A systematic review and meta-analysis of the associations between motor milestone timing and motor development in neurodevelopmental conditions

• Published in: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews Vol. 167; p. 105825
• Main Authors: Bowler, Aislinn, Arichi, Tomoki, Austerberry, Chloe, Fearon, Pasco, Ronald, Angelica
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2024
• Subjects: ADHD; Autism; Crawling; DCD; Fine Motor; Gross Motor; Hold Head Up; Infant; Language and Communication Disorders; Milestones; Motor; Motor Disorder; Neurodevelopment disorders; Rolling; Schizophrenia; Sitting; Standing; Tic Disorders; Walking; Crawling; Hold Head Up; ADHD; Motor; DCD; Fine Motor; Sitting; Rolling; Schizophrenia; Infant; Language and Communication Disorders; Tic Disorders; Walking; Autism; Milestones; Motor Disorder; Gross Motor; Standing; Neurodevelopment disorders
• ISSN: 0149-7634; 1873-7528; 1873-7528
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105825

Early motor skills may be important early markers of neurodevelopmental conditions or predictors of their later onset. To explore this, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of infant motor skill assessments in those who go on to gain a clinical diagnosis of autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia, language conditions, tic disorders, or developmental coordination disorder (DCD). In total, 63 articles met inclusion criteria. Three three-level meta-analyses were run. Meta-analysis of milestone achievement in N= 21205 individuals revealed gross motor milestones were significantly delayed compared to controls (g= 0.53, p< 0.001). Subgroup analyses revealed autism (g= 0.63) and DCD (g= 0.53) had the highest magnitude delays. Specific delays were revealed for holding the head up (g= 0.21), sitting (g= 0.28), standing (g= 0.35), crawling (g= 0.19), and walking (g= 0.71). Meta-analyses of standardised motor skill measurements in N= 1976 individuals revealed reduced performance compared to controls in autism and language conditions (g= −0.54, p< 0.001). Together, these findings demonstrate delayed milestone attainment and motor impairments in early childhood in neurodevelopmental conditions.
•Meta-analyses show neurodevelopmental conditions associated with delays in motor milestones.•The delays include holding their head up, sitting, standing, and walking.•Meta-analyses show language disorders and autism had impaired infant motor ability.•Early motor impairments in autism increasingly diverge from controls with age.