Oromotor skills in autism spectrum disorder: A scoping review.

This review looked at mouth and tongue movement skills in autistic people by examining 107 research studies. These skills are important for speaking and eating - two areas where many autistic people have difficulties. Most studies (81%) found that autistic people have some problems with mouth movements compared to non-autistic people. However, the studies used very different methods, making it hard to understand exactly what these problems are or how common they are.

This scoping review examined oromotor functioning in autism across 107 studies published between 1994-2022. Oromotor skills are crucial for speech and feeding, areas where many autistic individuals experience challenges. The review found that 81% of included studies reported significant oromotor abnormalities in autistic individuals, whether in speech production, nonspeech oromotor skills, or feeding behaviors. However, studies varied widely in methodology, sample characteristics, and behaviors analyzed, making it difficult to synthesize findings or reach clear consensus about the nature of oromotor deficits in autism.

The authors highlight methodological issues that hinder cross-study comparison and provide recommendations for future research to better understand oromotor functioning in autism spectrum disorder.

Results suggest oromotor difficulties are common in autism and may contribute to speech and feeding challenges. However, methodological inconsistencies limit clinical application. Standardized assessment approaches are needed to better understand and address oromotor functioning in clinical practice.

The review notes significant methodological variability across studies, making cross-study synthesis and generalization difficult. No consensus exists regarding the presence or nature of oral motor control deficits, and sample characteristics varied widely across included studies.

Oromotor functioning plays a foundational role in spoken communication and feeding, two areas of significant difficulty for many autistic individuals. However, despite years of research and established differences in gross and fine motor skills in this population, there is currently no clear consensus regarding the presence or nature of oral motor control deficits in autistic individuals. In this scoping review, we summarize research published between 1994 and 2022 to answer the following research questions: (1) What methods have been used to investigate oromotor functioning in autistic individuals? (2) Which oromotor behaviors have been investigated in this population? and (3) What conclusions can be drawn regarding oromotor skills in this population? Seven online databases were searched resulting in 107 studies meeting our inclusion criteria.

Included studies varied widely in sample characteristics, behaviors analyzed, and research methodology. The large majority (81%) of included studies report a significant oromotor abnormality related to speech production, nonspeech oromotor skills, or feeding within a sample of autistic individuals based on age norms or in comparison to a control group. We examine these findings to identify trends, address methodological aspects hindering cross-study synthesis and generalization, and provide suggestions for future research.