Motor problems in autism: Co-occurrence or feature?
Haylie L Miller, Melissa K Licari, Anjana Bhat and 5 others
PMID 37332143WHAT IT FOUND
Motor problems affect most autistic individuals but are documented in only 1% clinically.
Screening tools like the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire can identify these issues early, prompting assessment and intervention before age 5.
Key findings
01Motor problems are highly prevalent in autism (up to 97% on observational measures) but are documented in only about 1% of clinical cases.
02Screening with caregiver-reported questionnaires can optimize cost and effort, guiding clinicians on whether a full motor assessment is needed.
03Waiting for a DCD diagnosis (typically not recommended before age 5) may miss a critical therapeutic window for early motor intervention.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
This is a narrative review, not a systematic review or meta-analysis, so it does not provide pooled effect sizes or rigorous quality appraisal of the included studies. The review argues for diagnostic changes but does not present new empirical data to support these claims. It acknowledges a lack of research on the long-term impact of decreased physical activity and specific barriers in autism.
Declared interests
The paper is supported by the National Institutes of Health (Extramural). No other conflicts of interest are reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this review as evidence that a specific motor intervention works. It describes the prevalence and impact of motor problems and argues for better recognition, but it does not report the outcomes of any treatment trials.