Gross Motor Skills and Autism
Gross motor skills involve the large muscle groups used for walking, running, jumping, climbing, and maintaining balance. Autistic children commonly have gross motor delays and differences, including: low muscle tone (hypotonia), poor balance and coordination, awkward gait, difficulty with ball skills, and delayed motor milestones.
Why Autistic Children Have Gross Motor Difficulties
Multiple factors contribute: motor planning difficulties (difficulty sequencing the steps of a physical action), proprioceptive differences (unclear sense of body position), vestibular differences (balance and coordination), and hypotonia (low muscle tone affecting postural control).
Signs of Gross Motor Delay
Falls frequently beyond expected age. Difficulty with stairs long after peers manage them. Cannot hop on one foot by age 5. Cannot catch a ball reliably. Appears clumsy in playground activities. Tires quickly. Avoids physical play.
Activities to Build Gross Motor Skills
Obstacle courses: Set up simple obstacle courses at home using pillows, cushions, chairs to crawl under, and chalk lines to walk along.
Ball activities: Start with large, slow-moving balls. Roll the ball back and forth. Progress to bouncing, then kicking, then catching.
Animal walks: Bear walk (on hands and feet), crab walk, frog jumps, snake slithering. Fun and develops coordination.
Swimming: Excellent gross motor activity with sensory and vestibular benefits. No falling risk.
Balance activities: Walk along a line of tape, stand on one foot while holding a wall, step on stepping stones (cushions on the floor).
When to Seek Physiotherapy vs. OT
OT addresses sensory integration and functional daily skill components of motor difficulty. Physiotherapy addresses muscle strength, range of motion, and mobility. Both are often useful simultaneously.