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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Published on: April 22, 2015
Impairment in movement skills of children with autistic spectrum disorders
Dido Green1, Tony Charman, Andrew Pickles
1Newcomen Centre, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Great Maze Pond, London, UK. dido.green@gstt.nhs.uk
Insights
Movement impairments are prevalent in children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), affecting 79% of those assessed. Early identification and systematic evaluation of motor skills are recommended for children with ASD.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Movement Science
Background:
- Autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex neurodevelopmental conditions.
- Motor skill deficits are frequently observed in children with ASD but require further characterization.
- Understanding the extent and nature of movement impairments is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and severity of movement skill impairments in children diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD).
- To examine the relationship between movement impairments, autism severity, and intellectual functioning.
- To evaluate the utility of the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) in identifying motor difficulties in this population.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC) to assess motor skills in a population-derived cohort of 101 children with ASD (ages 10-14).
- Compared movement skills between children with childhood autism and broader ASD diagnoses.
- Assessed the correlation between M-ABC scores, IQ levels, and parent-reported difficulties via the DCDQ.
Main Results:
- A significant majority of children with ASD (79%) exhibited definite movement impairments, with an additional 10% showing borderline difficulties on the M-ABC.
- Children with more severe autism and lower IQ scores (<70) demonstrated greater movement impairments.
- The DCDQ showed moderate effectiveness as a screening tool for identifying potential motor difficulties.
Conclusions:
- Movement impairments are a common characteristic of autistic spectrum disorders, impacting a large proportion of affected children.
- Systematic assessment of motor abilities should be integrated into the routine evaluation of children with ASD.
- Movement difficulties may be linked to underlying neurological factors contributing to both intellectual disability and autism severity.
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.
Method:
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 11y 4mo, SD 10mo; range 10y-14y 3mo) 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.
Interpretation:
Movement impairments are common in children with ASD. Systematic assessment of movement abilities should be considered a routine investigation.
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