Get Your Child Moving this Summer!

Nina Berault PT, DPT  and Jessica Yoon PT, DPT
            
               As a nation, we are more sedentary today than ever before. Less than 30% of adolescents meet national physical activity recommendations (CDC). Pre-dating the COVID-19 pandemic, there were several contributors to this change in societal behaviors. Physical education and athletic programs received less funding, and the constant temptation/educational requirements to use electronic devices grew exponentially. These are obstacles to physical activity that typical children face, and may have a more significant impact for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. 
                 Does your child with ASD resist movement in various forms? Do you have difficulties implementing a routine for exercise? Not to fear! We call you to think about daily activities your child already performs (or helps you perform) as a form of daily exercise! Below are two lists of activities that can be performed daily/weekly with household items. 

Sneaky ways to work on strength:

• Opening/closing doors (esp when out and about since doors are more weighted)
• Bringing in groceries
• Taking a box of toys/books up and down the stairs
• Pushing/pulling chair in 
• Walking up/down stairs differently
  • Crawl up
  • Go sideways
  • Go backwards
  • Hop up/down with hand hold 
  • Take large steps (skip steps)
• Tall kneeling/Half kneeling during table top activities
• Low squat and play
• Summersaults
• Building a fort with large cushions/chairs/etc

Sneaky ways to work on balance:

• Placing toys up overhead, high enough to get them up on tiptoes
• Having them stand and put on shoes/socks/pants
• Walking over different uneven surfaces: over grass, sand, sidewalk, cushions, etc
• Sitting on a stack of pillows/cushions 
• Curb balance beam
• Seated on yoga ball
• Playground: slides, swings
• Pillow fights/pool noodle fight
• Scooter/Rollerblading/Skating/Biking
• Hackey sack
• Hopscotch
• Chinese jump rope
• Laser maze using streamers attached from walls to furniture, etc 

Further reading: 
https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/data-trends-maps/index.html
https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-018-1635-9