Why Exercise is Important for an Autistic Child
The Unique Benefits of a Fitness Program
It is an indisputable fact that regular exercise is a vital component of a healthy lifestyle. Yet caregivers and educators find it difficult to engage autistic children in a fitness program due to the latter’s sensory, social and communication deficits. When challenged to perform new tasks, autistic children also display tremendous resistance and behavioral problems, which make them hard to teach. As a result, many autistic children do not participate in adequate physical activity, thus undermining their health and overall development.
However, it is precisely because of these aforementioned deficits that autistic children stand to gain significantly from a fitness program. In fact, well-designed fitness programs that are customized to match the functioning levels of autistic children can enable them to overcome their deficits.
Here are some of the unique benefits of a fitness program for autistic children.
Addresses Sensory Integration Dysfunctions
Because autistic children often suffer from sensory integration dysfunctions, they respond to sensory information in an under-reactive or over-reaction fashion. Consequently, they may exert excessive or inadequate force in performing a physical task; crave or fear movement such as going down the stairs; and experience difficulties with coordinating different parts of their body to engage in sports.
A fitness program that matches the functioning levels of autistic children challenges them to practice and experience various types of physical movements on a regular basis. Their periodic experience of these physical activities over time will strengthen their muscle tone and foster their body awareness, which will enable them to “correct” their sensory perceptions.
Just as significantly, autistic children who display signs of hyperactivity due to their sensory craving for movement will have an important outlet for releasing their energy in purposeful activity.
Facilitates Verbal Communication and Interaction
Autistic children with language processing delays have difficulties with verbal communication due to its fleeting nature: once a word is spoken, it disappears into thin air. Thus, coupling simple verbal instructions with compatible movements is an effective way for helping autistic children to “register” language. By fully “experiencing” the words through their bodily movements, instead of just hearing them, autistic children are better able to take notice of the verbal communication that is no longer abstract, but concretized in physical activity.
Inculcates Discipline and Builds Self-Esteem
The rigor of a well-paced fitness program that gradually pushes autistic children out of their comfort zones, physical, mentally and emotionally, can be a life-transforming experience. In undergoing the fitness program, autistic children will have to learn to obey the authority of their trainer, overcome their resistance to doing new things that require tremendous effort, as well as acquire new knowledge and skills. Their amenability to being taught by others will stand them in good stead in other areas of their lives.
Most importantly, in the long term, adhering to a fitness program will ultimately inculcate discipline in autistic children. Along the way, they will discover that they can accomplish challenging things that many including themselves had thought were beyond their capabilities. This realization will provide a powerful boost to their self-esteem, which will motivate them to continue to strive for progress.
In conclusion, a fitness program has unique value for autistic children by enabling them to overcome their sensory difficulties; improve their understanding of verbal communication; as well as promote discipline and self-esteem. These factors serve as a strong motivator for parents to go through the challenges of introducing a fitness program to their children.
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