday adaptive behaviour once the effect of IQ was controlled for. The DCDQ performed moderately well as a screen for possible motor difficulties.Interretation:Movement impairments are common in children with ASD. Systematic assessment of movement abilities should be considered a routine investigation.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Neurologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Neurology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Pediatrik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Pediatrics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

adaptive behavior

article

autism

child

Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire

disease severity

female

human

intellectual impairment

intelligence quotient

major clinical study

male

motor dysfunction

motor performance

Movement Assessment Battery for Children

parameters of measurement and analysis

priority journal

questionnaire

school child

Adolescent

Analysis of Variance

Autistic Disorder

Humans

Intelligence

Intelligence Tests

Motor Skills Disorders

Questionnaires

Severity of Illness Index

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)