Limited Fine Motor and Grasping Skills in 6-Month-Old Infants at High Risk for Autism
Open accessAbstract
Atypical motor behaviors are common among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, little is known about onset and functional implications of differences in early motor development among infants later diagnosed with ASD. Two prospective experiments were conducted to investigate motor skills among 6-month-olds at increased risk (high risk) for ASD (N1 = 129; N2 = 46). Infants were assessed using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) and during toy play. Across both experiments, high-risk infants exhibited less mature object manipulation in a highly structured (MSEL) context and reduced grasping activity in an unstructured (free-play) context than infants with no family history of ASD. Longitudinal assessments suggest that between 6 and 10 months, grasping activity increases in high-risk infants.
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Recent studies of high-risk infants have suggested that some deficits in basic aspects of development may be apparent in early infancy but appear to resolve in later development.
“Interestingly, recent studies of high-risk infants have suggested that some deficits in basic aspects of development may be apparent in early infancy but appear to resolve in later development.”
Libertus and colleagues showed deficits in reaching and grasping in 6-month-old infants at high risk for ASD that apparently resolved at 10 months.
“For example, Libertus and colleagues [45] recently showed deficits in reaching and grasping in 6-month-old infants at high risk for ASD that apparently resolved at 10 months.”
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Jones, E. J. H., Venema, K., Earl, R., Lowy, R., Barnes, K., Estes, A., Dawson, G., & Webb, S. J. (2016) · Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders · doi:10.1186/s11689-016-9139-8 · Cited by 164 · see citing works
“For example, Libertus and colleagues [45] recently showed deficits in reaching and grasping in 6-month-old infants at high risk for ASD that apparently resolved at 10 months.”
BackgroundThe role of cerebellar circuitry alterations in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders
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- Authors
- Libertus, K., Sheperd, K. A., Ross, S. W., & Landa, R. J.
- Affiliations
- Kennedy Krieger Institute (US)
- Corresponding author
- Landa, Rebecca J
- Venue
- Child Development
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2014-11-01
- Volume
- 85
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 2218-2231
- ISSN
- 0009-3920 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-8624
- PMC
- PMC4236283
- OpenAlex
- W2094692098
- Cited by
- 181
- References
- 66
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 50 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 6.70
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- Locations
- Child Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- NIH (R01 MH 59630-06A3)
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH59630)
- Autism Science Foundation
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Children's Physical and Motor Development
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder, high-risk infants, fine motor skills, grasping, object manipulation, motor development, early childhood motor development, family history of autism, free play, Mullen Scales of Early Learning
- MeSH terms
- Child Development, Child Development Disorders, Pervasive, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Motor Activity, Motor Skills, Play and Playthings, Risk
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