title: Abnormalities of joint mobility and gait in children with autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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 4years 6months, range 22months-10years 9months).
  
  
  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 1.6months later than their non-autistic peers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: The Division of Child Neurology of the Saul R. Korey, Department of Neurology, USA.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shetreat-Klein
authors.affiliation: The Division of Child Neurology of the Saul R. Korey, Department of Neurology, USA; The Department of Pediatrics, USA; The Epilepsy Monitoring Unit of Montefiore Medical Center, USA.
authors.forename: Shlomo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shinnar
authors.affiliation: The Division of Child Neurology of the Saul R. Korey, Department of Neurology, USA; The Department of Pediatrics, USA; The Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx NY 10461, USA. Electronic address: isabelle.rapin@einstein.yu.edu.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rapin
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007596:Joints / Q000002:abnormalities*; D008297:Male; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence