Should children with autism workout?

Guest post from trainer Bradley Carter, CSCS

Should children with autism workout? Short answer is yes. All children should workout and be active starting at a young age. Children with autism have a much increased chance of becoming overweight or obese compared to their neuro-typical peers starting as early as two years old. In the United Stated over a third of children from the age of 2-17 on the autism spectrum are overweight. There are a variety of reasons for this, but one thing is certain, exercise will help and the earlier you start your child down a path of exercise and healthy living the more it will help them live long healthy lives.

Exercise doesn’t just help with physical health; mental health can be drastically improved through an exercise regime as well.  Children with autism can benefit by having a reduction in self-stimulatory behavior, hyperactivity, and aggression as well self-injurious and destructive behaviors. The autism specific benefits of general exercise has been shown to be one of the best treatments for depression and anxiety, along with improved sleep quality.

A workout doesn’t have to be fancy or even very long; a brisk thirty-minute walk is a great place to start. Need some other ideas? Make sure to visit our YouTube channel for exercise demonstration videos. You may even see yours truly in some of them!