Maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle is beneficial for everyone but staying active is especially beneficial for children with autism. Routine exercise not only provides physical benefits, it also provides social and mental benefits. Exercise therapy can help by:

• Reducing stereotypic behaviors – Engaging in vigorous exercise (20 minutes or more, 3 to 4 days a week) has been shown to be beneficial in decreasing stereotypic (self-stimulatory) behaviors, hyperactivity, aggression, self-injury, and destructiveness.

• Improving social skills – Engaging with peers in social settings can be difficult, due in part to anxiety, an inability to read social cues, low self-esteem, decreased verbal communication, etc. Sports programs build social relationships, demonstrate how to work with others to accomplish goals, and build confidence.

• Establishing a routine – Routines are incredibly important for children, especially those with autism who tend to perform repeated self-stimulatory behaviors because it provides comfort with which they are familiar. Structured physical activity helps these children transition into new routines with less difficulty. 

• Promoting weight loss – Autism is related to a higher risk of early childhood obesity, leading to a greater probability of more severe illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, bone, and joint problems. Children with autism tend to live more inactive lifestyles, making it harder for them to maintain a healthier weight. 

• Improving attention – Children on the autism spectrum have trouble staying attentive, not only in the classroom but also at home. One reason for this decrease in attention is due to the stereotypic behaviors that become a distraction. Increasing their time spent in exercise helps to decrease these behaviors, thereby improving attention.