Organized physical activity programs: improving motor and non‐motor symptoms in neurodevelopmental disorders

Abstract

This commentary is on the original article by Mak et al. on pages 922–932 of this issue.

A Brief Report: Community Supportiveness May Facilitate Participation of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Their Community and Reduce Feelings of Isolation in Their Caregivers

“…Further research is also needed to identify and evaluate the effective modifications to community programs in these key areas and to measure their collective impact on caregiver perceptions of community supportiveness and caregiver isolation. Community sports that are tailored to facilitate the inclusion of children with ASD have been increasingly recognized over the past decade as a promising intervention medium (Rinehart et al, 2018;Howells et al, 2019). The findings that adaptive behavior and community supportiveness support child involvement in community settings play an important role in providing an evidence-based approach for inclusion in community sports settings, while seeking to ensure that the benefits of these approaches extend beyond merely boosting attendance of a community program, and instead reflect a deeper engagement and connection within these settings.…”

“…Participation in community activities such as organized and unstructured physical activity declines further in children with ASD as they move into adolescence (Simpson et al, 2019), highlighting the importance of early intervention in these settings to promote continued access to future participation opportunities. Community programs, such as organized physical activity, have been identified as promising psychosocial interventions for children with ASD (Rinehart et al, 2018) and identifying community barriers to participation may help inform modifications to community programs to support the full inclusion and participation of children with ASD, thereby improving social, physical, and psychological outcomes for children with ASD.…”

Beneficial Use and Potential Effectiveness of Physical Activity in Managing Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…When tailoring a PA program for children with ASD, an essential question should be asked; would an individual-based or a group-based intervention promote larger improvements? PA programs organized within a group situation (teammates, peers, coaches, and teachers) may enhance development among children with developmental disabilities (Rinehart et al, 2018). The implementation of group-based PA in a social context would offer opportunities for social interactions.…”

A Pilot Acceptability Study of an ‘AllPlay Pre-Learn’ Day Program to Facilitate Participation in Organised Physical Activity for Children with Disabilities

“…Recent research has highlighted the importance of novel interventions that may overcome the barriers of current models of treatment (e.g., interventions held in clinics or health care settings which may be difficult for all families to reach) [1]. It has been said that research examining programs outside the clinic and in more naturalistic settings have the potential to benefit children with neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as their families [2]. Examples of such programs include more lifestyle-based programs such as exercise or physical activity (PA) [1,2].…”

“…It has been said that research examining programs outside the clinic and in more naturalistic settings have the potential to benefit children with neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as their families [2]. Examples of such programs include more lifestyle-based programs such as exercise or physical activity (PA) [1,2]. Current research indicates lower levels of physical activity in children with disabilities during adolescence in comparison to their typically developing (TD) peers [3,4].…”