Sensory Supported Swimming for Children With ASD (SSS)

University of Kansas

Status: Invitation-only

Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorders

Treatments: Behavioral: Sensory Supported Swimming

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02747459

13124

Details and patient eligibility

About

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

2. The Sensory Supported Swim Program will increase physical activity of children with ASD.

3. The Sensory Supported Swim Program will increase safety of children with ASD in and around the water.

4. The Sensory Supported Swim Program will increase the capacity of general recreation providers and swim instructors to serve children with ASD.

Full 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.

Enrollment: 500 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 4 to 18 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

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

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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500 participants in 1 patient group

SSS Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Sensory Supported Swimming-eight, 30 minute lessons

Treatment:

Behavioral: Sensory Supported Swimming