Autism Exam # 2

Why is obesity an issue for this population?

Prevalence of obesity rate rises considerably for children with ASD. Almost half of this population is either overweight or at risk for being overweight, which puts them at risk for diabetes, CVD, and bone/joint problems

challenging behavior MC

Since behavior is often a form of communication, many individuals with autism (as well as those without autism) voice their wants, needs or concerns through behaviors, rather than words

exercise station MC

Stations allow each participant more time with the particular exercise activity than courses

Sports type activities that are good for this population

Swimming/running, martial arts/yoga

2 things about "insufficient PA" (World Health Organization)

1 of the 10 leading risk factors for death, a key risk factor for NCDs (non-communicable diseases)

Some WHO stats

1/4 adults and 4/5 adolescents do not engage in enough regular PA to meet WHO recommendations

What percent of ASD clients have "savant" skills, or extremely high abilities in specific areas, such as memorization, calendar calculation, music, or math? --full WORD

10 percent

WHO recommends how much PA for adults? (18-64 years)

150 min/week

WHO recommends how much PA for seniors

150 min/week

What is considered the proper amount of PA for this group to see changes in behavior?

20 minutes mildly strenuous aerobic exercise

% that are nonverbal -- SIGN

25-50 %

WHO recommends how much PA for children/adolescents? (5-17 years)

60 min/day

backward chaining MC

Trainer performs all behaviors identified in the task analysis in sequential order, except for the final behavior. After that, all behaviors are basically taught in backwards order.

3 examples of how a therapy dog can help a client with ASD

better sleep, less likely to wander, less meltdowns

Examples of proprioceptive exercises

bouncing on a trampoline, skipping

Communication tips for planning an exercise program

break down activities into more manageable steps, use exercise diagrams/demonstrations, if a way of communicating works -- stick with it!

Safety issues associated with youth and exercise

children are more vulnerable to dehydration, which impairs their ability to dissipate heat. Therefore, avoid exercising in extreme heat and encourage breaks from activity

body bar

covered with a soft foam for comfort. can be used for squats and presses

Changes that can be seen in "negative" behaviors upon incorporating exercise

decrease in the frequency of stimming behaviors (i.e. body-rocking, hand-flapping), as well as a decrease in aggressive/self-injurious behavior

what is PICA? MC

eating non-food items including dirt, clay, chalk, or paint chips (remember to test blood for elevated lead levels)

Cones and hurdles

endurance activity that challenges the motor planning skills of the client

med ball

great for partner activities and developing reactive skills

What about "physical activity?" (according to WHO)

has significant health benefits and contributes to help prevent NCDs

Tips for PE class with ASD students

have kids change earlier, provide a relaxation area

why is task analysis beneficial?

having an understanding of each step in a sequence can assist with identifying parts of the task that need extra instruction

GOALS of fitness in classroom

improved self esteem, encourages play

PEER mentoring

increases awareness of the typical crowd and provides a social situation for the ASD kids -- it's a "win-win" situation

How to communicate effectively with ASD clients

Always use their name at the beginning, use their special interest to engage them, say less and say it slow

The 5 components of physical fitness for children with ASD

Body image, posture, motor coordination, muscular fitness, CV fitness

What is task analysis?

Breaking down a complex behavior into its component parts

Difficulties "in" communication (slide 7)

Children with ASD: often have trouble communicating verbally and nonverbally, or with understanding body language and the meanings of different vocal tones

Progression

Gradually increasing intensity, duration, or variety of exercise

Examples of vestibular exercises

Gymnastics, dancing

Barriers to exercise for ASD clients

Low tolerance of new/novel activities, poor kinesthetic awareness

Difficulties with speech

Many children with ASD develop some speech and language skills, but not to a normal level of ability, and their progress is usually uneven

The importance of play

Pretend or imaginary play is particularly important for developing the skills needed for social relationships, language and communication. This type of play is often delayed in children with ASD, but many children with ASD can and do ultimately develop pretend play

Avoiding "no"

they may be confused about why you said "no." Perhaps using a timetable could help if the answer is more accurately described as "not right now." Also, try not to yell or draw too much attention. A calm reaction may prove better in time.

when to use a course or a station MC

use courses only when working with a higher functioning (adaptive and cognitive) group

4 safety issues to consider at home or school

wandering, bullying, electrical outlet issues, hazardous items

Difficulties "in" communication (slide 8)

repetitive or rigid language, immediate or delayed echolalia

A child's response to exercise

respiratory cycle is shorter, blood pressure lower at rest and during exertion

exercise course MC

several movement activities are performed in order. each student completes all the activities and then comes back to the beginning area

What exactly is meant by "nonverbal?"

some individuals have spoken words (i.e. echolalia), but do not use them functionally

why fitness over "a sports activity"

sports are highly specialized and specific activities, sport-specific movements do not cross over very much into real world activities

Tips for adapted sports

teach underlying movements before teaching the sport, adapt rules according to students' needs

What is social communication?

the ability to use conventional and socially appropriate verbal/nonverbal means to communicate based on social setting

agression MC

the core symptoms of autism are associated with the risk of aggression

The stage of communication a person has reached depends on 3 things

their ability to interact, how/why they communicate, their understanding

Why might under-responsitivity be a problem?

a child with ASD may be under responsive to pain, which could be problematic

Using body weight

a good starting place, not expensive and can be done almost anywhere

Sandbell

a hybrid of a sandbag and dumbell

Regression

a return to an earlier or less advanced condition

Four ways to progress an activity

add resistance/weight, (add) reps, time, additional movement

forward chaining MC

all behaviors identified in the task analysis are taught in their naturally occurring order

definition of prompting

an additional cue that guides the learner to the correct response

What is function based intervention and why is it used?

an intervention that does not simply use punishment strategies. FBI is a more-considerate intervention strategy that seeks to prevent the behavior, yet also considers the function that the behavior is serving for the child while devising the action plan

Literal statements

avoid using irony/sarcsm

physical functioning

physical ability of clients must be considered first. DETERMINE: gross/fine motor skills, vestibular/proprioceptive issues

how to prompt a client with ASD

physical prompts may be more effective than verbal, lengthy verbal prompts may be confusing

Emotional/social benefits of exercise

promotes self-esteem/happiness, decreases stress/anxiety

5 major movement categories (MC?)

pushing, pulling, rotation, squatting, locomotion

5 benefits of exercise

reduced risk of NCDs, increased bone mass, delayed aging, increased longevity, improved psychological well-being

cognitive functioning

refers to how well an individual can follow directions and focuses primarily on his/her receptive language skills

adaptive funcitoning

refers to how well an individual tolerates or engages in new/novel activities, how they react to adverse situations (learning a new skill they are not adept at yet)