Autism Spectrum Disorders

Data on autism in children described by researchers at University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey

Autism Spectrum Disorders Library Library Home This article was published in Mental Health Weekly Digest, which you can subscribe to online.

"The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of motor deficits in ASD. Specifically, using retrospective clinical record review, we report the prevalence of hypotonia, motor apraxia, reduced ankle mobility, history of gross motor delay, and toe-walking, as well as the improvement of these symptoms with age, in a cohort of 154 children with ASD. The possible association of motor deficits with epilepsy or developmental regression was also assessed. To address whether the motor deficits in children with ASD were properly identified and treated, we evaluated whether the children with the motor deficits were more likely to receive physical and/or occupational therapies as compared to the children with ASD who did not show motor deficits. Hypotonia was the most common motor symptom in our ASD cohort (51%) and this appeared to improve over time, as suggested by the significant reduction in prevalence in older children (p=0.002). Likewise, motor apraxia (34%) showed a tendency to be more prevalent among younger children as compared with older children (p=0.06). Historical intermittent toe-walking was found in 19% of children while reduced ankle mobility was a rare occurrence. Gross motor delay was reported in 9% of children, all of whom gained motor independence by the time of examination. Except for gross motor delay, ASD children with fine motor deficits were not more likely to receive interventional services, as compared with ASD children without the motor deficits. The results suggest that fine motor control and programming deficits are common co-occurrence of children with ASD in this cohort. The reduced prevalence of these motor deficits in older children suggests improvement over time, whether through natural progression, results of interventional therapy, or the combination of the two," wrote X. Ming and colleagues, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey.

The researchers concluded: "However, ASD children with the motor deficits were not more likely to receive service than those without the motor deficits."

Ming and colleagues published their study in Brain and Development (Prevalence of motor impairment in autism spectrum disorders. Brain and Development, 2007;29(9):565-70).

For more information, contact X. Ming, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Dept. of Neurosciences and Neurology, 90 Bergen Street, Doctor's Office Center, Suite 8100, Newark, NJ 07103 USA..

Publisher contact information for the journal Brain and Development is: Elsevier Science BV, PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Keywords: United States, Newark, Autism, Dentistry, Developmental Disabilities, Neurology.

This article was prepared by Mental Health Weekly Digest editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Mental Health Weekly Digest via NewsRx.com.