Is being 'clumsy' normal for ASD?

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Happy New Year to All...

Currious about one of the Asperger symptoms listed in Wikipedia. It is clumsyness.

"Asperger syndrome is named after Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger who, in 1944, described children in his practice who lacked nonverbal communication skills, demonstrated limited empathy with their peers, and were physically clumsy."

Although I struggled with some clumbsyness growing up, I don't think it has ever been a big problem. Are there others who deal with 'physical clumsyness' as a significant issue growing up and is it still there as an adult?

Today, I take alot of pride in my physical coordination and excel in things requiring balance. Maybe NLD is a better fit as I don't have any serious obsessions as well. Thanks for any insights regarding this...

Cheers,
Philski

If it help, I have had everything at mcdonalds in my eyes while I was working there. Grill cleaner twice, glass cleaner, sanitizer, water,soapy water, pop, ketchup, ranch sauce, tarter sauce, and the list goes on. I have also knocked over a stack of boxes of tomatos, trpping myself inside of a walk in fridge while the door was propped open. There are many other things I can think of too.

From what I've seen on here it's pretty common for us to have problems but the severity and type of 'clumsyness' varies. I have problems with just about everything- fine motor skills, gross motor skills, planning etc but only at a mild-moderate severity.

I've heard of individuals who have have normal or even above average motor coordination though so it's not absolute. Some people say that people with autism are not lacking in motor skills while people with aspergers are- I can't say I've noticed that myself when comparing relatives, both groups have problems- although saying that nearly everyone in my family has poor fine motor skills and we are not all on the spectrum.

Clum-see-saw topic

I tried a sort of therapy to ease my clumsy awkwardness: dancing and slow movement (like tai chi) and it worked a little. But this will always be a challenge of which I must be consciously aware so to avoid accidents.

Edit: You might be interested in this: http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt60511.html


It's not usually required for a diagnosis of AS, but 'clumsiness' is frequently associated with AS. Many people with AS are clumsy in some way.

The DSM says:

The ICD says:


And other diagnostic criteria that are used by some professional/at some places even demand for a person to be clumsy if they have Asperger's.


As for me, I am the opposite and I guess somewhat of an exception for that. My motor skills and coordination are perfectly normal - actually, fine motor skills and coordination are two of my biggest strengths and have been for all my life.

My sensory/perceptive integration of sight does interfere massively with my motor skills and coordination though and that's a huge drawback.

depends what mean by ASD,as each form of autism is seen differently in the severity of motor skills problems.
Aspies [those with aspergers] are supposed to have worse motor skills problems than auties,some even say the difference is big-that auties dont get motor skills problems and aspies get it quite obvious,though as far as am aware,these are not part of criteria,just someones experience or research.

it's also possible as someone on the spectrum to have an extra condition which makes them clumsy-such as dyspraxia or even CP.
am autie,and have a CP like condition down left side which makes things clumsy,wonky and stiff,and is also same side am affected worst by post tc seizure,meltdown and shutdown difficulties.

dyspraxics [who are undiagnosable with an ASD] can actually be ASD like as well [learnt about this one as a staff on the disability forum am use has this without asd] so that is also another one to be assessed for or look into.

I still walk into door frames and furniture, not in the "secret spousal abuse" kind of way, but for real.

I'm still clumsy and have walked into door frames and even cut my head when I walked into a door that had glass in it. Once when I was in the 7th grade, someone thought I was being abused at home from my clumsiness. I also had impetigo at the time, which was also mistaken as abuse.

Always been clumsy, too many examples but mainly spatial awareness and not realising where my limbs are etc.

Stopped using table cloths years ago and have caused many many injuries to myself but thankfully not too many others (just cuts and bruises mainly apart from a few minor RTAs).

I have found forcing myself to do things which require insane amounts of balance and concentration like skateboarding and dancestage games help if I do them regularly, kind of a double edged sword though cus as my energy levels increase more and more I tend to be putting in too much effort for smaller motions.
The other day I was trying to cut steak on a plate but I was cutting so vigorously that it flew off my plate and I lost it to the dog!

I have very little peripheral vision, and I bump into things quite easily.
I also have a bit of a twitch in my right hand that when I go to pick up someting I inadvertantly knock it over instead.

I fnd I trip on things and fall over a lot

I have very poor gross and fine motor skills. It's stops me from doing a lot of things and I'm an easy target for teasing.
I've tripped over in the street a lot. I don't know why people bother asking me to open jars when they can't do it. I can't walk on uneven ground. I could go on.

my motor skills are fine, but my spatial comperehension is lacking. i bump into things a lot and do not gauge space and distance very well.
Yesterday my sister and her partner dropped in to my place. we were sitting at the table which i find really hard in a group. of course i am stimming and fidgeting. i picked up scissor and started -quite unconscioulsy - snipping at the air. I cut a great wedge into my left thumb.

this kind of thing happens frequently with me. I work in my studio and have quite a few accidents.

Last edited by millie on 03 Jan 2009, 2:16 am, edited 1 time in total.

You're so funny!

Could you be my long-lost twin? I'm such a klutz. I knocked over a big glass of 7-Up last night. Many a times I've dropped my dinner on the floor plate and all.

My motor/spacial skills range from exceedingly fine to horribly clumsy depending on what I'm focused on.