Children with Autism: How Exercise and Sport Improve Communication, Social Skills, and Balance

Note: All images and video clips used are publicly available stock media and are intended for illustrative purposes only. The children depicted are not intended to represent individuals with autism.

Dr. Elise Brown discusses how exercise and sport improve communication, social skills, and balance in children with autism spectrum disorder. She discusses some of the latest research in exercise interventions that aim to improve coordination, including gait and balance, brain function (brain development), and different aspects of socialization in youth (children and teenagers) with autism. Some types of exercise include martial arts (Karate, Tai Chi, Taekwondo), video games (Dance Dance Revolution and Kinect Tennis), jogging, bicycling, and ball games. She also introduces recommendations from an exercise physiologist and certified Autism Exercise Specialist, David Geslak, who has extensive experience working with children who have autism. These suggestions are meant for fitness professionals who work with children with autism.

David Geslak podcast (@dgeslak): https://acsm.org/autism-exercise-conn...
David Geslak blog (@exerciseconnection): https://acsm.org/autism-and-exercise/
ACSM Autism Exercise Specialist Certificate (@ACSM): https://acsm.org/education-resources/...

Music by @RenMakesMusic

Merchandise to help support the channel: https://www.elisebrownphd.com/shop

✨ Use code ELISE for 10% off your Heald X diabetes care plan!
🔗 Learn more at: https://iheald.com/

10% OFF SITE-WIDE from House of Macadamias: https://houseofmacadamias.com/discoun...

Connect with me: https://linktr.ee/the_diabetes_resist...

Timecodes:
0:28 - What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
1:13 - Considerations for working with children autism in exercise
2:08 - Improve coordination in children with autism
2:46 - Research on balance programs in children with autism
3:11 - Martial arts (Karate, Tai Chi, Taekwondo) improve brain function in children with autism
3:35 - Research on exercise programs and communication in children with autism
4:08 - Podcast with certified Autism Exercise Specialist, David Geslak
4:54 - Appropriate terminology in autism
5:11 - Use task analysis in autism
5:55 - How physical activity improves social skills in children with autism

Sources:
1. Srinivasan, S. M., Pescatello, L. S., & Bhat, A. N. (2014). Current perspectives on physical activity and exercise recommendations for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Physical therapy, 94(6), 875-889.
2. Zeidan, J., Fombonne, E., Scorah, J., Ibrahim, A., Durkin, M. S., Saxena, S., ... & Elsabbagh, M. (2022). Global prevalence of autism: A systematic review update. Autism research, 15(5), 778-790.
3. Djordjević, M., Memisevic, H., Potic, S., & Djuric, U. (2021). Exercise-Based Interventions Aimed at Improving Balance in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis. Perceptual and Motor Skills. https://doi.org/10.1177/0031512521106...
4. Phung, J. N., & Goldberg, W. A. (2019). Promoting executive functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder through mixed martial arts training. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 49, 3669-3684.
5. Liang, X., Li, R., Wong, S. H., Sum, R. K., Wang, P., Yang, B., & Sit, C. H. (2022). The effects of exercise interventions on executive functions in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 52(1), 75-88.
6. Koh, S. H. (2024). Analyzing the influence of physical exercise interventions on social skills in children with autism spectrum disorder: insights from meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1399902.
7. Schuck RK, Flores RE, Fung LK. Brief Report: Sex/Gender Differences in Symptomology and Camouflaging in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord. 2019 Jun;49(6):2597-2604. doi: 10.1007/s10803-019-03998-y. PMID: 30945091; PMCID: PMC6753236.
8. Cook J, Hull L, Mandy W. Improving Diagnostic Proc edures in Autism for Girls and Women: A Narrative Review. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2024 Mar 7;20:505-514. doi: 10.2147/NDT.S372723. PMID: 38469208; PMCID: PMC10926859.
9. Miller M, Chukoskie L, Zinni M, Townsend J, Trauner D. Dyspraxia, motor function and visual-motor integration in autism. Behav Brain Res. 2014 Aug 1;269:95-102. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.04.011. Epub 2014 Apr 15. PMID: 24742861; PMCID: PMC4072207.
10. Mammarella IC, Cardillo R, Semrud-Clikeman M. Do comorbid symptoms discriminate between autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and nonverbal learning disability? Res Dev Disabil. 2022 Jul;126:104242. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104242. Epub 2022 May 5. PMID: 35526491.

Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our videos on The Diabetes Resistance YouTube channel: https://www.elisebrownphd.com/videos-1

#thediabetesresistance #elisebrown #autism #autismawareness
#autismawarenessmonth #autismappreciationmonth #acsm