Autism and Asperger's - new research

[Marguerite]

A program on Aussie TV tonight was dealing with new observations in autism and Asperger's Syndrome, and how people walk. Fascinating! We had GFG3 watching it as well. He said, "I don't walk that way!"
Dh said, "You do, you know."

Here is the link, with full transcript and also the film clip. The segment went for a bit over 5 minutes.

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2389736.htm

Marg

[trinityroyal]

Wow! That's fascinating.
GFG has a walk very similar to that of the child in the film clip.

Interestingly, neither Little PC nor I walk like that. I suspect a detailed analysis of our gait using computer imaging might show some of it, but it's not pronounced. I wonder...could the dance classes I took starting at 4 and Little PC's martial arts, started at 4 as well, have contributed to lessening this tendency in us?

Both of us, as well as GFG, have the hypermobility that has been mentioned in a number of recent studies on physical manifestations of autism.

I'm very interested to see the results of further research in this area. Wow!

[TerryJ2]

Very interesting! Thank you!

[SearchingForRainbows]

Marg,

I also found this film clip fascinating!!! GFG2 definitely walks this way too. I really don't notice it in GFG1, also an "Aspie," but I'm sure a detailed analysis of the way he walks would probably pick up something.

In fact, when GFG1 was in kindergarten, a friend, who is a pediatric nurse, thought his walk was a bit unusual. At the time, neither one of us thought to probe further into what she observed. Looking back, it probably had to do with the fact that when comparing GFG1 and GFG2, GFG1 seemed "normal" or "typical" compared to his brother.

I think Trinity may be on to something by thinking that her dance classes and PC's martial arts classes started at 4 years of age, may have helped their gaits appear more "typical."

Anyway, thanks again for posting this. It is fascinating. I'm going to mention this to GFG2's developmental pediatrician as he has an appointment coming up soon. WFEN

[Jena]

wow, ok that was really strange that's my little girl. her feet also turn in as of late we are noticing.

[Pookybear66]

Interesting Marg, thanks for posting it!

[TerryJ2]

Hmm. My son has one foot that turns in. We spoke to the pediatrician yrs ago about it but he said he had little or no success w/leg braces so we decided to leave it alone.
It does not interfere w/gfg running the bases at baseball. At least, so far.

[Estherfromjerusalem]

Thank you, Marg. That was very interesting.

Love, Esther

[1 Day At a Time]

Very , very interesting. Thanks for the post!

Years ago, when GFG first began to walk, my Mom shook her head and said, "he walks just like his father". I never really understood what she meant by that statement - apart from the fact that GFG is, as they say, "the spitting image" of his dad. But this has me wondering..

[Marguerite]

I said to DH last night, "I wonder if tis is connected to the toe-walking that a lot of these kids also do, when learning to walk."
GFG3 didn't do that, though.

The hypermobility issue - all three of our younger kids are very hypermobile. So is DH. At GFG3's drama class, I'd say at least half the autistic/Aspie kids are hypermobile also.

GFG3 & I are about to head out the door to a research study at Sydney Uni, on oxytocin. It's the preliminary interview for an initial double-blinded study. I'll let you know how we got on when we get back tonight.

Marg

Marg