The co-occurrence of motor and language impairments in children evaluated for autism spectrum disorder. An explorative study from Norway

Lise Reindal; Terje Nærland; Anne Mari Sund; Birgit Avseth Glimsdal; Ole Andreas Andreassen; Bernhard Weidle

doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104256

The co-occurrence of motor and language impairments in children evaluated for autism spectrum disorder. An explorative study from Norway

Res Dev Disabil. 2022 Aug:127:104256. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104256. Epub 2022 May 14.

Authors

Lise Reindal¹, Terje Nærland², Anne Mari Sund³, Birgit Avseth Glimsdal⁴, Ole Andreas Andreassen⁵, Bernhard Weidle⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Møre og Romsdal Hospital Trust, Volda Hospital, Volda, Norway; Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare (RKBU Central Norway), Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: lise.reindal@ntnu.no.
² NevSom, Department of Rare Disorders and Disabilities, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; K.G Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: terje.narland@medisin.uio.no.
³ Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare (RKBU Central Norway), Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, St.Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: anne.m.sund@ntnu.no.
⁴ Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Møre og Romsdal Hospital Trust, Molde Hospital, Molde, Norway. Electronic address: birgitgl@online.no.
⁵ K.G Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; NORMENT Centre, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: o.a.andreassen@medisin.uio.no.
⁶ Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare (RKBU Central Norway), Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, St.Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: b-weidle@online.no.

PMID: 35580394
DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104256

Abstract

Background: Current research suggest that motor and language impairments are common and closely related in infants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In older children, less is known about how these impairments are related to each other.

Aims: The current study explored the co-occurrence and potential impact of motor and language impairments in a sample of school-aged children evaluated for ASD by Norwegian specialist health services.

Methods: Besides clinical evaluation for ASD, all participants (N = 20, mean age 10.7 (SD = 3.4) years) underwent a standardized test of motor performance (MABC-2), parent report measures of current motor (DCDQ'07), language (CCC-2), and social (SRS) skills, and a caregiver interview on everyday functioning, providing an overall impairment score (DD-CGAS).

Results: The majority (85%) had motor and/or structural language deficits in addition to their social impairment. All children identified with motor impairment on both measures (39%) also had structural language deficits. Better motor performance was strongly correlated with better structural language skills (r = .618, p = .006).

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that co-occurring motor and structural language deficits should be anticipated and assessed when evaluating children for ASD. These deficits may need specific interventions that complement those targeting social skills deficits and other ASD core symptoms.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Functional impairment; Language impairment; Motor impairment; Participation; Structural language skills.

MeSH terms

Autism Spectrum Disorder* / diagnosis
Autism Spectrum Disorder* / epidemiology
Child
Humans
Infant
Language
Language Development Disorders* / epidemiology
Norway / epidemiology
Social Skills