Development of three dimensional gait pattern in autism children - a review

Abstract

Recently, gait patterns of children with autism is of interest in the gait community in order to identify significant gait parameter namely the three dimensional (3D) gait features such as spatial temporal, kinematic and kinetic. This is because gait pattern provides clinicians and researchers in understanding the trajectory of gait development. Understanding the characteristics and identifying gait pattern is essential in order to distinguish normal as well as abnormal gait pattern. Hence the purpose of this review is to identify deviations gait in children with autism based on criteria specifically subject character; measurement, type of gait variables measured; method of classification and major findings. Several gait variables from different instrumentation for gait analysis is reviewed too. Development of gait patterns via assessing gait deviations in children with ASD could assist clinician and researchers to differentiate gait pattern abnormality in diagnosing, clinical decision-making and treatment planning as well.