Higher Intraindividual Gait Variability in Autistic Toddlers: A Pilot Study.
Autistic toddlers walk with noticeably less consistent step timing and length, measurable as early as 18 months.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Osório et al. (2025) watched 18-month-old toddlers walk across a pressure mat. Ten kids had autism. Ten kids were developing typically.
The team measured every step. They looked at step length, step time, and step width. They asked: are the steps the same each time, or do they vary?
What they found
Autistic toddlers had shakier steps. Their step length and timing changed more from one step to the next. The difference was large enough to see on a graph.
Typical toddlers kept nearly the same step length and time. Autistic toddlers did not. This shows their motor control is less steady.
How this fits with other research
Deserno et al. (2017) saw a similar pattern in older kids with Developmental Coordination Disorder. Those kids walked with uneven left-right steps. Both studies find gait problems in neurodevelopmental disorders, just measured differently.
Deschrijver et al. (2017) used EEG to show that older autistic kids struggle with motor planning. Almeida’s toddlers show the trouble starts even earlier, at the first steps.
Barton et al. (2019) validated a quick 5-item autism screener for toddlers. Adding a 30-second gait test could give you a second free marker to flag kids who need a full evaluation.
Why it matters
You can spot this in clinic. Lay down a cheap pressure mat or even mark tiles with tape. Count how many steps a toddler takes and time them with your phone. High step-to-step change may signal autism risk before words fail. Share the numbers with the pediatrician to speed referral.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
PURPOSE: Motor impairments are pervasive in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with atypical gait patterns often observed but understudied in early development. The aim of this pilot study was to analyze spatiotemporal gait parameters and variability in toddlers with ASD compared to typically developing (TD) peers. METHODS: The study included 12 ASD and 9 TD male toddlers, aged 18-30 months, walking independently. We extracted spatiotemporal gait parameters from laboratory recordings of walking. Gait variability was assessed via coefficients of variation for each parameter. Group differences were tested and exploratory correlations between gait parameters and motor skills were assessed. RESULTS: Results indicated increased gait variability in the ASD group across parameters, suggesting less consistent motor control. Significant differences in variability were observed in stride length, step length, stance time, and stride time. CONCLUSION: This pilot study confirms that an objective assessment of gait is feasible in toddlers with ASD. Future research is needed to replicate the results in a larger sample, to explore underlying neurological mechanisms, as well as the impact of atypical gait maturation on other developmental domains. Early identification of atypical gait patterns could aid in designing interventions targeting motor development, potentially improving broader developmental outcomes in ASD.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2025 · doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2007.07.007