How physical intervention program influence physical and mental rehabilitation of children with autism spectrum disorder: A case report

Objective and setting : Physical intervention program has been revealed to be efficatcious to assist the physical and mental rehabilitation of children (primary student) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Therefore, 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 : 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 was significantly promoted at a healthy physical fitness level, including the decreased sedentary behavior ( M _change =290.07 d/min, 218.16 d/min), the increased low-intensity physical activity ( M _change =367.39 d/min, 158.19 d/min), the increased moderate/high-intensity physical activity ( M _change =135.05 d/min, 36.45 d/min), and the increased total physical activity ( M _change =502.44 d/min, 194.64 d/min). In terms of healthy physical fitness level, the body mass index (BMI) of the the children with ASD was decreased ( M _change =0.7, 4.92), together with the increased grip strength ( M _change =1.8, 4.2) and forward bending in the new sitting position ( M _change =4.3, 5.6). In terms of basic motor skills, the total score of the children with ASD was increased ( M _change =4, 10), especially the object control skill score ( M _change =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 ( M _change =14, 12). Conclusion : After the 16-week exercise intervention, the physical activity and healthy fitness levels of autistic children were significantly improved, especially in terms of sedentary behavior, low-intensity physical activity, body composition, muscle strength and flexibility, movement development level and object control skills. Furthermore, the behavior was improved to some extent, while the communication ability was also effectively promoted. In the following stage, it is suggested to further optimize the personalized exercise intervention program that adapts to the physical and mental characteristics of autistic children, and strengthen the organic interaction between schools and families, so as to ultimately improve the overall health of children.