Effectiveness of a parent-implemented intervention for improving balance in a child with autism spectrum disorder

Gross motor skills are important for children's daily activities; however, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have difficulties in these areas, limiting their participation in everyday life. Therefore, interventions targeting balance skills are crucial for children with ASD. This study examined whether a parent-implemented intervention could improve balance in a boy with ASD, using a multiple-probe design across behaviors. The targeted motor skills included sitting, half-kneeling, standing, and walking, whereas the object-control skills included throwing, catching, and rolling a ball. The target skill was observed for each behavior and the degree of improvement was indicated. Statistical analyses were conducted using the percentage of non-overlapping data (PND) and Tau-U. Additionally, the study used the Pediatric Berg Balance Score. Improvements were observed in gross motor and object control skills and were retained at three weeks post-intervention. These functional gains were reflected in the Pediatric Berg Balance Score. These findings suggest that parent-implemented interventions can improve gross motor and object control skills in children with ASD.