Autism Spectrum Disorder and Physical deficits
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) points to several neurodevelopmental shortcomings, which may cause deficits in an individual’s motor activities. According to a study published in 2015 by Memari et al, whereby 83 children from the ages of 6 to 15 with autism spectrum disorder diagnoses were investigated, only 12% of children were found to be physically active. Contributing factors to the link between ASD and restricted physical activities included gender, lack of opportunities, household structure and family income.
Exercise Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder
A meta-analysis conducted by Healy et al found that physical activity interventions for young autistic people proved beneficial, either moderately or largely so. They had an effect on the individual’s development of locomotor skills, social functioning, muscle strength and endurance, manipulative skills, and fitness-relevant to skill. In the conclusion of their research, they claim that physical activity intervention has earned its reputation as an evidence-based strategy for autism treatment. Furthermore, research by Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology finds that 79% of autistic children can face the worsening of physical deficits when subjected to an inactive lifestyle.
Benefits of Exercise for Autistic Individuals
Of the many benefits of exercise for children with an autism spectrum disorder, the improvements in physical and skill-related fitness are notably significant.
Previous studies have shown that autistic individuals generally have poorer muscle strength than average. Inactive lifestyles can only make that worse. Healy et al claim that involving such youngsters in sports and other physical activities had been observed to have improved their muscle strength significantly. They built up their endurance as well; not only bringing up their muscle strength up to the average level of their age group, but also increasing opportunities for an improved social life. This is because they had mustered up enough strength to take part in recreational sports and non-structured games that present great social opportunities.
Moreover, autistic children typically do not develop proper skill-related fitness, including for skills like balance, body coordination, visual-motor control and other mobility skills. Even fundamental motor skill development is not adequate in children with autism, which decrease opportunities for the activities of running, throwing and catching, etc. Exercise proved to help with both these deficits.
Lastly, a significant advantage of exercise for youngsters with autism spectrum disorder was proven to be the improvement of social skills. Research suggests that physical activity programs can provide a fun and safe setting for interaction between children, offering optimal opportunities for practicing social skills. Furthermore, activities involving animals can provide children with a fun way to interact nonverbally as well as verbally.
Some Useful Exercises
It is important to note that is best to consult a specialist before the performance of any of the exercises and to have a guidance instructor’s help. Some of the exercises recommended for children with autism spectrum disorder include the following:
- Bear crawls
They help develop body awareness and increase physical coordination. Moreover, they build upper body strength and improve motor planning. First, one must kneel on all fours, with the hands under the shoulders, and the knees under the hips. The legs are then extended until they are slightly bent. It must be ensured that the fingers are spread widely, so as to have proper contact with the floor. One must then walk on one’s feet and hands across the floor for about 10 to 20 feet. Maintaining this position, one must then walk backward. You can try to change the speed and direction for better results.
- Mirror exercises
This exercise requires the child to imitate actions, attempting to combat the social deficit wherein the individual finds difficulty in social interaction. It can, therefore, help with body coordination and awareness, and the development of social skills.
- Star jumps
Full body exercises increase cardiovascular endurance and strengthen the muscles. These jumps also help improve body awareness. The advantage of this exercise is that they can be performed anywhere and at any time. It starts off with the individual sitting in a squatting position- knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms tucked in toward the chest. They must then jump up from squatting in a quick motion, extending arms and legs as wide as they can to form an X. Upon landing, they must return to the starting position. This is to be repeated for up to 20 times, or until they are fatigued.
- Medicine ball slams
The main focus here is the throwing of weighted objects. This helps increase core strength and balance, and can improve body coordination. Plus, it has advantages for intellectual issues- it is therapeutic and can prove cathartic, while also stimulating the parts of the brain responsible for short term memory.
- Arm circles
This exercise can help increase a child’s flexibility, and strengthens their shoulder and back muscles. This can be carried out anywhere and anytime as it requires no equipment whatsoever. All you need to do is stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, keeping your arms by your side. You will then extend your arms straight out to the side, up to the height of your shoulders. The next step is to start making small circular motions with the hands, keeping your arms straight. The circles will gradually get bigger, eventually including the shoulders in the movement. This is to be repeated up to 20 times, before shifting to movements in the opposite direction.
The Importance of Exercise for Autistic Children
Research is constantly conducted on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and new findings help us understand the condition and deal with it better. That is why inclusion centers and autism treatment organizations, including Small Steps Big Dreams in Dubai UAE, keep their know-how and dealing methods updated according to the very latest studies. Exercise has scientifically proven to be of great help for individuals diagnosed with the condition, as a physically inactive lifestyle can prove to worsen the physical deficits already present.