Motor atypicalities in infancy are associated with general developmental level at 2 years, but not autistic symptoms

Area of Science:

• Developmental psychology
• Neurodevelopmental disorders
• Motor control

Background:

• Later-born infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit atypical motor functioning.
• Early identification of developmental differences in high-risk infants is crucial for understanding developmental trajectories.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare motor functioning in infants with and without a familial history of ASD.
• To examine the relationship between early motor skills and later developmental outcomes, including ASD symptoms and general development.

Main Methods:

• Utilized three-dimensional motion capture technology to assess infant performance in a ball-catching task.
• Compared motor functioning measures between infants with an older sibling diagnosed with ASD and control infants.

Main Results:

• Infants with a familial history of ASD demonstrated significant differences in early motor functioning compared to controls.
• Early motor measures were not correlated with the presence or severity of autistic symptoms at 2 years of age.
• Specific early motor skills were associated with subsequent non-social, general developmental progress.

Conclusions:

• Early motor atypicalities in high-risk infants may be indicative of broader developmental pathways rather than solely ASD.
• Motor functioning in early development is intricately linked to general cognitive and developmental trajectories.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the complex interplay between motor skills and neurodevelopmental outcomes.