Active-play video games used
for exercising can improve physical and mental fitness in children with autism
spectrum disorders (ASD).
“We think that the exertion
of participating in this type of game helps to improve the neural connections
in the brains of these children,” said one of the researchers Claudia Hilton,
associate professor at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
US . (Also
read: How to find your motivation and embrace your fears: Hrithik Roshan’s
fitness trainer tells)
The findings suggest the use
of exergames — video games that are also a form of exercise — has the potential
to serve as a valuable addition to therapies for children with autism spectrum
disorders who have motor and executive function impairments.
Executive function is the
higher level of intelligence that helps us to plan and organise. It is used to
redirect higher thinking when changing plans and suppressing inappropriate
behaviours. It is important for being able to live independently as
adults. (Also
read: A six-pack can lead to chronic back pain! This is how)
The researcher investigated
the use of the Makoto arena, a triangular shaped arena with pillars at each
point, each with lights and sounds at various levels of the pillars for
improving fitness of kids diagnosed with autism.
The study used 17 school-aged
children and adolescents with ASD in two-minute sessions in the Makoto arena.
Children with ASD often
experience executive function and motor impairments.
They also experience lower
rates of physical activity than children without ASD.
Through the use of Makoto
arena, the researchers showed improvement in response speed, executive function
and motor skills among children with ASD.
The findings appeared in the
International Journal for Sports and Exercise Medicine.
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