Effects of a 16-week individualized exercise intervention on physical and behavioral outcomes in two children with autism spectrum disorder: a case series
TL;DR
The 16-week exercise intervention improved the physical activity and health fitness levels of the autistic children to some extent, and meanwhile, the two children showed some improvement in their behavior.
Abstract
Objective and setting This study aims to explore the effects of exercise intervention on the physical and mental rehabilitation of children with ASD, and provide a reference for expanding behavioral intervention methods for autism. Design This study used two children with autism, Case B and Case D, as research subjects. According to the physical and mental characteristics of children with ASD, a 16-week, three-stage rehabilitation program was designed and implemented. During the training period, measurement methods such as ActiGraph GT3X+, Health Related Physical Fitness (HRPF), Test of Gross Motor Development 3 (TGMD-3), and ABC Behavior Observation Scale were used to evaluate the effects of rehabilitation training at each stage. Results After completing the targeted intervention, the physical acvtivity of the two children were decreased sedentary behavior (Mchange=290.07 d/min, 218.16 d/min), the increased moderate/high-intensity physical activity (Mchange=135.05 d/min, 36.45 d/min), In terms of healthy physical fitness level, the body mass index (BMI) of the the children with ASD was decreased (Mchange = 0.7, 4.92), together with the increased grip strength (Mchange=1.8, 4.2) and forward bending in the new sitting position (Mchange=4.3, 5.6). In terms of fundamental motor skills, the total score of the children with ASD was increased (Mchange=4, 10), especially the object control skill score (Mchange=4, 7). In terms of the physical behavior, the frequency and duration of stereotyped behaviors of the two children were decreased. In addition, the positive communication times of the two children were also increased (Mchange=14, 12). Conclusion The 16-week exercise intervention improved the physical activity and health fitness levels of the autistic children to some extent, and meanwhile, the two children also showed some improvement in their behavior. They suggest that individualized exercise may warrant further investigation as a supportive component of educational rehabilitation, but causality and generalizability cannot be established without larger controlled studies and long-term follow-up.