Movement smoothness during dynamic postural control to a static target differs between autistic and neurotypical children.
Haylie L Miller, Tylan N Templin, Nicholas E Fears and 3 others
PMID 36335658WHAT IT FOUND
Autistic children moved jerkily and slowly during a balance task.
They often stepped instead of leaning, unlike neurotypical peers. However, they were equally accurate. Small sample size limits generalizability to children with lower IQs.
Key findings
01Autistic children exhibited higher log dimensionless jerk, indicating less smooth movement, than neurotypical children during goal-directed leaning.
02Autistic children were significantly more likely to take a step rather than lean to reach the target, relying on whole-body movement.
03There was no significant difference in task success rates between the two groups, as both achieved high accuracy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (26 participants total). Participants had non-verbal IQ scores of 70 or higher, so results may not apply to autistic individuals with intellectual disabilities. The age range was limited (7-13 years), and recruitment did not specifically target children with motor problems. Stimulant medication use was not excluded, which could influence motor function.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that autistic children have poor balance or accuracy. They performed the task as well as neurotypical children. The difference lies in how they moved (jerkier, slower, more stepping), not whether they succeeded.