Impact of Sports Activity on Pragmatic Skills of Children
Condition: Autistic Disorder of Childhood Onset With Full Syndrome
MeSH terms: Autistic Disorder
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      To investigate the effects of structured physical exercises/outdoor sports on social
      interaction/communication skills of children with Autism in Pakistan.
    

Detailed description: 
      The word Autism is derived from the Latin word "Autos'' which means "self" - immersion in
      one's own world. Autism is a disorder that manifests itself in early childhood, is disabling
      in many cases and is characterized by severe deficits in communication, social interaction,
      speech/language delays, sensory issues, repetitive and stereotyped behavior, limited
      interests. Autism was first described as a disease, by an American physician; Autism later
      came to be known as ASD (Autism spectrum Disorder) due to numerous disorders, various
      combinations of disorders, multiple unknown etiologies, subtypes and dynamics of the evolving
      disease. Autism is on the rise with a prevalence rate of 1-2% of infant population. In 2014,
      the 67th World Health assembly passed a resolution for "Comprehensive and Co-ordinated
      efforts for the management of the Autism Spectrum Disorders "which was supported by 60
      countries, showing the relevance of the pathology. Research on Autism has increased recently,
      and publications have nearly doubled in the last 5 years, as this spectrum of disorders
      continues to baffle doctors and scientists and has no cure till now, but can only be managed.

      Benefits of physical exercises/sports have been researched, discussed and documented in great
      detail in the past. But the purpose of this research study is to explore the (Pragmatic
      communication and social interaction) benefits of specific sports/physical exercises for
      children aged 5-7 years who are on the spectrum, children with ASD diagnosis. Psychiatrists
      maintain that certain brain connections develop in ASD children if they regularly indulge /
      participate in particular sports like athletics (running, jogging, other track events),
      hiking (exposure to nature), swimming, cycling, horse- back riding, team sports like;
      basketball, soccer etc. The co-ordination between right and left sides of the body is more
      important in these sports. Team sports are also a great way of involving ASD children in a
      social situation where they are more receptive to learning communication skills while opening
      up with peers, in a relaxed and happy environment. Endorphin; a neurotransmitter, is released
      in our body during exercise, which triggers a positive/happy feeling, making ASD children
      more receptive to learning / acquiring new skills through this mode of intervention.

      Since all ASD children are unique, it is important to find the right choice of physical
      exercise/sport that fits their particular profile/symptoms, biomechanics for this mode of
      intervention to be effective in improving their pragmatic communication skills and social
      interaction.

      The study aims to research the positive effects of outdoor sports activities on pragmatic
      language skills development amongst the Autistic children aged 5-7 years in Pakistani
      population. It will help establish a great mode of therapeutic intervention for developing
      Pragmatic language skills amongst children with Autism. Once established, this mode of
      intervention will also assist in creating a platform for much needed community based
      recreational activities for the Autism families in Pakistan.
    

Intervention name(s): Physical activity protocol/out door sports; Intensive table teaching speech therapy
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Warm up exercise will be administered for 10 minutes, then one-to-five small group of instruction based activity will be administered for 15 minutes. After this whole group will be engaged in ball exercise and cooperative ball games for 20 minutes. At the end cool down and reward activity will be done with participants for 15v minutes.
Total 1 hour physical activity protocol will be administered twice a week.; Control group participants will be given speech therapy session based on intensive table teaching for 30 minutes twice a week.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: outdoor sports; physical activity; communication skills