Syracuse University Fit Families Program: Autism
Condition: Autism Spectrum Disorders
MeSH terms: Autistic Disorder; Autism Spectrum Disorder
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Syracuse University Fit Families is designed to increase the activity level and frequency of
      the children through modified activities using adapted equipment and, importantly, to
      increase the families' comfort level in having their children participate in a variety of
      physical activities, including team and individual sports.
    

Detailed description: 
      Syracuse University Fit Families is designed to increase the activity level and frequency of
      the children through modified activities using adapted equipment and, importantly, to
      increase the families' comfort level in having the children participate in a variety of
      physical activities, including team and individual sports. By increasing physical activity
      levels, investigators can reduce sedentary behaviors that lead to conditions such as obesity
      and cardiovascular diseases. The investigators will provide a series of workshops that will
      also teach children and families how to access nearby facilities and modify familiar
      activities, resulting in health benefits for all. Children, and parents will be involved in
      developmentally designed, land-based and aquatic physical activities. Parents will be engage
      in vibrant discussions with professionals and other parents who share similar experiences.

      Services provided through the Syracuse University Fit families program are designed to
      improve the emotional, social and physical well-being of the participants. This program will
      include 1) educational seminars for parents on topics that improve awareness, advocacy, and
      access to community services; 2) inclusive games and modified sports for children, and
      parents to improve self-awareness, social interactions, and physical fitness; 3) individual
      consultation with physical activity professionals to address children's and families' social
      and recreational needs; and 4) opportunities for social networking for families participating
      in the program, including mentoring of youth by adapted sports athletes.

      The project is proposed to run from November 2015 through June 2017. Five one-day workshops
      will be offered annually to participants covering topics of: 1) sensory integration, 2)
      communication, 3) motor development and physical activity; 4) aquatic; and 5) sport
      opportunities (individual and team sport). As part of program evaluation, the investigators
      will be conducting measurements on parents (e.g., quality of life, physical activity levels)
      and children (e.g., social communication, sensory behaviors, quality of life, physical
      activity levels, blood pressure). The investigators will assess these in a pre-post fashion
      in order to determine whether the program has led to generalized improvements in these areas.
      The testing procedure requires minimal invasion and it is not overwhelming for the
      participants. The investigators have implemented similar procedures in previous programs.
    

Intervention name(s): Intervention: Syracuse University Fir Families Program (SUFFP)
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): The SUFFP (Syracuse University Fit Families Program) is a randomized clinical trial, were 40 children with autism spectrum disorders ages 5-11 and at least one parent were randomly assigned to one of two group-based conditions; interventions or a control wait list group.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care