PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND AUTISM
BENEFITS
Physical exercise benefits any child, but it has particular benefits for children on the autism spectrum who experience problems with communication abilities, social skills, and behavior. This can show in problems with:
• Fine motor skills
• Sensory integration issues
• Poor attention span
• Poor coordination
• Visual tracking of moving objects
• Slow reaction times.
Despite its many benefits, exercise is often overlooked by parents due to their own inactive lifestyle or being too busy. But when physical exercise is cheap, safe, and healthy, it should be one of the first interventions for a child on the autism spectrum. Motivating your child may be difficult at first, and you may need to shape the exercise around an interest they have. Once it forms part of the child's routine, motivation is usually no longer a problem.
Team sports would have to be carefully considered due to complexities of team work and communication that may overwhelm a child on the autism spectrum. However, with the right timing this can be part of your child's education and development of social skills.
Ideally you should incorporate time into your lifestyle to exercise with your child. Below are some useful kinds of exercise for different issues arising from Autism Spectrum Disorders.Ufit is aligned with the
www.autism.org & www.autismsocietyca.org
PROPRIOCEPTIVE SYSTEM
The Proprioceptive System helps children (and adults) to locate their bodies in space. Autistic children often have have poor proprioception and will need help to develop their coordination. Therapy may include playing with weights, bouncing on a trampoline or a large ball, skipping or pushing heavy objects.
VESTIBULAR SYSTEM
The Vestibular System is located in our inner ear. It responds to movement and gravity and is therefore involved with our sense of balance, coordination and eye movements. Therapy can include hanging upside down, rocking chairs, swings, spinning, rolling, somersaulting, cartwheels and dancing. All these activities involve the head moving in different ways that stimulate the vestibular system. Be careful to observe the child carefully to be sure the movement is not over stimulating.
Back and forth movement appears less stimulating than side-to-side movement. The most stimulating movement tends to be rotational (spinning) and should be used carefully. Ideally activities will provide a variety of these movements. A rocking motion will usually calm a child while vigorous motions like spinning will stimulate them. Merry-go-rounds, being tossed on to cushions or jumping trampolines can be real favorites with some children. Experimenting and careful introduction of each activity is the way to go
LEARNING NEW SKILLS INVOLVING MOVEMENT
Skills such as tying shoe laces or riding a bike can be difficult as they involve sequences of movements. Therapy to help in this area may use swimming, mazes, obstacle courses, constructional toys and building blocks.
DIFFICULTY WITH USING BOTH SIDES OF THE BODY TOGETHER
Crawling, hopscotch, skipping, playing musical instruments, playing catch and bouncing balls with both hands are some of the many activities that can help with bilateral integration.
HAND AND EYE COORDINATION
Activities may include hitting with a bat, popping bubbles, throwing and catching balls, beanbags and balloons.
WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY?
Recreational sports may be a healthy and enjoyable activity, affording opportunities to generalize skills learned in therapy or school programs. However, their effects have not been evaluated in scientific studies with strong experimental designs.
Antecedent exercise, in which an individual exercises on a regular schedule, may reduce aggression or repetitive behaviours for some individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Some studies suggest that simply placing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in settings with typical peers, without any other intervention, may increase their social interactions and reduce their repetitive behaviours , but other studies have not shown these effects .Thus, additional research is needed on whether simply placing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in settings with typical peers is effective.
However, there is strong evidence from multiple studies that placing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in settings with typically developing peers who have been taught to serve as tutors or models is effective in increasing social interactions.
Recommendations
Recreational sports may have health benefits, may be an enjoyable leisure activity for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and, in some cases, may help prevent problem behavior such as aggression. Sports also may afford opportunities for socialization, particularly if peers who have been taught to serve as tutors or models are available during the activity.
Research and our clinical experience have helped us understand and address many autism-related barriers to enjoyable participation in physical activity.
Understanding aversions. Recently I encouraged a boy with autism to play alongside his friends during our physical education class. He replied, “I don’t think you could design a worse place for me to be!” I got it. I was asking him to enter a setting that was social, active, loud and unpredictable – all qualities he disliked.
Several issues make physical activity less appealing for many people with autism. These include poor social and motor skills, a preference for screen-based activities, and a lack of exercise partners and autism-friendly opportunities for physical activity in our communities.
Here are some practical tips for encouraging regular physical activity:
Start smallThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children get at least an hour of physical activity daily. That’s good to know, but I suggest starting with a more modest goal and building from there.
We’ve found that shorter periods of physical activity, spaced throughout the day, tend to be easier to maintain. Remember: The goal is to make physical activity a regular and enjoyable part of daily life. So, be patient and think long term.
Here are some ways to add physical activity into a daily routine:
2.
Build motor skills.Keep in mind that your child will need to build some fundamental motor skills to successfully participate in physical activities and sports. You can make this skill-building enjoyable by playing games that encourage your child to:
3.
Sample different types of physical activityOur analysis identified a wide range of activities that can deliver benefits. From table-tennis to swimming, from riding bikes to riding horses, there’s an abundance of physical activities that you or your child can try. I suggest sampling from the menu.
Ideally, include one or more activities that encourage:
Be a role model and enlist friends and familyAs a parent, you are the most important role model for your child. I encourage you to model an active lifestyle for your child. Show them the enjoyment and value you gain from being active.
Next, consider the many people who interact with your child on a daily or weekly basis and how might you enlist them to encourage your child’s physical activity.
Teachers, especially physical education teachers, can be a great influence. Share your aspirations and strategies for your child. If your child has an Education Plan (IEP), be sure to include physical education goals in your EP .
Also consider contacting the people who run recreational sports programs in your community. Some may worry that they lack the skills to engage and include someone with autism in their programs. You may be able to give them the confidence they need by sharing your strategies for communicating, motivating, and instructing your child.
5.
Tips for making physical activities autism friendlyHere are three practical strategies commonly used in activity programs designed for youth who have autism:
Physical exercise has also been shown to improve traits of Autism such as
So what are you waiting for lets get those kids active
BENEFITS
Physical exercise benefits any child, but it has particular benefits for children on the autism spectrum who experience problems with communication abilities, social skills, and behavior. This can show in problems with:
• Fine motor skills
• Sensory integration issues
• Poor attention span
• Poor coordination
• Visual tracking of moving objects
• Slow reaction times.
Despite its many benefits, exercise is often overlooked by parents due to their own inactive lifestyle or being too busy. But when physical exercise is cheap, safe, and healthy, it should be one of the first interventions for a child on the autism spectrum. Motivating your child may be difficult at first, and you may need to shape the exercise around an interest they have. Once it forms part of the child's routine, motivation is usually no longer a problem.
Team sports would have to be carefully considered due to complexities of team work and communication that may overwhelm a child on the autism spectrum. However, with the right timing this can be part of your child's education and development of social skills.
Ideally you should incorporate time into your lifestyle to exercise with your child. Below are some useful kinds of exercise for different issues arising from Autism Spectrum Disorders.Ufit is aligned with the
www.autism.org & www.autismsocietyca.org
PROPRIOCEPTIVE SYSTEM
The Proprioceptive System helps children (and adults) to locate their bodies in space. Autistic children often have have poor proprioception and will need help to develop their coordination. Therapy may include playing with weights, bouncing on a trampoline or a large ball, skipping or pushing heavy objects.
VESTIBULAR SYSTEM
The Vestibular System is located in our inner ear. It responds to movement and gravity and is therefore involved with our sense of balance, coordination and eye movements. Therapy can include hanging upside down, rocking chairs, swings, spinning, rolling, somersaulting, cartwheels and dancing. All these activities involve the head moving in different ways that stimulate the vestibular system. Be careful to observe the child carefully to be sure the movement is not over stimulating.
Back and forth movement appears less stimulating than side-to-side movement. The most stimulating movement tends to be rotational (spinning) and should be used carefully. Ideally activities will provide a variety of these movements. A rocking motion will usually calm a child while vigorous motions like spinning will stimulate them. Merry-go-rounds, being tossed on to cushions or jumping trampolines can be real favorites with some children. Experimenting and careful introduction of each activity is the way to go
LEARNING NEW SKILLS INVOLVING MOVEMENT
Skills such as tying shoe laces or riding a bike can be difficult as they involve sequences of movements. Therapy to help in this area may use swimming, mazes, obstacle courses, constructional toys and building blocks.
DIFFICULTY WITH USING BOTH SIDES OF THE BODY TOGETHER
Crawling, hopscotch, skipping, playing musical instruments, playing catch and bouncing balls with both hands are some of the many activities that can help with bilateral integration.
HAND AND EYE COORDINATION
Activities may include hitting with a bat, popping bubbles, throwing and catching balls, beanbags and balloons.
WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY?
Recreational sports may be a healthy and enjoyable activity, affording opportunities to generalize skills learned in therapy or school programs. However, their effects have not been evaluated in scientific studies with strong experimental designs.
Antecedent exercise, in which an individual exercises on a regular schedule, may reduce aggression or repetitive behaviours for some individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Some studies suggest that simply placing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in settings with typical peers, without any other intervention, may increase their social interactions and reduce their repetitive behaviours , but other studies have not shown these effects .Thus, additional research is needed on whether simply placing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in settings with typical peers is effective.
However, there is strong evidence from multiple studies that placing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in settings with typically developing peers who have been taught to serve as tutors or models is effective in increasing social interactions.
Recommendations
Recreational sports may have health benefits, may be an enjoyable leisure activity for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and, in some cases, may help prevent problem behavior such as aggression. Sports also may afford opportunities for socialization, particularly if peers who have been taught to serve as tutors or models are available during the activity.
Research and our clinical experience have helped us understand and address many autism-related barriers to enjoyable participation in physical activity.
Understanding aversions. Recently I encouraged a boy with autism to play alongside his friends during our physical education class. He replied, “I don’t think you could design a worse place for me to be!” I got it. I was asking him to enter a setting that was social, active, loud and unpredictable – all qualities he disliked.
Several issues make physical activity less appealing for many people with autism. These include poor social and motor skills, a preference for screen-based activities, and a lack of exercise partners and autism-friendly opportunities for physical activity in our communities.
Here are some practical tips for encouraging regular physical activity:
Start smallThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children get at least an hour of physical activity daily. That’s good to know, but I suggest starting with a more modest goal and building from there.
We’ve found that shorter periods of physical activity, spaced throughout the day, tend to be easier to maintain. Remember: The goal is to make physical activity a regular and enjoyable part of daily life. So, be patient and think long term.
Here are some ways to add physical activity into a daily routine:
- Walking to school (or work) – or at least some of the way.
- Walking the dog (if you have one).
- Turn TV advertisements into exercise breaks. I recommend a few minutes of a rigorous activity such as jumping jacks. Join your child in the fun.
- Make a family trip to the playground a regular, after-dinner activity. If you can walk there, even better.
2.
Build motor skills.Keep in mind that your child will need to build some fundamental motor skills to successfully participate in physical activities and sports. You can make this skill-building enjoyable by playing games that encourage your child to:
- Move in different ways (e.g. run, jump, hop, and skip)
- Play with different types of equipment such as balls, bats and racquets (e.g. throw, catch, kick and strike).
3.
Sample different types of physical activityOur analysis identified a wide range of activities that can deliver benefits. From table-tennis to swimming, from riding bikes to riding horses, there’s an abundance of physical activities that you or your child can try. I suggest sampling from the menu.
Ideally, include one or more activities that encourage:
- Fitness. An activity that involves moderate to vigorous activity – activity that gets a person breathing heavily.
- Social interaction. An activity that involves one or more other people, such as tennis or catch.
- Independence. An activity that can be done alone, such as a home fitness or yoga routine – perhaps with the help of a video.
Be a role model and enlist friends and familyAs a parent, you are the most important role model for your child. I encourage you to model an active lifestyle for your child. Show them the enjoyment and value you gain from being active.
Next, consider the many people who interact with your child on a daily or weekly basis and how might you enlist them to encourage your child’s physical activity.
Teachers, especially physical education teachers, can be a great influence. Share your aspirations and strategies for your child. If your child has an Education Plan (IEP), be sure to include physical education goals in your EP .
Also consider contacting the people who run recreational sports programs in your community. Some may worry that they lack the skills to engage and include someone with autism in their programs. You may be able to give them the confidence they need by sharing your strategies for communicating, motivating, and instructing your child.
5.
Tips for making physical activities autism friendlyHere are three practical strategies commonly used in activity programs designed for youth who have autism:
- Someone who understands. Ideally, we want people with autism – especially children and teens – to have access to physical activity programs led by facilitators who understand how to communicate and motivate participants in autism-friendly ways. This doesn’t have to be a professional in the field of autism. It can even be a “peer tutor” – another child who understands how to communicate with your child and can provide some one-on-one support.
- Routine. Most of us need routine, and this appears to be especially true for many people on the spectrum. I suggest building a regular and predictable structure into the physical activity program. Create a visual schedule to help reinforce the routine. (See the Autism Speaks Visual Supports Tool Kit link above for instructions on making a visual schedule.)
- Get visual. Many people with autism are visual learners. Visual supports such as task cards, physical demonstrations and video modelling often prove very helpful.
Physical exercise has also been shown to improve traits of Autism such as
- Hand Flapping
- Constant head moving
- Constant screaming/high pitched
- Aggressive behaviour
- Self harming
- Imbalances in posture
- Imbalances in walking (toe walking)
- Rocking of the body
- Spinning
- Gazing
- Strength
- Balance
- Co-ordination
- Endurance
- Stamina
- Muscle Composition
- Flexibility
- Agility
- Confidence
- Self esteem
So what are you waiting for lets get those kids active
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