Postural control in children with autism.
Autistic kids stand with more side-sway and odd vision habits, a motor sign you can spot and train in everyday sessions.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Demello et al. (1992) watched how kids stood still on a force plate.
They compared autistic kids to typical kids and to kids with intellectual disability.
The plate recorded tiny wobbles that eyes alone can miss.
What they found
Autistic children swayed more side-to-side and looked less steady overall.
Oddly, when vision was blocked some showed sudden "better" balance, hinting they rely on vision in a different way.
These quirks were not seen in the other two groups.
How this fits with other research
LeBlanc et al. (2003) repeated the sway test and added foggy glasses or soft foam. They again found bigger wobbles in autism, showing the balance gap is real.
Martín-Díaz et al. (2026) pooled 34 later studies and confirmed kids with ASD consistently score lower on both static and moving balance tests.
Ghanouni et al. (2017) added faces on a screen and saw sway grow even larger in autism, linking social stress to motor control.
Together the papers extend the 1992 snapshot: balance is off across ages, sensory tricks, and emotional loads.
Why it matters
Watch for sideways sway during circle-time or while waiting in line. A quick visual check can flag kids who fatigue fast or avoid playground gear. Add balance games, wall sits, or single-leg stands to the session plan. If the learner wobbles more when you make eye contact, give a calm focal point like a colored spot on the floor.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Postural control was evaluated in samples of autistic, normal, and mentally retarded children in this pilot study using a recently developed, computerized posturographic procedure. A battery of postural positions was administered including postures involving some degree of "stress" (e.g., occluded vision or standing on pads). The postural patterns of children with autism differed from those observed in normal children, in mentally retarded children, and in adults with vestibular disorders. In comparison to normal children the autistic subjects were less likely to exhibit age-related changes in postural performance and postures were more variable and less stable with more lateral sway. Autistic subjects also exhibited a "paradoxical" response of greater stability with more "stressful" postures, putting excessive weight on one foot, one toe, or one heel. The implications for neuroanatomical models of autism are discussed.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 1992 · doi:10.1007/BF01048244