Comorbidity of physical and motor problems in children with autism.

Matson et al. (2011) looked at every paper they could find on physical and motor problems in autism. They did not run new tests. They simply pulled the clues together.

Their goal was to show how often these extra problems show up and why you should check for them.

The review says many kids with autism also have motor delays, low muscle tone, poor balance, or coordination issues. Obesity, sleep apnea, and even birth injuries are more common too.

Yet most intake forms skip these areas. The authors urge teams to add motor and health screens to every autism assessment.

Payne et al. (2020) backs this up with hard numbers: in a large group of autistic preschoolers, 35 % showed motor trouble on the Vineland, but only 1 % had it noted in their chart. The 2011 call to screen was clearly needed.

Thomas et al. (2021) add that 85 % of school-age kids with autism also risk Developmental Coordination Disorder, and that risk makes core autism symptoms worse even after you account for IQ.

Lizon et al. (2024) warn that autism motor deficits are not the same as DCD drills. They found kids with autism struggle with planning the next move, not with fixing errors mid-move. Generic motor therapy may miss the point.

Chuang et al. (2025) widen the lens: within one year of autism diagnosis, preschoolers face up to 70 times higher odds of heart, hormone, and brain-vessel issues. The 2011 plea to watch physical health keeps gaining urgency.

If you skip motor and physical checks, you miss problems that can hide or worsen autism traits. Add a quick Vineland motor domain, ask about birth history, and note weight, sleep, and heart issues at intake. These five minutes can steer therapy goals, justify OT or PT, and spare families years of chasing the wrong targets.