Parents are aware of the growing rate
of obesity in children. What many parents are not aware of is that
children with autism have a 7% greater rate of obesity than other
groups of children. “Physical Activity As a Therapy For Autistic
Children” and “Autism Facts: Childhood Obesity Higher in the
Autistic Population” are two articles that address the importance
of making sure your child with autism stays active. Both articles
highlight that most children with autism do not participate in team
sports for various reasons. One reason might be the social anxiety of
teams or the fear of social contact. Another reason parents of
children with autism or any disability might find their child less
physically active is the increased security measures the child needs.
Many children with disabilities cannot play outside by themselves or
go to the park with a friend. An additional cause for higher rates
of obesity in children with autism, addressed in the “Obesity”
article, is diet. Many children with autism have diet restrictions
such as gluten intolerance. If these diets are not followed strictly
it can lead to weight gain and moderate to severe digestive problems.
Parents' lives can be very chaotic and making sure their child works
out and has a strict diet may not be at the top of their minds every
day.
So what are the parents of children
with autism to do? The “Physical Activity” article recommends to
parents to find a good individual sport for their child. Many
children with autism benefit from tennis, biking, swimming, skating,
horse riding, ext. Each child is different and no one knows a child
like their caregivers. The best thing to do is find the form of
exercise that each individual child enjoys the most. Once the child
finds their niche, not only did the articles find that exercise is
good for the health and weight control of the child, but is
therapeutic. Sports get out excess energy which leads to improved
behavior and focus. Children who battle with sensory input disorders
can benefit from the sensory integration sports provide along with
gain coordination and confidence. Being the parent of a child with
autism can be exhausting but it is important for their child's
health and overall happiness to make sure they are getting their
exercise. It is also important to make sure the child is adhering to
any special diet restrictions to avoid weight gain and future
problems in the digestive track.
Here at Colorado Springs Speech
Therapy, we find these articles important because they add to the
importance of the aquatic speech therapy. The main cause of premature
death in children with autism is wondering away and meeting dangers
such as drowning. Katey Blehm's swim speech program includes a
certified swim instructor to teach the kids to swim. Originally one
of the main goals for these lessons was to provide the children with
life skills to know what to do if they meet water. With childhood
obesity rising, especially in children with disabilities, a new goal
for the aquatic therapy is to encourage children to find physical
activities that they may want to pursue. Now more than ever this
interactive therapy benefits the health of the children. For every
session the child is getting half an hour of exercise while their
caregivers can relax. If these children like swimming then the
parents may know a good option to get their kid active! With
education and action we can stop the rising rates of obesity in
children with autism and other disabilities.
Articles in Reference:
Mironov, Marina. "Autism
Facts: Childhood Obesity Higher in the Autistic Population."
EzineArticles. N.p., 22 OCT 2012. Web. 25 Jul. 2013.
<http://autismarticles4me.blogspot.com/2011/08/physical-activity-as-therapy-for.html
Mironov, Marina. "Physical
Activity As a Therapy For Autistic Children." EzineArticles.
N.p., 31 Aug 2011. Web. 25 Jul. 2013.
<http://autismarticles4me.blogspot.com/2011/08/physical-activity-as-therapy-for.html
