Although deficits in communication and social skills are considered to be defining characteristics of this autism disorder, current literature, advancements, and studies, suggest impairments in motor development and motor control systems as core characteristics of children with ASD.
Autism symptoms vary from mild to severe. Many children with autism have delays in developing basic skills. Often, there is a delay in forming motor (movement) skills. In addition, participation in fitness activities is decreased in children with ASD compared to typically developing children. When studying patterns of recreational activities in children with high-functioning autism (HFA) and their peers, researchers found the greatest disparity between the 2 groups was in participation in physical activity, such as team sports, bicycling, and hiking. This finding was considered important because children with HFA have poorer fitness and higher rates of obesity than their peers. The importance of physical activity in maintaining health is well recognized.
While there is significant variability in the motor skills of children with ASD, common characteristics have been identified and include hypotonia, developmental dyspraxia, stereotypic repetitive movements, oral-motor dysfunction, clumsiness, decreased eye-hand coordination, poor balance, and impaired finger-to-thumb opposition.*
Coordination and mobility, as a part of motor skills, are necessary for children to explore and interact with their environment and to fully engage in social interactions. Physical therapists can help improve motor skills because they are movement experts. They improve quality of life through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement.
A physical therapist will evaluate your child with ASD as part of “early intervening services” and then play a key role in collaborating with other ASD therapy team members for integration of physical activity into daily routines.*
*Baranek G. Efficacy of sensory and motor interventions for children with autism. J Autism Dev Disord. 2002;32(5):397-422.
Coordination and mobility, as a part of motor skills, are necessary for children to explore and interact with their environment and to fully engage in social interactions.
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ASD occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, but is about 4 times more common among boys than among girls.
For over a decade, CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been estimating the number of children with ASD in the United States. We have learned a lot about how many U. S. children have ASD. It will be important to use the same methods to track how the number of children with ASD is changing over time in order to learn more about the disorder.
ASD occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, but is about 4 times more common among boys than among girls.
For over a decade, CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been estimating the number of children with ASD in the United States. We have learned a lot about how many U. S. children have ASD. It will be important to use the same methods to track how the number of children with ASD is changing over time in order to learn more about the disorder.
ASD occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, but is about 4 times more common among boys than among girls.
For over a decade, CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been estimating the number of children with ASD in the United States. We have learned a lot about how many U. S. children have ASD. It will be important to use the same methods to track how the number of children with ASD is changing over time in order to learn more about the disorder.
ASD occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, but is about 4 times more common among boys than among girls.
For over a decade, CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been estimating the number of children with ASD in the United States. We have learned a lot about how many U. S. children have ASD. It will be important to use the same methods to track how the number of children with ASD is changing over time in order to learn more about the disorder.
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