In addition to the impairments in cognitive flexibility that underlie the diagnosis, autism features some impairments in motor coordination and what may be called sensory coordination.
A person with autism may seem oblivious to a loud explosion, yet pained by a telephone bell.
People with autism sometimes use peripheral vision in place of direct gaze, and may avoid coordination of movement with visual feedback in fine motor tasks.
They often have abnormal gait, and coordinated movements may be effortful and clumsy. These motor abnormalities, though sometimes subtle, can be one of the first visible signs of autism developmentally.
Copyright © 2004 Matthew Belmonte. All rights reserved.