Aquatic Therapy for ASD

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This is an aquatic occupational therapy group for children between the ages of 3-12 that have an autism diagnosis. Intervention will focus on increasing the child's safety swim skills.

Detailed Description
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Information will be collected from participants' guardians during an intake visit regarding a child's sensory processing deficits, movement abilities and exposure to swim skill instruction prior to the group. The group will provide swim instruction using the Halliwick approach to learning swim skills as well as other occupational therapy techniques such as shaping, therapeutic relationship and behavior management. Groups will have a minimum ratio of 1 staff to every 2 children, with the possibility of 1:1 ratio most days. There will be a certified lifeguard present at all times. Qualitative interviews and a follow up survey will be conducted with parents (ages 18+) to determine impact on families and individual participants. Swim skills will be tracked at each session via goal attainment scaling and daily documentation. Descriptive and correlational statistics will be completed as well as coding of interview and survey data. Participants can participate for one, 10 week session, or will have the option to participate in additional 10 week sessions until child participants top out on the WOTA or plateau in progress of swim skills.

Official Title
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Exploration of Aquatic Therapy in Children With Autism and Their Families

Conditions
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Autism Spectrum Disorder

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Aquatic Occupational Therapy


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: pre-existing diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder from a medical professional family interest in swimming Exclusion Criteria: ventilation system for breathing such as trachea not capped

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 3 Years
Maximum Age: 12 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Aquatic Occupational Therapy<br>Group-based aquatic occupational therapy with 1:1 swim buddy for safety. | Behavioral: Aquatic Occupational Therapy<br>* Group of 4-8 children, paired with a swim buddy. Intervention techniques including discrete teaching, motor shaping, behavioral management, therapeutic relationship and individualized goals.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in swim skills | Change in swim skills measured with Water Orientation Test-Alyn; higher scores mean a better outcome. Minimum score is 0, maximum is 27 | baseline, pre-intervention; immediately after the intervention | 
| Change in individualized goals | Goal Attainment Scaling to track change in other swim performance skills not measured above. Scores for each goal range from -2 (regression) to +2 (2 levels more than anticipated). A higher score indicates improvement. | immediately after the intervention | 
| Change in parent comfort | Custom questionnaire using 5 point Likert scale regarding comfort and importance of water participation for the child. A higher score indicates increased parent comfort, which is the desirable direction. | baseline pre-intervention; immediately after the intervention | 
| Parent perspective | qualitative interview regarding parent perspective of the the intervention | one time after 8 hours of intervention have been provided to the child participant |