Are motor issues at the core of autism?

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Neuroscientists say new evidence suggests problems controlling bodily movements are at the core of autism spectrum disorders.

Their findings, published in Nature Scientific Reports, are contrary to the conventional medical understanding of autism—that it is a mental illness and that neuromotor problems, while often occurring at the same time as autism, are not at its biological core.

If their analysis is correct, it also suggests that use of psychotropic medications to treat autism in children often makes such neuromotor problems worse.

“For the first time, we can demonstrate unambiguously that motor issues are core issues that need to be included in the diagnosis criteria for autism,” says Elizabeth Torres, an associate professor of psychology at Rutgers University and coauthor of the study.

According to Torres, psychotropic drugs are routinely prescribed for children on the autism spectrum, even though they’re designed for adults.

http://www.futurity.org/neuromotor-prob ... 1320882-2/

I am glad this is getting some recognition. Moving "differently" is going to effect how people see you and thus cause social communication issues.

I do not like the implication that the thinking of the previous 70 years has been wrong. Autism is a syndrome. Neuromotor should be added to core traits, not replace social communication and repetitive behavors.