Sensory Supported Swimming for Children With ASD

Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinical Trial

— SSS  

Official title:

Sensory Supported Swimming-Swimming and Water Safety for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Enrolling by invitation

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02747459
• Other study ID #: 13124
• Status: Enrolling by invitation
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: March 2012
• Est. completion date: September 2025

Study information

• Verified date: May 2023
• Source: University of Kansas Medical Center
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

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

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

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

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

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.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Enrolling by invitation
• Enrollment: 500
• Est. completion date: September 2025
• Est. primary completion date: September 2025
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 4 Years to 18 Years

Eligibility

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

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Autism Spectrum Disorders

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Sensory Supported Swimming
A swimming and water safety program for children with autism spectrum disorders. Individualized instruction utilizing evidence-based teaching methods and sensory modifications.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	University of Kansas Medical Center	Kansas City	Kansas

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Kansas Medical Center

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Skill Acquisition Form	This outcome measure was created for the study to measure changes in swimming and water safety skills. The skill acquisition form is supplemented with weekly progress notes.	8 weeks
Secondary	Instructor Survey	Instructors are surveyed at least annually to determine if Sensory Supported Swimming is increasing their competence to serve children with autism spectrum disorders	16 weeks
Secondary	Parent Survey	Parents of program participants are surveyed at least annually to determine if Sensory Supported Swimming is increasing children's physical activity and safety around water	16 weeks
Secondary	Program Records	demographics forms, enrollment & attendance records	8 weeks