Balance and motor skills differences between children and teenagers with autism spectrum disorder and neurotypically developing.
Youth with autism show large, measurable deficits in balance and motor skills—screen these domains during intake and target them in intervention plans.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Martín-Díaz et al. (2024) compared balance and motor skills in youth with autism and same-age peers without autism.
They used standard tests to score things like standing on one foot, hopping, and overall motor control.
The study looked at both children and teenagers to see how the gaps change with age.
What they found
Kids and teens with autism scored much lower on every balance and motor task.
The biggest gap was single-leg stance: many could not hold it for even a few seconds.
These deficits were large enough to show up on everyday playground or gym activities.
How this fits with other research
Martín-Díaz et al. (2026) pooled 34 studies and found the same pattern: balance is consistently worse in autism.
That meta-analysis gives more power, but Paloma’s fresh data add new 2024 kids to the pile.
Ament et al. (2015) looked brighter at first—they said poor balance helps tell autism from ADHD.
The two studies do not clash; Katarina simply shows the deficit can aid diagnosis, while Paloma shows how big the deficit is.
Why it matters
If balance is weak, climbing stairs, playground games, and gym class all feel harder.
Add a quick balance item to your intake: ask the child to stand on one foot for ten seconds.
When the child wobbles or puts the foot down, you have instant evidence to add motor goals to the plan.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study examined the differences between children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and neurotypically developing (NTD) in terms of balance, postural control, and motor skills. It also examined which motor skills are most affected and whether scores on different assessment tests in ASD children are correlated. A cross-sectional observational study with two research groups was conducted. Timed up and go test (TUG), short form of Bruininks-Oseretsky test of Motor Proficiency version 2 (SFBOT-2), and pediatric balance scale (PBS) were used. A total of 100 participants 50 with ASD and 50 with NTD engaged in the research. Statistically significant differences were obtained between control group and ASD group in TUG test and in SFBOT-2 standard score and total score (p-value = <0.01). A statistically significant difference (p-value = <0.01) was seen between ASD group's and control group's PBS scores. Poor correlation was noted between TUG and SFBOT-2, as well as between PBS and TUG. A moderate correlation was also found between SFBOT-2 and PBS. Children with ASD present difficulties in motor skills and in static and dynamic balance compared to children with NTD. Differences were observed in the motor skills of strength followed by manual dexterity, running speed and agility, fine motor precision, fine motor integration, and balance. The PBS item that showed the greatest difference between the ASD group and control group was maintaining monopodial support with hands on hips. Finally, poor to moderate correlations were obtained between the different tests with statistically significant differences.
Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research, 2024 · doi:10.1002/aur.3181