Motor problems in autism persist into adulthood

https://spectrumnews.org/news/motor-problems-autism-persist-adulthood/

My wife used to comment on my gait/the way I walk. I have a tendency to veer from side to side as though a little drunk. Have never had good balance and coordination.

Parents
  • I've always had problems with bumping into things, knocking things over and falling down from childhood and still have them.

    I perhaps stumble and fall once a month, in fact I have got quite adept at falling over so that I never hurt myself (touch wood), but it sure is inconvenient.  Not many years ago (certainly within the last ten) I stumbled in a shop and knocked to display down -- a lot of ornaments and things.  The owner of the shop was not best pleased.

    I was given tablets when in my early twenties but they didn't seem to do anything so I stopped taking them  I have had brain scans but they don't show anything untoward.

    It is an autistic trait.  I am now 63 and it still affects me.  But I am not particularly worried about it although I just hope as I age I don't get to hurt myself by falling over.  It is not 'blacking out' it is just one minute I am standing up and the next I am on the ground.  I do take a stick sometimes which gives me a bit of reassurance but even that does not always stop it.

Reply
  • I've always had problems with bumping into things, knocking things over and falling down from childhood and still have them.

    I perhaps stumble and fall once a month, in fact I have got quite adept at falling over so that I never hurt myself (touch wood), but it sure is inconvenient.  Not many years ago (certainly within the last ten) I stumbled in a shop and knocked to display down -- a lot of ornaments and things.  The owner of the shop was not best pleased.

    I was given tablets when in my early twenties but they didn't seem to do anything so I stopped taking them  I have had brain scans but they don't show anything untoward.

    It is an autistic trait.  I am now 63 and it still affects me.  But I am not particularly worried about it although I just hope as I age I don't get to hurt myself by falling over.  It is not 'blacking out' it is just one minute I am standing up and the next I am on the ground.  I do take a stick sometimes which gives me a bit of reassurance but even that does not always stop it.

Children
  • I tripped over something walking to the supermarket only on Friday and broke my glasses giving myself a black eye and injuring my right hand which means I'll have to wear a splint until it heals. Fortunately they were both soft tissue injuries and I didn't break any bones.