{"id":17943,"date":"2024-07-06T16:54:13","date_gmt":"2024-07-06T21:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autism.org\/?p=17943"},"modified":"2024-08-07T10:39:00","modified_gmt":"2024-08-07T15:39:00","slug":"motor-cognitive-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/autism.org\/motor-cognitive-development\/","title":{"rendered":"Motor Skills and Executive Function in Autism"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_6 1_6 fusion-one-sixth fusion-column-first\" style=\"--awb-padding-top:80px;--awb-bg-size:cover;width:13.3333%; margin-right: 4%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-1 fusion_builder_column_2_3 2_3 fusion-two-third\" style=\"--awb-padding-top:80px;--awb-bg-size:cover;width:65.3333%; margin-right: 4%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\" style=\"--awb-text-transform:none;\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#jump\">Megan MacDonald, Ph.D., and Megan McClelland, Ph.D.<\/a>, discuss emerging research on the relationship between motor skill development and executive function in autism. They define motor skills and executive function, discuss their long-term impact on health and academic success, and consider their co-development during childhood and adolescence. The speakers highlight the importance of EF and motor skills in daily life, underscoring their malleability and potential for learning and building new skills. MacDonald and McClelland consider the effect of cultural contexts on skill development before the Q&amp;A session.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Handouts are online <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Motor-Skills-and-Executive-Funtion.pdf\">HERE<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:20px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-video fusion-youtube fusion-aligncenter\" style=\"--awb-max-width:600px;--awb-max-height:360px;--awb-width:100%;\"><div class=\"video-shortcode\"><div class=\"fluid-width-video-wrapper\" style=\"padding-top:60%;\" ><iframe title=\"YouTube video player 1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BvbZ-Cp_tSA?wmode=transparent&autoplay=0\" width=\"600\" height=\"360\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:20px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-2\" style=\"--awb-text-transform:none;\"><h2><b>In this webinar:\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><strong>2:45<\/strong> &#8211; Presentation overview<br \/>\n<strong>3:20<\/strong> &#8211; Executive function<br \/>\n<strong>6:25<\/strong> &#8211; Motor Skills<br \/>\n<strong>9:20<\/strong> &#8211; Motor skills and autism<br \/>\n<strong>13:30<\/strong> &#8211; Motor skill development<br \/>\n<strong>19:00<\/strong> &#8211; Executive function and motor skills<br \/>\n<strong>22:20<\/strong> &#8211; Cultural contexts<br \/>\n<strong>28:13<\/strong> &#8211; Conclusions<br \/>\n<strong>30:20<\/strong> &#8211; Q&amp;A<\/p>\n<h2><b>Executive function<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">McClelland defines <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/exeuctive-function-autism\/\">executive function<\/a> (EF) as cognitive processes\/skills like attention, working memory, and inhibitory control that lay the foundation for self-regulation <\/span><b>(3:20)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. She explains that EF skills have emerged as a key indicator for a variety of short and long-term behaviors, including social competence in children and academic success throughout adolescents and early adulthood <\/span><b>(4:55)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. She notes a recent publication that found that children with strong attention\/persistence at age four had nearly 50% greater odds of completing university by age 25, underscoring long-term health, educational, and employment outcomes associated with EF <\/span><b>(6:10)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2020-00476-001?doi=1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Self-regulation in childhood as a predictor of future outcomes: A meta-analytic review.<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Robson et al., 2020)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/journals\/psychology\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2014.00599\/full\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Predictors of early growth in academic achievement: the head-toes-knees-shoulders task<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(McClelland et al., 2013)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Motor skills<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MacDonald discusses gross motor skills, highlighting their importance for everyday activities like walking, running, lifting, and throwing. Both EF and motor skills are foundational for learning and early development, and children begin to have a core set of motor skills between seven and eleven years old <\/span><b>(6:25)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The speaker relates motor skills to a mountain of motor development, where each level builds on top of the last <\/span><b>(8:15)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Fine motor skills involve coordinating perceptions with motor movements (visuomotor integration), allowing us to control handwriting, buttoning shirts, drawing, and coloring in the lines. Visuomotor integration has also been linked to children\u2019s academic success <\/span><b>(8:25)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Motor skills in autism<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The presenter briefly reviews key autistic characteristics and prevalence rates, highlighting the role of gross motor skills in social and physical development during childhood <\/span><b>(9:20)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. She cites references to motor skill deficits dating back to the first descriptions of autism. MacDonald explains that early delays in motor development milestones (i.e., walking and crawling) are common in autistic children and that parents\/caregivers may start noticing delays between fourteen and twenty-four months <\/span><b>(10:50)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Motor skills used by school-aged children are different and center around social interactions and sports <\/span><b>(12:48)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2018-21347-001\"><i>Developing together: The role of executive function and motor skills in children\u2019s early academic lives.<\/i><\/a> (McClelland &amp; Cameron, 2019)<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20822219\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fine motor skills and early comprehension of the world: two new school readiness indicators<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Grissmer et al., 2010)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/j.1467-8624.2012.01768.x\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fine Motor Skills and Executive Function Both Contribute to Kindergarten Achievement<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Cameron et al., 2012)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Motor skill development<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MacDonald outlines one of her publications on gross motor development across the first three years of life in autistic children <\/span><b>(13:30)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Gross motor skill development for autistic children showed consistent delays at each check-up, with children being nearly one year behind expected development targets by age three <\/span><b>(14:15)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Similarly findings for fine motor skill development in autistic children was slightly more than one year behind expected development by age three <\/span><b>(15:15)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Another study on school-aged children found that kids between ten and twelve years old were chronologically about half their age in terms of motor skill development <\/span><b>(16:05)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Therefore, the speaker asserts that gross and fine motor skill development in autism is delayed in autism from early life at least through childhood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite these delays, the speaker remains hopeful and iterates to viewers that motor skills are incredibly malleable and can be taught and improved with time <\/span><b>(17:15)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. McClelland cites accumulating research suggesting that EF skills are a vital buffer\/protective factor for children experiencing early risk factors. She reiterates that EF and motor skills are highly malleable and that we can do a lot to improve these aspects of development in autistic children <\/span><b>(18:00)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/1362361311402230\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Motor skills of toddlers with autism spectrum disorders<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Lloyd et al., 2013)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s10803-009-0854-9\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fundamental Movement Skills and Autism Spectrum Disorders<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Staples &amp; Reid, 2010)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.annualreviews.org\/content\/journals\/10.1146\/annurev-psych-010814-015221\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">School Readiness and Self-Regulation: A Developmental Psychobiological Approach<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Blair &amp; Raver, 2015)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0885200610000207?via%3Dihub\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Relations between early family risk, children&#8217;s behavioral regulation, and academic achievement<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Sektnan et al., 2010)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2018-21347-001\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developing together: The role of executive function and motor skills in children\u2019s early academic lives.<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (McClelland &amp; Cameron, 2019)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Executive function and motor skills<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">McClelland discusses contemporary evidence suggesting the co-development of EF and motor skills in young children. She explains that some brain regions are involved in both EF and motor skill development, and certain EF traits (e.g., memory and inhibitory control) are related to fine motor skills <\/span><b>(19:00)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. McDonald notes that, until very recently, motor skills and EF were studied independently. She highlights contemporary collaborative research and its importance in understanding autism <\/span><b>(20:50)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0885200614000428\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Behavioral self-regulation and executive function both predict visuomotor skills and early academic achievement<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Becker et al., 2014)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2015-45619-001?doi=1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visuomotor integration and inhibitory control compensate for each other in school readiness<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Cameron et al., 2015)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2011-02060-009\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise improves executive function and achievement and alters brain activation in overweight children: A randomized, controlled trial<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Davis et al., 2010)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prefrontal cortex development and development of cognitive functions <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Diamond, 2000)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1080\/02701367.2016.1229862\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Relations of Preschoolers&#8217; Visual-Motor and Object Manipulation Skills With Executive Function and Social Behavior<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (MacDonald et al., 2016)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Cultural contexts<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">McDonald states that fine motor skills are associated with cognitive flexibility but that much of the research is based in the U.S. or other Western countries <\/span><b>(22:20)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. A recent study found that Chinese children exhibit better fine motor skill performance while U.S. students have better object control skills <\/span><b>(23:00)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Similarly, gross motor skills of pre-schoolers in China were significantly lower than pre-schoolers in the U.S. Such findings, the speaker asserts, suggest that different cultures emphasize different skill sets in early life (fine vs gross) <\/span><b>(24:15)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The speaker outlines a recent survey study on EF and motor skills in autistic children from Taiwan and the U.S. <\/span><b>(24:45)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. She outlines data collection and analysis methods, including regressions and covariates <\/span><b>(26:10)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Results show that motor skills are associated with EF across countries. Further, the relationship between EF and motor skills is culturally comparable, with significant and positive correlations of magnitude in both countries. She asserts that this preliminary evidence suggests the relationship between EF and motor skills is not specific to region or culture <\/span><b>(27:15)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/journals\/public-health\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2023.1292695\/full\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Association between motor skills and executive function of children with autism spectrum disorder in Taiwan and the United States<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Sung et al., 2024)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Conclusions<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">McClellan reviews the presentation, highlighting that EF and motor skills contribute to healthy development and academic success for children from diverse backgrounds. She reiterates the malleability of these skills and their importance for daily activities. The speaker considers how improvements in EF may impact motor skills and vice versa <\/span><b>(28:13)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. She gives thanks and acknowledgments before the Q&amp;A, where the presenters discuss the impact of COVID on EF, intervention options, monitoring EF supports in daily life, the importance of routine and planning, and much more <\/span><b>(30:20)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Originally published on May 7, 2024<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:40px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-2 fusion_builder_column_1_6 1_6 fusion-one-sixth fusion-column-last\" style=\"--awb-padding-top:80px;--awb-bg-size:cover;width:13.3333%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"jump\" class=\"fusion-container-anchor\"><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-2 has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-3 fusion_builder_column_1_3 1_3 fusion-one-third fusion-column-first\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;width:33.333333333333%;width:calc(33.333333333333% - ( ( 4% ) * 0.33333333333333 ) );margin-right: 4%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-3\" style=\"--awb-text-transform:none;\"><h3>The speakers:<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignleft wp-image-17945 size-thumbnail\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27144%27%20height%3D%27150%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20144%20150%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27144%27%20height%3D%27150%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Megan-MacDonald-PhD-144x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"144\" height=\"150\" \/><strong>Megan MacDonald, PhD<\/strong> is a professor of kinesiology, the early childhood research core director at the Hallie E. Ford Center for Children and Families and the OSU IMPACT for Life faculty scholar &#8211; all housed within the College of Health. Her vision is that every child is active and accepted.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-4\" style=\"--awb-text-transform:none;\"><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload size-thumbnail wp-image-17946 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Megan-McClelland-PhD-150x150.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Megan-McClelland-PhD-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27150%27%20height%3D%27150%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20150%20150%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27150%27%20height%3D%27150%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Megan-McClelland-PhD-66x66.jpg 66w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Megan-McClelland-PhD-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Megan McClelland, PhD,<\/strong>\u00a0is the Katherine E. Smith Professor of Healthy Children and Families at Oregon State University (OSU) where she serves as Endowed Director at the Hallie E. Ford Center for Healthy Children and Families. Her research focuses on optimizing children&#8217;s development, especially as it relates to children\u2019s self-regulation, early learning, and school success. Her recent work has examined links between self-regulation and long-term outcomes from early childhood to adulthood, recent advances in measuring self-regulation, and intervention efforts to improve these skills in young children. She works with colleagues and collaborators around the world and is currently involved with a number of national and international projects to develop measures of self-regulation and improve school success in young children.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-4 fusion_builder_column_2_3 2_3 fusion-two-third fusion-column-last\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;width:66.666666666667%;width:calc(66.666666666667% - ( ( 4% ) * 0.66666666666667 ) );\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-5\"><h4>Take the knowledge quiz<\/h4>\n<p>Can&#8217;t see the quiz below? 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fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:30px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-recent-posts fusion-recent-posts-1 avada-container layout-default layout-columns-3\"><section class=\"fusion-columns columns fusion-columns-3 columns-3\"><article class=\"post fusion-column column col col-lg-4 col-md-4 col-sm-4\"><div class=\"fusion-flexslider fusion-flexslider-loading flexslider flexslider-hover-type-none\"><ul class=\"slides\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/breakthroughs-in-understanding-roles-of-genes-and-environment-in-autism\/\" aria-label=\"Breakthroughs in Understanding roles of Genes and Environment in Autism\" class=\"hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/paid_-dna-700x441.jpg\" class=\"attachment-recent-posts size-recent-posts lazyload\" alt=\"autism genetic research, beyond genetics autism\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271600%27%20height%3D%271067%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201600%201067%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271600%27%20height%3D%271067%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/paid_-dna-700x441.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/paid_-dna-320x202.jpg 320w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/paid_-dna-700x441.jpg 700w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"recent-posts-content\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2026-01-05T18:58:39-05:00<\/span><h4 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/breakthroughs-in-understanding-roles-of-genes-and-environment-in-autism\/\">Breakthroughs in Understanding roles of Genes and Environment in Autism<\/a><\/h4><p class=\"meta\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2026-01-05T18:58:39-05:00<\/span><span>December 2nd, 2025<\/span><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/environmental-factors\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Environmental Factors<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/genetics\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Genetics<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/health\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Health<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/medical-care\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Medical Care<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/neurological\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Neurological<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/research-webinar\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/research\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/webinars\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Webinar<\/a><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><\/p><p>          About the speaker: Dr. Jonathan Sebat, Director, Beyster Center for Psychiatric Genomics Dr. Sebat leads an interdisciplinary team in the clinical and genomic analysis of<\/p><\/div><\/article><article class=\"post fusion-column column col col-lg-4 col-md-4 col-sm-4\"><div class=\"fusion-flexslider fusion-flexslider-loading flexslider flexslider-hover-type-none\"><ul class=\"slides\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/molecular-and-celluar-mechanisms\/\" aria-label=\"The Low-Hanging Fruit: Exploring Monogenic Syndromes with Elevated Rates of Autism\" class=\"hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/AdobeStock_845339561-700x441.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-recent-posts size-recent-posts lazyload\" alt=\"Two puzzle pieces with the words &quot;Autism&quot; and &quot;Genetics&quot; on them\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271192%27%20height%3D%27924%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201192%20924%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271192%27%20height%3D%27924%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/AdobeStock_845339561-700x441.jpeg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/AdobeStock_845339561-320x202.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/AdobeStock_845339561-700x441.jpeg 700w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"recent-posts-content\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/autismadmin\/\" title=\"Posts by autismAdmin\" rel=\"author\">autismAdmin<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2024-08-07T10:37:37-05:00<\/span><h4 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/molecular-and-celluar-mechanisms\/\">The Low-Hanging Fruit: Exploring Monogenic Syndromes with Elevated Rates of Autism<\/a><\/h4><p class=\"meta\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/autismadmin\/\" title=\"Posts by autismAdmin\" rel=\"author\">autismAdmin<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2024-08-07T10:37:37-05:00<\/span><span>July 15th, 2024<\/span><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/autism-spectrum-disorders\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Autism Spectrum Disorders<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/biomarkers\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Biomarkers<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/genetics\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Genetics<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/news\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/autism-spectrum-disorders\/ways-to-help\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Ways to Help<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/webinars\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Webinar<\/a><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><\/p><p>   Dr. Daniel Vogt, Ph.D., explores monogenic syndromes and what they can tell us about the underlying causes of autism. He describes signaling pathways critical in early development, highlighting the electrical nature of<\/p><\/div><\/article><article class=\"post fusion-column column col col-lg-4 col-md-4 col-sm-4\"><div class=\"fusion-flexslider fusion-flexslider-loading flexslider flexslider-hover-type-none\"><ul class=\"slides\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/gender-brain-differences-autism\/\" aria-label=\"Behavioral and Brain Signatures of Autism in Females\" class=\"hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/AdobeStock_238082786-700x441.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-recent-posts size-recent-posts lazyload\" alt=\"puzzle pieces with male and female gender symbols on the pink and blue background. concept equality\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271707%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%202560%201707%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271707%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/AdobeStock_238082786-700x441.jpeg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/AdobeStock_238082786-320x202.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/AdobeStock_238082786-700x441.jpeg 700w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"recent-posts-content\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/autismadmin\/\" title=\"Posts by autismAdmin\" rel=\"author\">autismAdmin<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2024-03-07T15:37:58-05:00<\/span><h4 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/gender-brain-differences-autism\/\">Behavioral and Brain Signatures of Autism in Females<\/a><\/h4><p class=\"meta\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/autismadmin\/\" title=\"Posts by autismAdmin\" rel=\"author\">autismAdmin<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2024-03-07T15:37:58-05:00<\/span><span>July 26th, 2022<\/span><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/genetics\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Genetics<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/neurological\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Neurological<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/research-webinar\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Research<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/webinars\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Webinar<\/a><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><\/p><p>  Kaustubh Supekar, Ph.D., examines recent findings about gender\/sex differences in autism phenotypes and brain organization. He highlights the underrepresentation of females in autism and underscores the need for a large-scale science approach. The<\/p><\/div><\/article><article class=\"post fusion-column column col col-lg-4 col-md-4 col-sm-4\"><div class=\"fusion-flexslider fusion-flexslider-loading flexslider flexslider-hover-type-none\"><ul class=\"slides\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/research-priorities-editorial\/\" aria-label=\"Editorial &#8211; Setting Priorities for Autism Research\" class=\"hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/keyboard-e1570204484508-700x441.jpg\" class=\"attachment-recent-posts size-recent-posts lazyload\" alt=\"Close-up of a keyboard with the word &quot;Research&quot; on it\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271200%27%20height%3D%27630%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201200%20630%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271200%27%20height%3D%27630%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/keyboard-e1570204484508-700x441.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/keyboard-e1570204484508-320x202.jpg 320w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/keyboard-e1570204484508-700x441.jpg 700w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"recent-posts-content\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/autismadmin\/\" title=\"Posts by autismAdmin\" rel=\"author\">autismAdmin<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2024-09-11T10:13:51-05:00<\/span><h4 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/research-priorities-editorial\/\">Editorial &#8211; Setting Priorities for Autism Research<\/a><\/h4><p class=\"meta\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/autismadmin\/\" title=\"Posts by autismAdmin\" rel=\"author\">autismAdmin<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2024-09-11T10:13:51-05:00<\/span><span>November 23rd, 2021<\/span><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/news\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><\/p><p>    Autism organizations, individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and parents have differing views on how best to proceed with autism research. However, nearly all of us can agree that the progress<\/p><\/div><\/article><article class=\"post fusion-column column col col-lg-4 col-md-4 col-sm-4\"><div class=\"fusion-flexslider fusion-flexslider-loading flexslider flexslider-hover-type-none\"><ul class=\"slides\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/maternal-immune-activation\/\" aria-label=\"Research on Maternal Immune Activation, Pregnancy &#038; Covid-19\" class=\"hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/AdobeStock_416761381-700x441.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-recent-posts size-recent-posts lazyload\" alt=\"Doctor is doing ultrasound screening for a pregnant woman\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271350%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%202560%201350%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271350%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/AdobeStock_416761381-700x441.jpeg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/AdobeStock_416761381-320x202.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/AdobeStock_416761381-700x441.jpeg 700w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"recent-posts-content\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/autismadmin\/\" title=\"Posts by autismAdmin\" rel=\"author\">autismAdmin<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2022-02-15T16:13:16-05:00<\/span><h4 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/maternal-immune-activation\/\">Research on Maternal Immune Activation, Pregnancy &#038; Covid-19<\/a><\/h4><p class=\"meta\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/autismadmin\/\" title=\"Posts by autismAdmin\" rel=\"author\">autismAdmin<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2022-02-15T16:13:16-05:00<\/span><span>June 1st, 2021<\/span><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/covid-19\/\" rel=\"category tag\">COVID-19<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/immune-issues\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Immune Issues<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/webinar\/prenatal-health\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Pregnancy<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/webinars\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Webinar<\/a><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><\/p><p>       Learn about emerging findings on maternal immune activation and Covid-19. \u00a0     About the speaker: Judy Van de Water, PhD, joined the faculty in the<\/p><\/div><\/article><article class=\"post fusion-column column col col-lg-4 col-md-4 col-sm-4\"><div class=\"fusion-flexslider fusion-flexslider-loading flexslider flexslider-hover-type-none\"><ul class=\"slides\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/possible-fat-related-biomarker-detected-in-very-young-children-with-autism\/\" aria-label=\"Possible Fat-Related Biomarker Detected in Very Young Children with Autism\" class=\"hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/research-700x441.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-recent-posts size-recent-posts lazyload\" alt=\"Medical Research Scientist Examines Laboratory Mice and Looks on Tissue Samples under Microscope. She Works in a Light Laboratory.\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271440%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%202560%201440%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%271440%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/research-700x441.jpeg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/research-320x202.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/autism.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/research-700x441.jpeg 700w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"recent-posts-content\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2024-04-28T17:52:15-05:00<\/span><h4 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/possible-fat-related-biomarker-detected-in-very-young-children-with-autism\/\">Possible Fat-Related Biomarker Detected in Very Young Children with Autism<\/a><\/h4><p class=\"meta\"><span class=\"vcard\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"fn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/author\/melanie\/\" title=\"Posts by Melanie Glock\" rel=\"author\">Melanie Glock<\/a><\/span><\/span><span class=\"updated\" style=\"display:none;\">2024-04-28T17:52:15-05:00<\/span><span>January 8th, 2021<\/span><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/category\/news\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a><span class=\"fusion-inline-sep\">|<\/span><\/p><p>   Researchers in Japan report that they have identified a possible biomarker for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in very young children. Noting that both low birth weight and obesity in infancy are known<\/p><\/div><\/article><\/section><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17948,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4464,9698,27,9837,26,20,37,3783,3785],"tags":[4718,9636,9839,67,9840],"class_list":["post-17943","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-back-to-school","category-early-intervention","category-educational-therapies","category-executive-function","category-health","category-news","category-parenting","category-sensory","category-social-skills","tag-early-intervention","tag-executive-function","tag-motor-skills","tag-occupational-therapy","tag-physical-therapy","webinar-author-phd-and-megan-mcclelland"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.6 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Motor Skills and Executive Function in Autism - Autism Research Institute<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Drs. Megan McClelland and Megan MacDonald, share updates about research on motor skills and executive function in autism\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/autism.org\/motor-cognitive-development\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Motor Skills and Executive Function in Autism\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Drs. 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