Current prevalence statistics suggest 1 in 88 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (CDC, 2012). ASDs are pervasive developmental disorders characterized by social communicative deficits and restricted interests and behaviors (APA, 2000). Children with ASD also display deficits in motor skills (Green et al., 2002: Pan, Tsai, &...
The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between physical activity level and motor skill proficiency in school-aged children ages 9-18 with developmental disabilities. Physical activity level was assessed using Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers, which participants wore for all hours of the day for seven days. Motor skill proficiency...
Background: Early childhood is filled with incredible growth in all areas of development and offers a critical period for optimal learning (Lerner, 2002). During this critical period both motor skills (Bouffard, Watkinson, Thompson, Causgrove Dunn, & Romanow, 1996; Clark & Metcalfe, 2002; Lubans, Morgan, Cliff, Barnett, & Okely, 2010; Stodden...
Background: Mastery of fundamental motor skills (FMS) in childhood is proposed to facilitate participation in physical activity (PA) opportunities, through context-specific application of FMS (Clarke & Metclafe, 2002; Stodden et al., 2008). Children with disabilities
impacting motor skill development thus are at greater risk for low PA participation. Evidence indicates...
ASD is characterized primarily by deficits in social and communicative skills, however recent studies show differences in motor skills as well when compared to typically developing children. Because of these differences, parents of children with ASD may portray different behaviors than parents of typically developing children. This research aims to find...
The purpose of this study was to compare the child behaviors of young children with autism spectrum disorder (ages 44-91 months) in different play settings. The hypothesis states that more positive child behaviors will be observed in the motor-based play setting compared to the free play setting. This study observed...
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is described as a developmental disability characterized by impairments in social interaction, communication, and repetitive or restricted movements. It has been shown that as children with ASD age, their cognitive and social skills improve with time, and physical activity has been linked with improving aspects of...
Background. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impairments in social-communicative deficits and restricted and repetitive behaviors, interests, or activities (APA, 2013). While current estimates suggest 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with ASD, more alarming statistics indicate 1 in 50 school-aged children live with the disorder (Blumberg, Bramlett, Kogan,...
Childhood obesity is an extensively research topic as it effects a large number of individuals and has serious consequences on those effected. Current statistics estimate roughly 17% of the youth population is now obese. However, the spread of these cases is not equally distributed. Certain populations are at increased risk...
Introduction: Parents provide an in-depth and unique perspective on their children with developmental disabilities (DDs) experiences and involvement in physical activity. Furthermore, family pets promote physical activity and quality of life in children with DDs. An imitation based physical activity program for children with DD and their family dog took...