Early Motor Delays During the First 2 Years of Life in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review

To summarize and appraise the emerging evidence on early motor skills of infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the association of early motor delays to later ASD diagnosis/characteristics.

A literature search was conducted for studies published from 2000 to 2023 on the motor skills of infants later diagnosed with ASD, followed by screening and data extraction.

Current evidence suggested presence of early motor deficits including poor anticipatory movements, postural control, and gross/fine motor skills during the first 2 years of ASD. However, there was variability among studies with regard to study sample and methodology.

Although motor deficits are evident in infants, it is unclear whether these are specific to ASD or a consequence of general developmental disorder. Future research is needed on the investigation of specificity and severity of early motor delays, which can potentially assist in early identification of ASD.