The intersection of gross motor abilities and participation in children with autism spectrum disorder.
Jamie M Holloway, Toby M Long, Fred J Biasini
PMID 34211254WHAT IT FOUND
Children with autism who had better gross motor skills participated more in self-care, active play, and social interaction.
Many children lacked opportunities for team sports or bike riding due to parent or environmental factors, not just their own ability.
Key findings
01Gross motor ability showed moderate, significant correlations with participation in self-care, high-demand leisure, and social interaction.
02Participation in complex or group activities like team sports and skating was often limited by lack of opportunity rather than child inability.
03Children frequently participated in simple, single-step tasks alone, such as kicking a ball or drinking from a straw, rather than complex group games.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study had no comparison group, so it is unclear if the low participation in team sports or bike riding is specific to autism or typical for this age group. Participation data relied on parent reports, which can be influenced by parental expectations or interpretation of what 'participation' means. The sample size was small (22 children), limiting the generalizability of the correlations. The study did not control for fine motor skills or sensory processing, which also impact self-care and may have influenced the results.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that lack of participation in team sports or complex self-care is solely due to the child's motor or social deficits. A significant portion of non-participation was due to parents not offering the opportunity or environmental barriers, which requires a different intervention strategy than skill training.