Action performance in children with autism spectrum disorder at preschool age: a pilot study. (7th August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sano, Misako; Yamaguchi, Kaori; Fukatsu, Reiko; Hoshiyama, Minoru
• Is Part Of: International journal of developmental disabilities. Volume 66:Number 4(2020)
• Page Start: 289
• Page End: 295
• Publication Date: 2020-08-07
• Subjects: ASD -- motor control -- motor development -- imitating; People with mental disabilities -- Periodicals; People with mental disabilities -- Care -- Periodicals; Mental retardation -- Periodicals; 362.1968
• DOI: 10.1080/20473869.2019.1580472
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2047-3869

Abstract

Abstract : Objectives: Motor deficits related to imitation have been observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients. This pilot investigation focused on motor performances, including daily tool-use actions, performing an action in the absence of the tool, and imitating (copying tool-use action presented visually), in eight children with ASD and eight children with typical development (TD), with all of pre-school age (4–6 years). Methods: Motor performances were compared between the children with ASD and TD. Differences between an actual tool-use action and performing a tool-use action without the tool according to verbal instruction were also assessed between the groups. Results: Children with ASD showed impairments in imitating, but their actual tool-use actions and tool-use actions without tools following verbal instruction were not different from those of TD children. The spatial error rate in the tasks was higher in children with ASD. Conclusions: The present study indicates that disturbance in imitating actions appears by the age of 4–6 years in children with ASD, possibly as a characteristic symptom affecting motor performance at pre-school age. Generalized apraxia might follow by the age of 8 years or older.