TY - JOUR
T1 - Abnormalities of joint mobility and gait in children with autism spectrum disorders
AU - Shetreat-Klein, Maya
AU - Shinnar, Shlomo
AU - Rapin, Isabelle
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank the parents and children who participated in the study. They express their gratitude to their colleagues in Pediatrics at Jacobi Medical Center who referred typically developing children to the study. They acknowledge the assistance of D.-R. Kathirithamby M.D. and D. Cancel M.D., physiatrists, who kindly photographed goniometric testing of joint motility in a 11 year old unaffected volunteer we also thank. The study was supported in part by a grant from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine to M. S. -K., enabling her to fulfill requirements for M.D. with Distinction in Clinical Research under the mentorship of S. Shinnar M.D., Ph.D.
Copyright:
Copyright 2014 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2014/2
Y1 - 2014/2
N2 - Aims: Abnormalities of gross motor function in children with autism are well known to clinicians but have not received much empirical documentation and, with the exception of stereotypies, are not among its diagnostic criteria. We recorded the characteristics of gait and prevalence of toe walking, the range of passive joint mobility, and age at walking in children with DSM IV autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and in age- and gender-matched typically developing peers (mean age 4. years 6. months, range 22. months-10. years 9. months). Methods: We evaluated maximum range of mobility at the elbow, wrist, metacarpo-phalangeal, and ankle joints and videoed children walking and running. Two neurologists blind to diagnosis independently scored features of gait clinically. Results: Children with ASDs had significantly greater joint mobility (p<. .002), more gait abnormalities (p<. .0001), and on average walked 1.6. months later than their non-autistic peers. Interpretation: This study indicates that attention should be directed to motor abnormalities as well as sociability, communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviors in individuals with ASDs. Motor deficits add to children's other handicaps. They indicate that ASDs affect a broader range of central nervous system circuitry than often appreciated.
AB - Aims: Abnormalities of gross motor function in children with autism are well known to clinicians but have not received much empirical documentation and, with the exception of stereotypies, are not among its diagnostic criteria. We recorded the characteristics of gait and prevalence of toe walking, the range of passive joint mobility, and age at walking in children with DSM IV autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and in age- and gender-matched typically developing peers (mean age 4. years 6. months, range 22. months-10. years 9. months). Methods: We evaluated maximum range of mobility at the elbow, wrist, metacarpo-phalangeal, and ankle joints and videoed children walking and running. Two neurologists blind to diagnosis independently scored features of gait clinically. Results: Children with ASDs had significantly greater joint mobility (p<. .002), more gait abnormalities (p<. .0001), and on average walked 1.6. months later than their non-autistic peers. Interpretation: This study indicates that attention should be directed to motor abnormalities as well as sociability, communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviors in individuals with ASDs. Motor deficits add to children's other handicaps. They indicate that ASDs affect a broader range of central nervous system circuitry than often appreciated.
KW - Abnormal gait
KW - Autism spectrum disorders
KW - Hypotonia
KW - Passive joint mobility
KW - Toe walking
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U2 - 10.1016/j.braindev.2012.02.005
DO - 10.1016/j.braindev.2012.02.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 22401670
AN - SCOPUS:84891632750
SN - 0387-7604
VL - 36
SP - 91
EP - 96
JO - Brain and Development
JF - Brain and Development
IS - 2
ER -