Early and persistent motor difficulties in infants at-risk of developing autism spectrum disorder: A prospective study

Abstract

Analyses were conducted in order to investigate motor development in younger siblings of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Infants at familial risk and low risk of developing ASD were tested longitudinally between the ages of 7 and 36 months. Data were analysed from motor scales on the Mullen Scales of Early Learning and the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales at each age point. Significantly lower motor scores in at-risk infants were evident from the age of 7 months compared to the low-risk group. Infants who were later diagnosed with ASD demonstrated significantly poorer Fine Motor skills at 36 months than at-risk infants without any developmental difficulties. In addition, Gross Motor scores were highly correlated across the two measures for low-risk infants and infants who later developed ASD. Early motor difficulties may be an early indicator of a number of neurodevelopmental disorders, including ASD.

Keywords::

• Motor development
• Autism spectrum disorders
• Infancy

Notes

The research was supported by a British Academy Small Grant (SG100507) to ELH, The UK Medical Research Council (G0701484) to M. H. Johnson, a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship to ME, and the BASIS funding consortium led by Autistica (http://www.basisnetwork.org/).We are grateful for the generous contributions BASIS families have made towards this study. The BASIS team in alphabetical order: Simon Baron-Cohen, Rachael Bedford, Patrick Bolton, Susie Chandler, Tony Charman, Janice Fernandes, Holly Garwood, Teodora Gliga, Kristelle Hudry, Mark Johnson, Greg Pasco, Leslie Tucker, Agnes Volein.