Background

A better understanding of gait development and asymmetries in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may improve the development of treatment programs and thus, patient outcomes.

Research question

Does age affect walking kinematics and symmetry in children with ASD?

Method

Twenty-nine children (aged 6–14 years old) with mild ASD (level one) were recruited and assigned to one of the three groups based on their ages: 6–8 years (U8), 9–11 years (U11) and 12–14 years (U14). Walking kinematics were captured using an inertia measurement unit system placed bilaterally on participants’ foot, lower leg, upper leg, upper arm, pelvis, and thoracic spine. Joint angles were computed and compared among the age groups. Symmetry angles were used to assess the gait symmetry and were compared among the age groups.

Results

Older children exhibited less ankle dorsiflexion and knee flexion angles at heel-strike and greater plantarflexion angles at toe-off compared with younger children. In addition, a decreased pelvis and thorax axial rotation range of motion and increased shoulder flexion/extension range of motion were observed for older children. However, no age-related difference in gait symmetry was observed.

Significance

These findings could suggest that older children with ASD may develop gait kinematics to a more energy-efficient walking pattern.

中文翻译：

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自闭症谱系障碍儿童的年龄相关步态发展

背景

对自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）儿童的步态发展和不对称的更好理解可能会改善治疗方案的制定，从而改善患者的预后。

研究问题

年龄是否会影响ASD儿童的行走运动和对称性？

方法

招募了29名轻度ASD（6-14岁）儿童（1级），并根据年龄分为6-8岁（U8），9-11岁（U11）和3岁以下儿童之一。 12-14年（U14）。使用惯性测量单元系统捕获步行运动学信息，该系统双向放置在参与者的脚，小腿，大腿，上臂，骨盆和胸椎上。计算各年龄段的关节角度并进行比较。对称角度用于评估步态对称性，并在各个年龄段之间进行比较。

结果

与年龄较大的儿童相比，年龄较大的儿童在脚跟撞击时表现出较少的踝背屈和膝部弯曲角度，而在脚趾分离时表现出较大的足底弯曲角度。另外，对于较大的儿童，观察到骨盆和胸部的轴向旋转运动范围减小，肩部屈曲/伸展运动范围增大。但是，没有观察到步态对称性与年龄相关的差异。

意义

这些发现可能表明，患有ASD的较大儿童可能会发展步态运动学，从而达到更节能的步行方式。