Child neurologists often fail to identify motor problems in children with autism

Many children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) exhibit significant impairments in motor skills, but a new study by U.S. researchers indicates that neurologists—who often play a major role in the medical care of people with ASD—frequently fail to identify these impairments.

Harika Kottakota and colleagues conducted an anonymous survey of 100 child neurologists, asking them about their awareness of motor impairments in pediatric patients with ASD and their clinical approach to addressing these impairments. They report, “We found most child neurologists were not confident that motor impairments were an associated feature of ASD, do not frequently evaluate for motor impairments, lack sufficient tools for motor evaluations with autistic children, face multiple barriers to providing interventions, and do not receive adequate clinical training regarding this topic.”

Overall, only 36% of respondents recognized motor deficits as an associated feature of autism, and more than half underestimated how common these impairments are. Many remarked that behavioral barriers or time constraints made it difficult to assess children with ASD for motor problems. Study coauthor Rujuta Wilson says, “Motor concerns are just as common, if not more common, than verbal language difficulties in children with autism, yet they’re being significantly under-recognized and undertreated.”

The researchers note that motor problems often emerge in infancy and can have a cascading effect on children’s cognitive, physical, and social development. In addition, they point out that there are strategies for addressing these problems once clinicians identify them. To increase the chances that problems are detected early, Wilson says, “We need to ensure that training on the assessment of unique motor difficulties in autistic individuals is well developed during medical school and residency training.”

Citations

“Survey of child neurologists highlights a missed opportunity for identifying and treating motor impairments in autism,” Harika Kottakota, Emily Hotez, and Rujuta B. Wilson, Pediatric Neurology, October 2025 (online). Address: Rujuta Wilson, UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles, California 90095, [email protected]. —and— “Survey shows only 36% of neurologists identify motor deficits as part of autism diagnosis,” news release, University of California at Los Angeles, October 14, 2025.