Abstract
Effects of Aquatic Therapy on Vagal Tone and Social Behaviors in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Highlights
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) typically display communication and social behavior deficits (DSM-V)
The results of the present study indicated that the aquatic intervention successfully increased vagal tone and promoted social skills and swimming skills in participants with ASD
The aquatic intervention may have led to rapid acquisition of social skills in children with autism spectrum disorder for a number of reasons
Summary
Individuals with ASD typically display communication and social behavior deficits (DSM-V). While social skills are a primary focus of treatment for children with ASD, additional needs are not addressed in standard therapy. Children with ASD display a high attraction to water [1, 2]. This attraction, along with eloping frequently, difficulty generalizing skills and lack of specialized services place children with ASD at risk for drowning [3,4,5]. Children with ASD are 160 times more likely to drown than a typically developing child [3]. These rates are alarmingly high, many parents are unaware of this risk [5]
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