Citation

Graham SA, Abbott AE, Nair A, Lincoln AJ, Müller RA, Goble DJ. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2014; 45(5): 1419-1427.

Affiliation

School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, College of Health and Human Services, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182-7251, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10803-014-2303-7

PMID

25381191

Abstract

Impairments in sensorimotor integration are reported in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Poor control of balance in challenging balance tasks is one suggested manifestation of these impairments, and is potentially related to ASD symptom severity. Reported balance and symptom severity relationships disregard age as a potential covariate, however, despite its involvement in balance development. We tested balance control during increasingly difficult balance conditions in children with ASD and typically developing peers, and investigated relationships between balance control and diagnostic/symptom severity metrics for participants with ASD, including age as a covariate. Balance deficits in ASD were exacerbated by stance alterations, but were not related to symptom severity when age was considered. These findings support impaired balance in ASD, especially in challenging conditions, but question a link between balance and symptom severity.

Language: en