How running, jumping, and horsing around benefit kiddos with autism.
We’re getting in the spirit of summer with a new turf-covered patio at our Frisco Hive. Thanks to a wonderful benefactor, we now have an enhanced outdoor play area that stays green and beautifully perfect all year round. Most importantly, it gives our clients a safer and cleaner area to have lots of fun outdoors while working on their gross motor skills. See images below of our new and improved outdoor play area!
If you’re not familiar with the term, gross motor skills are the skills we use to coordinate and control the large muscles found in our arms, legs, and torso. The word “gross” in this case means large or big.
Gross motor skills are necessary for a wide range of activities in life, including everything from crawling and walking to running, jumping, throwing, catching, climbing, getting dressed, going to the bathroom, and riding a bike.
The benefits of having gross motor skills are not always obvious at first glance. Yes, being more physically active can improve a child’s health, increase muscle tone, and strengthen their bones. Less obvious is the fact that gross motor skills can also help kids with autism become more confident, independent, and social with their peers. So it’s not just about playing around.
Motor difficulties are prevalent with autism
Research has found that 87% of children and adults on the autism spectrum have some sort of motor difficulty. That includes lacking gross and/or fine motor skills. Fine motor skills are the opposite of gross motor skills. Fine motor skills have to do with controlling our smaller muscles, like in the hand.
Unfortunately, the jury is still out on why so many people with autism have difficulty with motor skills. According to the National Autistic Society (UK), it could have to do with the differences in brain wiring, the lack of body awareness, or conditions like joint hypermobility (being double-jointed)/low muscle tone. It could also stem from anxiety that prevents children with autism from taking on challenging or new tasks that would help them develop gross motor skills.
We do know, as Autism Parenting Magazine points out, that children with autism often have primitive reflexes beyond the typical age of 36-42 months. Primitive reflexes are innate responses to environmental stimuli that help children feed and respond to sensory input in the first years of life. Primitive reflexes should naturally fade around 3 years of age, giving children more control over their body and how they move it. But that doesn’t happen with children who have autism, and it can have a negative impact on their ability to develop both gross and fine motor skills without some outside help, like ABA therapy.
“Untreated motor problems can persist well into adolescence and adulthood, resulting in long-term physical, psychological, and behavioral issues,” according to Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Activities to build gross motor skills over the summer
The summer months are ideal for getting your kiddo off the couch and movin’ and groovin’. Below are a few ideas for getting started. Be sure to provide positive reinforcement along the way, like praise and other rewards that will motivate your child to keep going and make physical activity a part of their summer routine.
- Jumping on a trampoline – Great for muscle tone, improving balance, and increasing your child’s awareness of their body position and movement, which in turn can be both regulating and calming.
- Playing catch – This simple game improves hand-eye coordination and is a social activity where conversation can happen naturally. Start with a larger ball and as your child gets better at catching and throwing, use smaller balls to increase the challenge.
- Jungle gyms – These classic playground fixtures offer kids all kinds of ways to develop their gross motor skills, including climbing, hanging, sliding, and swinging.
- Imitating different animals – This is a great activity for toddlers as you ask them to pretend to be various animals, like jumping like a frog or flapping their “wings” like a bird.
- Playing Twister – Like a trampoline, the game of Twister helps kids learn how to balance themselves and be more aware of their body’s position.
- Swimming – Even if it’s just splashing around in the kiddie pool, swimming is great for helping a child’s coordination, because it involves the whole body.
For expert help and advice, talk with an ABA therapist. They can assess your child and provide a treatment plan that meets the unique needs of your child, including gross motor skill development.
If you’re in the North Texas area, the autism and ABA therapy experts here at The Behavior Exchange are ready to help! Our Summer Camp is well underway this year, but we welcome newcomers to the fun and festivities. All of our ABA therapy services that have earned the highest accreditation possible are available during the summer. Contact us today to learn more about ABA therapy and why we’ve earned the prestigious title of Behavioral Health Center of Excellence.
Our advice: If you suspect your toddler may have autism, tell your doctor sooner rather than later. Children can (and should) be diagnosed as young as two, so they can start treatment that has the greatest impact during their formative years – BEFORE they start school. A brighter future is possible with ABA therapy at The Behavior Exchange!
