Regular exercise is important for everyone’s overall health no matter your age. For children with autism, physical activity can help in surprising ways beyond fitness, which is in and of itself so important because kids with autism are at a higher risk of being overweight.
If you’d like to learn more about why physical activity matters for children with autism and how it can benefit their development in many areas, click here to check out Part 1 of this blog.
In this second and final installment, we’re going to explore how to add exercise or more physical activities to your child’s routine and important advice to keep in mind as you get started.
Let’s just jump in!
One-size doesn’t fit all
Expert Dr. Jean Gehricke reminds us that all kids with autism are different and have likes and dislikes as well as unique goals for their development. It’s important, therefore, to be keenly aware of what your child enjoys and what kind of activities they feel inclined to do naturally. Does your child like running around? Do they bounce up and down? Watch them when they’re relaxed and being themselves and take your cue from their behavior to find a physical activity they might like or be good at.
He says the goal isn’t about making your child competitive. It’s about getting them engaged in a physical activity they can view as a hobby, something they have a connection to and stays with them as they grow.
The CDC recommends all children should get at least an hour of physical activity a day. But another expert, Dr. Sean Healy, says that’s a great goal for children with autism. However, his advice is to start small, be patient, and build up to the CDC’s recommendation. “We’ve found that shorter periods of physical activity, spaced throughout the day, tend to be easier to maintain. The goal is to make physical activity a regular and enjoyable part of daily life.”
Choosing the right activities
Dr. Healey also recommends trying more than one activity with your child to see what works and what doesn’t. Focus should be on adding activities to your child’s routine that promote:
- Fitness – An activity that gets their heart going or makes them breathe heavier than normal.
- Social interaction – A goal for most children with autism. It can be as simple as playing catch with another person.
- Independence – Something they can do successfully alone at home, like yoga. You can even turn on a video to help.
While team sports might be too much right out of the gate, you can help them work up to it by encouraging them to do fun activities that build their motor skills, like running, jumping, hopping, and skipping. It’s also beneficial to give your child the opportunity to play with different types of equipment, including balls, bats, and rackets, as they learn to throw, catch, kick, and strike.
In addition, there are also basic exercises based in Occupational Therapy your child can do at home that can benefit their strength, coordination, balance, and body awareness. These exercises include bear crawls, throwing medicine balls, star jumps (when you start in a crouched position and jump up, creating a star with your arms and legs), arm circles, and mirror exercises (where your child mirrors what someone else doing).
If you’re looking for simple activities, these ideas for adding physical activities to you and your child’s routine could do the trick. You can:
- Have your child walk to school at least one way, accompanying them if necessary
- Walk your dog together, if you have one
- Turn commercials on TV into exercise breaks, doing things you can simply stand up in place and do, like jumping jacks
- Head to the park after dinner every night when weather permits, walking instead of driving if it’s doable
Remember, the best approach is to start small. Begin with a few minutes here and there during your child’s day, gradually increasing the duration of physical activity until your child reaches the ideal daily hour of exercise recommended by the CDC. You’ll be amazed at the difference it can make.
Tips for teaching your child to exercise
- Use positive reinforcement. Tell them they’re doing a great job and encourage them to keep going.
- Use verbal or visual cues to help guide them through the movements of a physical activity to decrease the chances of them getting frustrated.
- Create a visual schedule with two columns, where they can check off each exercise or activity as they accomplish them.
- Break an activity down into smaller parts to make it easier for your child to learn.
- Have your child repeat exercises or physical activities so it becomes familiar and builds their confidence.
Obviously, your participation and guidance is vital to your child’s success when it comes to being more energetic and engaged in physical activities. Set a good example by modeling a healthy lifestyle that’s beneficial and enjoyable. If you don’t exercise yourself, now’s the time to start with your child and your whole family!
To learn more about getting your child with autism more active, contact our team of autism and ABA therapy experts for advice.
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