ObjectiveMotor impairments are prevalent in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and persistent across age. Our current study was designed to investigate motor deficits in Chinese toddlers with ASD and to explore the relationships between motor deficits and social communication skills.MethodsFor this cross-sectional study, we recruited a total of 210 Chinese toddlers with ASD aged between 18 and 36 months in the study during December 2017 to December 2020. Griffiths Developmental Scales-Chinese (GDS-C), Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2) and Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile-Infant-Toddler Checklist (CSBS-DP-ITC) were administered in these toddlers to evaluate their development, social communicative skills, and autism severity. We compared the developmental and social communicational profiles of ASD toddlers in different gross and fine motor subgroups, and explored potential associated factors. The univariate generalized linear model tested the relationship of fine and gross motor skills and social communicative skills.ResultsThe prevalence of gross and fine motor deficits were 59.5 and 82.5%, respectively, which are almost equivalent in boys and girls. The motor impairments tended to be more severe with age in toddlers. After adjusting for age, sex, non-verbal development quotient (DQ) and restricted, repetitive behaviors, severer gross motor impairments were significantly related to higher comparison score of ADOS-2 and higher social composite score of CSBS-DP-ITC, without interactions with other variables. Meanwhile, lower fine motor skills were associated with more deficits of social communication and higher severity of ASD, also depending on non-verbal DQ. In the lower non-verbal DQ subgroup, both fine motor deficits and restricted repetitive behaviors (RRBs) might have effects on autism symptomology.ConclusionMotor impairments are common in Chinese toddlers with ASD. Toddlers with weaker gross and fine motor skills have greater deficits in social communicative skills. Gross motor impairment might be an independent predictor of the severity of autism and social communication skills, while the effect of fine motor deficits might be affected by non-verbal DQ and RRBs of toddlers with ASD. We provide further justification for the inclusion of motor impairments in the early intervention for toddlers with ASD.

ObjectiveEarly identification and intervention for children with global developmental delay (GDD) can significantly improve their prognosis and reduce the possibility of developing intellectual disability in the future. This study aimed to explore the clinical effectiveness of a parent-implemented early intervention program (PIEIP) for GDD, providing a research basis for the extended application of this intervention strategy in the future.MethodsDuring the period between September 2019 and August 2020, children aged 3 to 6 months diagnosed with GDD were selected from each research center as the experimental group and the control group. For the experimental group, the PIEIP intervention was conducted for the parent-child pair. Mid-term and end-stage assessments were performed, respectively, at 12 and 24 months of age, and parenting stress surveys were completed.ResultsThe average age of the enrolled children was 4.56 ± 1.08 months for the experimental group (n = 153) and 4.50 ± 1.04 months for the control group (n = 153). The comparative analysis of the variation in the progress between the two groups by independent t-test showed that, after the experimental intervention, the developmental quotient (DQ) of locomotor, personal-social, and language, as well as the general quotient (GQ) of the Griffiths Mental Development Scale-Chinese (GDS-C), the children in the experimental group demonstrated higher progress than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant decrease in the mean standard score of dysfunctional interaction, difficult children and the total level of parental stress in the term test for the experimental groups (P < 0.001 for all).ConclusionsPIEIP intervention can significantly improve the developmental outcome and prognosis of children with GDD, especially in the areas of locomotor, personal-social, and language.