Running head: BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD

Benefits of Physical Activity for Students with ASD

Signature Assignment
Shalyn Cheatham & Lakeisha Smith
Course # 81359
PPE 310: Health Literacy for Schools
Dr. William Hesse

BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD

Introduction
Autism spectrum disorder is a complex brain development. This disorder is defined by
different characteristics; these characteristics are the different levels of severity, social
interactions, verbal or nonverbal communications, and repetitive behaviors (Autism Speaks,
2015). All Autism disorders merge under the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Because Autism
is determined in the early years of ages 2 -3, physical activity is very beneficial for children with
ASD. It is beneficial because promotes a healthy lifestyle and helps them in a unique way. The
rate of obesity in children with ASD is 35% with an additional 36% at risk of being overweight
(Dawson, G. 2009). Physical activity for children with ASD has a huge importance in their lives
for not just health reasons but also cognitively, socially, and verbally. Their are people and places
that help towards understanding ASD and bring awareness. One program that supports physical
activity for children with ASD is TEEACH. This program focuses on the characteristics of ASD,
which involves the thinking, and behaviors of children with ASD. This program structures the
physical environment to the students needs and uses visual supports to sequence daily activities
that are predictable and understandable (TEEACH Autism Program, 2015). Overall, children
with ASD can benefit a lot from physical activity, which help them lead healthy lifestyles in the
long run.
Review of Current Literature
In the article Promoting Physical Activity for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder:
Barriers, Benefits, and Strategies for Success by Kristi S. Menear and William H. Neumeier they
talk about the factors that come into play with children with ASD and the physical activity that
they may or may not be receiving and the affects of that. This article states that many children

BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD

with ASD fall below the nationally recommended physical activity rates and mostly because of
their emotional regulation, social impairment, physical regulations, and overall motor skills and
fitness levels. Overall, children with and without ASD are not receiving the appropriate amount
of physical activity. The challenges that children with ASD may face are social and
environmental stressors to biological factors. With the benefits that arise from children with ASD
when given the opportunity to get physical activity are increasing not only physically but
psychosocially. Physical activity for children with ASD is very important in all ages.
In the article Comparison of physical activity between children with autism spectrum
disorders and typically developing children by Linda G. Bandini and others compare physical
activity between children with ASD to typically developing children. In this article a study was
done with typical developing children and children with ASD ages 3-11 years. These children
participated in The Childrens Activity and Meal Patterns Study (CHAMPS); the parents of these
children recorded their physical activity over a span of time. The physical activity was measured
with a accelerometry; which is a piezoelectric accelerometer or motion sensor. This device
measured the intensity of motion that each child did during the study. The results were
determined by different demographic characteristics like age, sex, race, overweight, and
underweight. Overall, children with ASD engaged in fewer physical activities and for less time.
In the article Brief Report: Influence of Physical Activity on Sleep Quality in Children
with Autism by David Wachob and David G. Lorenzi they discuss the sleep problems that
children with ASD may encounter and the physical activity levels in children with ASD in
relation to their sleep habits. Sleep problems and physical inactivity are frequently observed in
children with ASD. It is said that sleep disorders occur in 44-83% of children with ASD
(Wachob, 2015). In this article a study was performed on volunteer children 9-16 years of age

BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD

with ASD. The procedure was for them to wear an accelerator device, which measures the
childrens nocturnal sleep. The reason for this study was to examine the physical activity levels
of children with ASD in relation to their sleep habits. One concept that was discovered during
this study was that age was a factor when it came to measuring the physical activity and sleep
habits. They discovered that older children participated in less physical activity. Overall, that
study was able to compare two variables one being sleep habits and the other being physical
activity.
In the article Successful Physical Activity Programming for Students with Autism by
Susan F. Schultheis, Boni B. Boswell, Jim Decker they describe a physical activity program
designed to be successfully use with students with ASD. The name of the program is called SPA
and is based off the program The Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related
Communications-Handicapped Children or also known as TEACCH. In this program, one of the
points is to restructure the environment so that it is accommodating for children with autism. The
SPA model uses physical structure, schedules, and task organization from the TEACCH model. It
focuses on physical fitness and motor ability. Establishing boundaries is key to help foster
independence in children with autism. When the boundaries are made clear for the student, then
they are more successful in carrying out the designated task. In this particular study they used
room dividers, and the students were familiar with the SPA physical boundaries. They saw that
the students were able to remember the activities that were clearly marked and could successfully
follow their assigned schedules with fewer teacher prompts. Having physical boundaries also
increased the emotional security of the students and the room dividers eliminated the feeling of
being overwhelmed with a lot of large space, which reduced the stereotypic behaviors that
normally autistic children have. The boundaries also helped turn them away from external

BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD

distractions and reducing the size of the activity area helped maximize the usage of their time.
The schedules were designed to help the students understand the concept of what they were to be
doing, where to do at, and when they were to do it. They also minimize problems that could be
caused by impaired memory attention, reduce organizational problems, compensate for problems
with receptive language, foster independence, and increase self-motivation. The article suggested
to use a large poster board with a schedule on it and put it near the entrance, have it read from
left to right or top to bottom, use student photos to help with identification, use pictures, words,
and colors for the activity stations to be individualized for each student, and to use pocket folders
for the activity cards at each station. Using task organization allows the students to complete a
task in the easiest way that they understand it. This can be done by using the schedule that was
previously introduced, using a timer, have equipment previously set up and only have necessary
equipment visible. You can also provide only the exact amount of pieces needed, secure
individual spots for students with a circle and their picture, give a verbal and visual
demonstration of each activity, and use footprints to help with stepping sequences.
InthearticlesActivityParticipationandSensoryFeaturesAmongChildrenwithAutism
SpectrumDisorder Lauren M. Little they discuss how a study was done to compare the
activity participation of children with ASD to typical children. Part of the discovery was that kids
with ASD participate less than typically developing children in certain activities. Preschool aged
children participate less in self-care, leisure activities, and special events like birthday parties or
family vacations. The high functioning school aged children reported that they are less likely to
participate in after school activities, hobbies, recreational, or social activities than typically
developing children. Since some testing measures are not always used on a large group and can
limit participation activities, this study uses a parent report measure along with a large group of

BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD

kids with ASD, and the Home and Community Activity Scale. They wanted to know what
dimensions specifically characterized participation from school aged children, and to what extent
did the childs age, gender, autism severity, and family demographics have on their participation.
The Social Responsiveness Scale was also used in this study, which is a report given by
caregivers and is a quantitative measure of the traits of autistic children. Overall the findings
concluded that younger children were more likely to participate in parent-child household
activities or activities in the community. The older children were more likely to participate in
faith-based activities or solitary activities like computer use or TV and have limited social
interactions or physical activity interactions. Older kids with ASD lack in participation in
neighborhood or social activities, so it has an effect on the development of their social skills
needed to participate in certain activities.
School Context (2014)
At P.L. Julian Elementary this is information that was found. The enrollment data found
for the most recent year is 2014 with a total of 753 students. The percentage of students who are
receiving free/reduced lunches is 4.5%. The ethnicities of the students at Julian Elementary are
mostly between African American and Hispanic. A total of 200 students are African American
and 512 students are Hispanic. The average class size is about 20 students to one teacher. The
grade levels at Julian are kindergarten to 8th grade. The city that Julian Elementary is located in is
very urban area. It is somewhat close to down town Phoenix. The ethnic make-up of this area is
56% being of the Hispanic descent, 40% being of the African American descent, 1% being of the
American Indian descent, and 1% being of the White decent. The homes located in this area are
single-family homes being about 77% and 15% of that is condo style homes, and the other 7%

BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD

being other. The percentage of people in this area with no kids is about 66% and the people with
kids are about 33%. Julian Elementary is a public Title 1 school and the letter grade of this
school is an F. One of the major issues at the school is the behavior issue that happens during
lunch and recess time. A program that the school has adopted to help with this issue is something
called Play Works, which is a funded program within this school to help the students learn to
play together and have a positive experience that they can carry on and off the playground. They
are taught new games where all students play, belong, and contribute. The coaches teach them
how to be encouraging and respectful through play.
Synthesis of Current Literature
One common theme across the articles was that children with ASD participate in physical
activities less than children without ASD. The articles reasoning for this has to do with their
ability to regulate their emotions, their social skills, and physical regulations. In the articles
Promoting Physical Activity for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Barriers, Benefits, and
Strategies for Success by Kristi S. Menear and William H and Activity participation among
children with autism spectrum disorder. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy:
Official Publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association, both mention that
biological factors play a role in the lack of physical activity for children with autism. The only
article that really gave strategies for helping implement successful ways for children with autism
to participate in physical activities was Successful physical activity programming for students
with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities by Schultheis, S. F.,
Boswell, B. B., & Decker, J. (2000). This article proved to have the most valuable strategies to
help our project. Although the article was helpful as well because it was the only one that
discussed how sleep problems could affect successful physical activity for kids with ASD.

BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD

The overall conclusion of these articles discuss how physical activity can be very
beneficial to children with ASD if implemented in the appropriate way. Just because these
children have ASD does not mean that they cannot or will not participate in physical activity.
Physical Activity for children with ASD can be very beneficial for their needs. Children with
ASD struggle with regulating their emotions in an appropriate manner and with certain physical
activity they can learn to regulate them through it. They also are always learning social skills
because children with ASD struggle with that aspect, so physical activity can also be a great way
for them to practice their social skills. Physical activity when implemented the appropriate way
can be a rewarding and beneficial for children with ASD in the long run.
Practical Implications
Autism Awareness has always been an important cause. Many dont know that one of the
most effective treatments for children with ASD is physical activity. It is beneficial for both
physical and mental health. To bring awareness to this cause I want to promote a Physical
Activity Week for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Timeline/Calendar
The timeline for this event would be a week in April. It will be in April because April is
Autism Awareness month. During this week the students, faculty, and community will be
involved (See appendices A for calendar). This is something that would become a district wide
event that is continued for many years to come. Students with Autism are in all schools nation
wide and it is not only important for faculty, but students and the community as well to
understand what ASD is.
Proposal to administration

BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD

This event will have a few different proposals. The first proposal being the
website. This website would have be a page for students, teachers, and community members.
This website would consist of information about ASD and the different resources in Arizona that
help children and the parents with ASD. Also on this website we would create a donation page
for different Arizona Autism Programs. This will be a website that is up and running year around.
The one-week in April will be the week when it is a full on district involvement in creating
awareness for physical activity for students with ASD. This website will contain information of
event going on within in the week and in time hopefully events throughout the year. There will
also be a proposal to the school district, and the schools administrations.
Parent Communication
Parent communication will be done through the website as well as daily flyers about
different school events that will be going on that week(See Appendix B for flyer). The students
can participate in the school spirit week. Each day they will were something to support physical
activity for students with ASD. Each grade level will have T-shirt to wear at the end of the week
supporting this cause. The students, teachers, and staff will also have individual puzzle pieces per
class. Each member of the class will put their name and write what their favorite physical
activity on the puzzle piece. Then a class they will hangout outside their class hooking the pieces
together one by one showing their support for physical activity. The parents can also purchase
these shirts s for this event to show their involvement. Some challenges that we may face would
be parents that may not have internet access to see the website and the events going. So in this
case there will be a paper calendar with the events and schedule of what the students are doing in
the classroom for this event as well as flyers. These are just some ways for the school to show
support in this important cause.

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School Wide Involvement

The end result of this awareness week will be an ASD Olympic games called Get
Moving for ASD. For school wide involvement will be that each grade students and teachers.
The goal for the classrooms at the end of the week will be to think of one obstacle to add in the
ASD Olympic Games. Each obstacle will be add to the games and in the end will have a huge
obstacle course. At this event the family and community would be invited to join and help raise
awareness. Students, faculty, and the community are all welcome to join in on the obstacle
course. Throughout this event there will be different resources for families and different physical
activities strategies for children with ASD.
The students will also be making shirts per grade level to distinguish who did what. For example,
kindergarten will have green shirts, 1st grade will have blue shirts, 2nd grade red shirts, and so on.
(See Appendix C for an example of a shirt) This will give the opportunity for each grade level to
show their own individuality and they will be the ones shows the obstacle course.
Family and Community Involvement
The family and community involvement would be that they are invited and attend this big
event. Families and communities can bring things to the table in terms of maybe having a child
with ASD and talking about there experience openly with other families and community
members. They can also share strategies that may help them at home with their children to teach
other family members who may be struggling in terms of their child participating in physical
activity.
Overall, people need to be aware how physical activity can benefit children with ASD. I
feel this would be a great way to make this cause known and be a good representation of the

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students, teachers, faculty, families and the community working together to show awareness for
physical activity fir children with ASD.
Strategies for Children with ASD
Some of the quest that will be at this event be special education teachers, ASD specialist,
and strategy coaches. They will be teaching students, parents, and faculty ways to teach physical
activity to children with ASD. Some of these effective strategies may include:
1. Promote individual or dual activities that often require few societal supports
and few social demands (Pan, 2007).
2. Activities that have fewer people needed to participate, in relation to time and
effort, are ideal (Pan, 2007).
3. Activities should be more easily continued into adulthood with less reliance
on others (Pan, 2007).
4. Physical activities that are rhythmic in nature and are conducive to the
repetitive traits often associated with ASD
5. Physical activities with little to no team orientation that can be performed
using family resources are also important to a successful exercise prescription for
children with ASD (Pan, 2007).
Some physical activities that are conducive to children with ASD are things like martial arts,
aquatic programs, yoga, school recess programs, and school physical education programs. These
are some physical activities that are good to for children who have ASD. These are the types of
programs that will be introduced and talked about at this event. These will help faculty, students,
families, and communities better understand the types of physical activity that is conducive to
children with ASD.

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Conclusion
Physical activity overall is important for typical children and children with ASD. We see
more in more in school that children are not given the opportunity for physical activity. Physical
activity is proven to help develop children social skills, cognitive skills, and physical skills such
as gross and fine motor. Children with ASD may have a more difficult time engaging in physical
activity because of their adaptations. Because of the decrease in physical activity for students
with ASD there has been a spike in the rate of overweight children with ASD. Though many
children may have a difficult time engaging in these types of activities because of certain
characteristics of their disabilities they may have does not me they should be limited to physical
activity as a whole. If physical activity is implemented appropriately; the disabilities that these
children may have can be overcame. All in all the if children with ASD receive the appropriate
amount of physical activity with adaptations that better help them throughout it, it will help them
overall in their quality of life. Physical activity is important for all children, but even more for
children with ASD because it will benefit them in the long run physically, mentally, and socially,
which will prepare them for their future. The event Get Going for ASD is and in the long run can
be a lot bigger. Within a year this program could be expanded throughout the district. Each
school within the district will have their own event. In 3 years this program can be throughout
neighboring districts. It will become a yearly event for each school in each district. In 5 years
this program can be implemented across the districts within Maricopa County. This program
starting from one district and ending growing into a county wide event would the ideal goal of
raising awareness for physical activity for children with ASD.

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References
Autism Speaks. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.autismspeaks.org
Bandini, L. G., Gleason, J., Curtin, C., Lividini, K., Anderson, S. E., Cermak, S. A.. . Must, A.
(2013). Comparison of physical activity between children with autism spectrum disorders
and typically developing children. Autism, 17(1), 44-54. doi:10.1177/1362361312437416
Department of Education website. Retrieved 2014. http://www.azed.gov
Dawson, G. (2009). Sports, Exercise, and the Benefits of Physical Activity for Individuals with
Autism. Autism Speaks. Retrieved from
https://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/sports-exercise-and-benefitsphysical-activity-individuals-autism
Kristi S. Menear & William H. Neumeier (2015) Promoting Physical Activity for Students with
Autism Spectrum Disorder: Barriers, Benefits, and Strategies for Success, Journal of
Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 86:3, 43-48, DOI:
10.1080/07303084.2014.99839
Little, L. M., Sideris, J., Ausderau, K., & Baranek, G. T. (2014). Activity participation among
children with autism spectrum disorder. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy
: Official Publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association, 68(2), 177.
doi:10.5014/ajot.2014.009894
Pan C,-Y., Frey G.C. Identifying physical activity determinants in youth with Autistic Spectrum
Disorders. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. 2005; 2: 410-420
Phleban, F., Barney, D., & Burke, R. (2014). PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN CHILDREN WITH
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS: CONSIDERATIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION. Central European Journal of Sport Sciences and

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Medicine, 5(1), 15-28. Retrieved from

http://www.cejssm.usz.edu.pl/attachments/article/246/PHYSICAL%20ACTIVITY%20IN
%20CHILDREN%20WITH%20AUTISM%20SPECTRUM%20DISORDERS
%20CONSIDERATIONS%20FOR%20EDUCATIONAL%20PROGRAM
%20ADMINISTRATION.pdf
Schultheis, S. F., Boswell, B. B., & Decker, J. (2000). Successful physical activity programming
for students with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 15(3),
159-162. doi:10.1177/108835760001500306
TEEACH Autism Program. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.teacch.com/about-us/what-isteacch
Wachob, D., & Lorenzi, D. G. (2015). Brief report: Influence of physical activity on sleep
quality in children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(8),
2641-2646. doi:10.1007/s10803-015-2424-7

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Appendix A
April 2016
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday
1

Saturday
2

Get Going

Get Going

Get Going

Get Going

Get Going

for ASD

for ASD

for ASD

for ASD

for ASD
Olympics

10

11

12

13

14

Day!
15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD

Appendix B

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BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD

Appendix C

17

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