Autism can sometimes difficult to treat even for experts and educators. Parents and other caretakers have to come up with ways to help kids with autism learn or improve certain things like communication. Therapy and treatment is far from cheap even with insurance.
But exercise is a really helpful method of dealing with these kinds of disabilities, especially running. A new study funded by the Cigna Foundation, an organization dedicated to improve the health of individuals and families, shows that running improves fitness and communication among children on the autism spectrum.
Researchers from Achilles International and New York Medical College released the results of this four-month study, measuring the quantitative and qualitative effects of the Achilles Kids running program on restrictive/repetitive behaviors, social interaction, communication, emotional responses, and cognition on 94 students with autism in five different schools. The study showed significant improvements in important areas such as fitness and communication. This validated the team's hypothesis that a vigorous school-based exercise program can positively impact physical, social, academic, and emotional problems for students with mental/developmental disabilities. The participants also faced various other challenges like socioeconomic situations and little to no access to outside therapy and adaptive extracurricular programs.
The study found that the fitness program helped students with the more severe autism improve in areas of awareness, cognition, motivation, and restrictive repetitive behaviors such as self-injuries. It was funded by grants given to Achilles by the Cigna Foundation, a long-time partner. The Achilles Kids program is a program that helps adaptive physical education teachers utilize a running-based program in schools and give the students a goal of running 26.2 miles in a school year.
I believe this study is important because so many individuals have disabilities nowadays, especially in America. I don't know anybody without a disability or who doesn't know someone with one. I personally have autism. If exercise helps as much as this study claims, then schools should probably look more into physical exercise to help students with disabilities.
