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Exercise Interventions for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Sponsor: National Taiwan University Hospital
Summary
The purpose of this clinical trial is to find out whether exergame and aerobic exercise can improve sleep, movement skills, thinking abilities, and brain activity in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aims to answer the following questions: 1. Can exergame and aerobic exercise improve sleep, movement skills, and thinking abilities in children with ASD? 2. Can exergame and aerobic exercise change brain activity in children with ASD? Researchers will compare three different intervention programs: 1. Exergame combined with motor and behavioral intervention. 2. Aerobic exercise combined with motor and behavioral intervention. 3. Motor and behavioral intervention only. By comparing these three groups, researchers hope to determine whether adding exergames or aerobic exercise provides additional benefits for children with ASD. Participants will: 1. Attend one intervention session each week for 8 weeks. Depending on the group they are assigned to, they will receive either exergames combined with motor and behavioral intervention, aerobic exercise combined with motor and behavioral intervention, or motor and behavioral intervention only. 2. Complete a home exercise program twice a week for 12 weeks. 3. Visit the laboratory three times for assessments: before the intervention begins, at the end of Week 8, and at the end of Week 12.
Official title: Exercise Interventions for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Effects of Aerobic Exercise and Exergaming Intervention on Sleep, Motor, Executive Function and Brian Activation
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
4 Years - 10 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
105
Start Date
2026-05-17
Completion Date
2028-07-30
Last Updated
2026-08-27
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Exergaming
Exergaming is defined as a type of active video game (or non-immersive virtual reality) that requires players to engage in full-body movements, involving moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Aerobic exercise
Aerobic exercise (AE) will apply interval-based training model, which serve as a feasible form of AE with intermittent, high-intensity, short-duration characteristics, and alternates between periods of activity and rest.
Conventional physical therapy
Conventional physical therapy focusing on fundamental motor skills including locomotion and ball skills.
Behavioral Education
Behavioral education focusing on sleep hygiene and behavioral strategies (e.g., extinction, reinforcement, developing appropriate bedtime and consistent bedtime routine) to facilitate specific strategies for enhancing child's sleep qualities
Locations (1)
Early Childhood Behavior Laboratory, School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, National Taiwan University,
Taipei, Taiwan