motor skill delays and weather to stay behind a school year

[Noskcaj86]

Are motor skill delays common in autistic children? Just wondering after parents evening as motor skills are behing, he finds drawing, using scissors, writing etc difficult and needs to work on them. Hes had motor skill delays all along and i thought they had gone, but today told they havent. Are they common in asd? Also hes coming out at 18 months to 2 yrs behind his peers in many areas, so more 2 and a half to 3 than his actual 4 and a half. Should he stay behind a year or move up with his peers?

[smileyK]

Have you heard of dyspraxia ? This can be seperate yet linked/connected condition with autism dyspraxia can affect your physical skills (hand eye co-ordination, etc) worth researching looking into further???! You can have both condition existing together isn't usual! XKLX

[Noskcaj86]

I dont think its dyspraxia as hes only having problems with fine motor skills now. If it was dyspraxia wouldnt it affect other motor skills like walking, riding a bike etc? He crawled at 9 months, was walking by 14 months... so not delayed there but did have some delays with getting things to his mouth such as he couldnt hold his own cup/bottle up to drink until 18 months and he had/still has some difficulty using spoons, knives and forks. But mainly its fine motor skills now.

 

Also... he has only in the last few months started to draw anything recognisable that isnt just a scribble, he can now draw a face with arms and legs coming out of the head but that is it so far that is recognisable with drawing. He can sort of write his name, bbut only recognisable if you know what his name is before hand!

Edited March 13, 2013 by Noskcaj86

[smileyK]

No he could still have dyspraxic traits doesn't have to affected all motor skills just some or one type can be affected by dyspraxia?! Different levels and how child are affected by skills lacking /missing or affected?! As common traits of having difficulties using knife and fork using scissors etc XKLX

[Noskcaj86]

Ok thanks, ill talk to his paediatrician when we next go and see what she thinks, there is something going on with motor skills for him to still be having issues at 4 and a half.

[trekster]

I would say yes as they can be an additional symptom to the ASD itself.

[Noskcaj86]

Yea I just googled it and got the same answer that it can actually be a symptom of ASD. Thanx

[bed32]

Yes as others have said, problems with motor skills (fine and gross) are common in ASD Children. Handwriting is often very difficult and you may well need OT.

 

I don't think you should consider holding him back a year - if he is ASD then he is unlikely ever to catch up with his peers and being a year older than his classmates could cause significant issues.

[Noskcaj86]

Ok thanks, what kind of issues do you think being older could cause? Hes the youngest in his year at the moment, so staying back a year would make him the oldest but only by a couple of weeks... his birthday is end of august so any kids born early sep will be his age really. The only worry i have is him being seperated from his friends, he has 1 very close friend.

[bed32]

If it is only a couple of weeks then I don't see that it would matter.

 

If the gap were wider my concerns would be partly that just by being older is one more difference for someone who is already going to stand out, and might cause him concern if he still couldn't keep up. Starting school might also be harder for him if the children he has got to know during his nursery years started a year earlier. Also being the oldest and presumably therefore one of the largest could be an issue if he got physical either deliberately or (as with our son) just bumped into people through lack of spacial awareness and body control.

 

Also I don't think that it would do much good - if he is ASD then he isn't likely to catch up just by being held back, and it could be that it is better for him to be in a school environment with the (I assume) more experienced teachers, and ultimately the support of SENCO, SA, SAP and so on. They should have more experience in dealing with special needs, and access to more resources.