Aquatic Therapy and Autism Spectrum Disorders (AT&ASD)

Sloan W. Rush, MD

Status: Completed

Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder

Treatments: Other: Aquatic Physical Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03195244

AT&ASD

Details and patient eligibility

About

To compare the efficacy of one-on-one versus group-based aquatic therapy on the social interactions, behaviors and physical activities of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

Enrollment: 50 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 3 to 17 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Eligibility criteria:

• DSM-V diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder or DSM-IV diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome or high functioning atypical autism or pervasive development disorder - not otherwise specified or else the typical clinical findings and suspicion of an ASD
• Treatment naïve to prior aquatic therapy

Exclusion criteria:

• Not willing to undergo an investigational treatment
• Unable to cooperate well enough to safely participate in aquatic therapy under the protocol guidelines
• Known allergies to pool chemicals
• Other significant co-morbidities which may include (but is not limited to): severe cerebral palsy with low motor function, advanced pulmonary disease, home oxygen requirement, spina bifida with low motor function, permanent feeding tubes, poorly controlled seizure disorder, chronic indwelling urinary catheters or any condition causing severe cognitive impairment

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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50 participants in 3 patient groups

Observation

No Intervention group

One-on-one Aquatic Therapy

Active Comparator group

Treatment:

Other: Aquatic Physical Therapy

Group Aquatic Therapy

Experimental group

Treatment:

Other: Aquatic Physical Therapy