AUTISM HEALTH
Active Play, Activity, and Exercise The Benefits of Exercise with Autism
Sensory-minded therapists and pediatricians talk
about engaging your child in active play for motor
development, strength, and coordination. Certain-
ly, your child or teen with autism actively engages
in active sensory play—jumping, crashing, swinging,
climbing, spinning—but does it rise to the level of
exercise? The general population likely exercises for reasons
related to overall health, weight management, or
to “clear the mind” of daily stressors, but many of us
don’t look beyond our rationale to the additional
benefits of exercise for people with autism. Exercise
promotes the natural release of endorphins that as-
sist with parasympathetic nervous system functions
such as self-regulation and sleep management, both
problem areas of people with autism spectrum dis-
order. Much like a sensory diet is designed to target
parasympathetic functions, exercise brings about
similar physiological responses. Changes in heart
rate, breathing, and blood pressure are noted follow-
ing just 30 minutes of aerobic exercise.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends
60 minutes of “activity” per day, such as biking, bowl-
ing, dog walking, or team sports 5 . But what exactly
qualifies activity as exercise?
It’s never an easy feat for parents to sort through the
terminology professionals use to describe essential-
ly the same thing: moving to learn, moving to grow,
and moving to stay healthy! Whatever you call it, pro-
moting an active lifestyle for your child and family
will bring shared memories, skill development, and
health benefits for years to come.
In a meta-analysis of research on the benefits of ex-
ercise, Sowa et al. found that physical exercise im-
proved the motor skills and social skills of children
and adults with autism 6 . Another systematic review
of research on the topic found that decreases in ste-
reotypy, aggression, off-task behavior, and elope-
ment were reported, while increases in on-task be-
havior, appropriate motor behavior, and academic
responses increased following physical exercise 7 .
Benefits of Exercise for the General Population Additional Benefits of Exercise Specific to ASD
Weight management Improved motor skills
Physical health: regulating blood pressure,
glucose, heart rate, respiratory rate Improved social skills
Improved mental health Decreased stereotypy
Improved self-regulation Decreased aggression
Sleep management Increased on-task behavior
Appropriate motor behavior
Increased academic responses
32 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 71