A LITERATURE REVIEW ON ASSESSMENT TOOLS USED TO EVALUATE BALANCE AMONG AUTISTIC CHILDREN

Abstract

Background: ASD is a neurological developmental disorder that is typically characterized by repetitive or stereotyped behavior, social and communication difficulties, and balance issues. However, there is a close relationship between ASD, gross motor skills, and sensory-motor integration. Objective: The main objective of this literature review is, to analyze and to provide the overview of the available balance evaluation tools for autistic children which were widely in use from last 5-7 years. Method: In this review of literature, the selection of the articles is sourced from various reputable platforms including Google scholar , science direct , and Pubmed. These articles are from the years 2016 to 2024. Results: It is challenging to choose one acceptable balance assessment approach because of the availability of numerous methods , different studies have determined how to evaluate balance based on different goals, and no one measure has emerged. In this study we addressed a few specific evaluation tools that help to identify balance issues especially for ASD children. A simple following criteria is applied for the selection of the evaluation of tools: 1) Commonly used in practice (ii) evaluation of static balance and dynamic balance and (iii) it has to be suitable for autism children. They include the Pediatric balance scale, the Bruininks-Oseretsky motor proficiency test -2, and Movement assessment battery for children. Conclusion: In conclusion, the study outlines the three assessment tools that are being widely in use , in the clinical field to evaluate the balance among children with ASD. This review examines and contrasts the limitations and strengths of these different tools useful for assessing dynamic balance and static balance. However, to determine the potential implications of these tools for evaluating balance in individuals with ASD further, it is essential to conduct more meticulously designed randomized controlled trials.