Clinical trial NCT02747459: Sensory Supported Swimming for Children With ASD
Official title: Sensory Supported Swimming-Swimming and Water Safety for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
Phase: NA
Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorders
Lead sponsor: University of Kansas Medical Center
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2016-04-21
Enrollment: 500
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 4
Maximum age (years): 18
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Brief summary: The purpose of Sensory Supported Swimming is to provide a sustainable, low cost recreational swim program for children with ASD. A secondary purpose is to train general recreation providers and swim instructors to meet the unique needs of children. Specific aims include both program development and research aims as described below.

Specific Aims:

1. Provide more opportunities for families of children with ASD to access a recreational swim program at low cost. (program development) 2. Increase the capacity of swim instructors and general recreation providers working with children with ASD. (Research) 3. Increase physical activity for children with ASD in a way that is a good match for their individual sensory needs. (Research) 4. Increase safety among children with ASD in and around the water so they and their families can swim safely. (Research) 5. Transition swimmers with ASD from a learn-to-swim program to an inclusive swim team. (Program Development) Hypotheses

1. The Sensory Supported Swim Program will increase physical activity of children with ASD.
2. The Sensory Supported Swim Program will increase safety of children with ASD in and around the water.
3. The Sensory Supported Swim Program will increase the capacity of general recreation providers and swim instructors to serve children with ASD.

Detailed description: To decrease risk of drowning, increase opportunities to engage in a lifelong sport, and increase the capacity of general recreation providers, investigators developed a recreational swim program for children with ASD. The purpose of this program is to provide swimming and water safety instruction for children with ASD. A secondary purpose is to train general recreation providers and swim instructors to meet the unique needs of children. Research of this program includes investigating the effects of swimming on health outcomes (i.e., fitness, BMI) of children with ASD. SSS lessons are provided in eight week sessions six times per year. Lessons are individualized according to the child's sensory preferences (as measured by the Sensory Profile). Instructors use evidence-based teaching methods (i.e., visual supports, demonstration, peer and video modelling, sensory modifications) to teach swimming and water safety skills. Children may enroll for as many sessions as desired. Research includes retrospective review of program records.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Autism diagnosis (any autism spectrum diagnosis)
* Order of response

Exclusion Criteria:

* Children with sensory impairments (i.e., blindness, deafness)
* Based on the discretion of the program directors, participants that display aggressive or harmful behaviors may be excluded for safety purposes

Primary outcomes:
measure: Skill Acquisition Form
timeFrame: 8 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Instructor Survey
timeFrame: 16 weeks
measure: Parent Survey
timeFrame: 16 weeks
measure: Program Records
timeFrame: 8 weeks
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Kansas City
country: United States
facility: University of Kansas Medical Center
state: Kansas
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Kansas Medical Center
name: Lisa Mische Lawson, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Lawson LM, Foster L. Sensory Patterns, Obesity, and Physical Activity Participation of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Am J Occup Ther. 2016 Sep-Oct;70(5):7005180070p1-8. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2016.021535.