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

Doctors in Norway watched 61 school-age kids who were sent for an autism check-up. They gave each child a quick motor test and a short language test on the same day.

The team wrote down if the child moved clumsily, struggled to speak, or both. They wanted to know how often these two problems show up together.

Eighty-five out of every the kids had a clear motor or language deficit. Kids who scored low on moving also scored low on talking; the link was strong.

Only 15 percent had no motor or language red flags. The take-home: most children you test for ASD already share these extra hurdles.

Caçola et al. (2017) warned us not to blame all clumsiness on autism; they say ASD and Developmental Coordination Disorder are separate. Lise’s numbers agree—motor issues are common—yet they remind you to still screen for DCD instead of lumping it under ASD.

Brignell et al. (2024) tracked language growth and found starting language level, not the ASD label, predicts later progress. Lise’s snapshot shows why that starting point matters: many kids arrive with both low language and low motor scores, so plan goals for both areas.

Laugeson et al. (2014) saw preschoolers with ASD plus language impairment start more socially behind than ASD-alone. Lise extends that picture to school age, adding motor deficits as another common partner.

If you screen only for autism, you will miss the motor or language problems driving most of the child’s trouble at school and in play. Add a five-minute motor checklist and a quick language sample to every ASD evaluation. Write goals that practice balance, fine-motor, and communication together; treating both domains at once gives the child a faster boost and keeps parents from chasing separate lists.