Autism & Motor Control

Did you know that approximately 87% of autistic individuals have motor control difficulties? People on the spectrum can experience a variety of challenges with motor ability, including fine motor, gross motor, left-right coordination, or low muscle tone.

Many common conditions that co-occur with autism—such as ADHD or Developmental Coordination Disorder—add their own motor challenges to add to the mix.

Many people are aware that autism affects communication, social skills, and sensory processing, but the physical challenges seem to get missed when autism is talked about. These motor difficulties can make school, athletic activities, and leisure activities harder for an autistic person to participate in.

Fine Motor Ability
Fine motor ability uses the small muscles in a person’s hands. Examples of activities that rely on fine motor skills are: using utensils to eat, printing/handwriting, typing, drawing, tying shoes, or fastening buttons and zippers. Is it any wonder that many autistic children struggle to do school work, or learn to dress themselves much later than other children?

Gross Motor Ability
Gross motor ability refers to skills that involve the large muscle groups of the body. If your autistic child was a late crawler or walker, they likely struggle in this area. Running, climbing, kicking, throwing, and catching are all gross motor skills as well, which can make gym class and playground games a humiliating experience.

Left-Right Coordination
Left-right coordination is the ability to move both sides of the body simultaneously and in tandem. For someone with left-right coordination issues, activities such as swimming, pumping both legs on a swing set, or skipping can be very difficult.

Low Muscle Tone
Someone with low muscle tone will struggle to keep their posture upright, and will tend to slump, slouch, or “melt.” They will also have difficulty maintaining their balance. This can get them into trouble when they are expected to sit still for long periods of time. It can also make balance-related activities, such as riding a bicycle, much more difficult.

When it comes to accommodating an autistic student or friend, don’t forget about motor challenges. Someone with fine motor challenges may struggle to play a pen-and-paper game, while someone with gross motor challenges may shudder at the idea of playing a friendly pickup game of soccer or basketball. Asking about challenges ahead of time can help you choose an activity, or modify an activity to better suit and include others.

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