Through transcendental phenomenological qualitative research we investigated the experiences of parents and caregivers of children with ASD when accessing water environments. Semi-structured individual interviews were used to collect data with 12 parents (N=12). Results were grouped into two clusters. Experiences and perspectives on aquatic environment and recreational swimming included the themes: safety is the priority, attraction to water, acceptance of children with ASD in aquatic environments, and therapeutic benefits. Experiences and perspectives on swimming lessons included the themes; making lesson accessible, teaching methods, teach the teacher, and the impact on pride, independence, and normalcy. Findings suggest participation in water activities has a positive effect on children with ASD. Enrollment in swimming lessons can promote safe encounters with water for children with ASD. Parents identified barriers to accessing aquatic programming. Recommendations are provided for improvements to current swim programming and other aquatic environments.
The rate of children diagnosed with autism has skyrocketed over the past two decades. Although the increase in autism prevalence rates has led to more interest, research, and understanding of children with autism, there has been less understanding and focus on parents' and caregivers' experiences. Parents and caregivers face a range of complexities and challenges in raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Studies of parental experiences with raising a child with ASD have identified mostly negatives, such as increased stress, emotional burnout, and social isolation. Fewer studies have examined positive experiences, such as coping, resilience, and personal growth. Not enough studies have focused on parents' and caregivers' experiences raising a child with ASD. Many parents and caregivers face caregiving responsibility for a child who will likely require lifelong services and support. It is important to understand the unique experiences of parents and caregivers in order to better understand and address their needs and to create better and more effective intervention and support for caregivers of children with ASD. Using a scoping review of the literature, this graduate project asks the following: What are the most common experiences for parents and caregivers raising children with ASD? Specifically, do parents and caregivers develop resilience and strength from their experiences?
BACKGROUND. Aquatic therapy is an effective intervention strategy for children with neuromuscular disorders, developmental delays, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. The aim of the present study was to determine parent satisfaction with a recreational aquatic program designed to address sensory processing difficulties in children. METHODS. An original survey was created by researchers and distributed to parents involved in the XYZ Program at three locations. Survey questions were designed to gather information regarding parent perception of changes in sensory processing, social interaction, motor and coordination, self-regulation, and academics. RESULTS. Results were based on completion of ten parent surveys. Survey responses indicated highest improvements in swimming skills (90%), comfort in water (90%), and pool interaction (90%). Parents and caregivers also reported that children experienced improvement in coordination (70%) and balance (60%). Survey responses also showed improvements in social participation and interaction with others in the pool (70%). Respondents indicated that 50% of children showed improvement with sequencing, academic performance, and speech. Responses to questions on sensory processing also demonstrated improvement in tolerance to touch (40%) and tolerance of loud noises (50%). All survey respondents would recommend this program to other families. CONCLUSION. The recreational aquatic swim program led to improvement in swimming skills, comfort in the water, pool interaction, social skills, balance, and coordination as perceived by the parents. The XYZ Program also has positive influence on children outside the aquatic environment in areas such as academics, following verbal directions, and sequencing.
Decades of research have demonstrated that the parent-child dyad and the environment of the familyâ€"which includes all primary caregiversâ€"are at the foundation of children's well- being and healthy development. From birth, children are learning and rely on parents and the other caregivers in their lives to protect and care for them. The impact of parents may never be greater than during the earliest years of life, when a child's brain is rapidly developing and when nearly all of her or his experiences are created and shaped by parents and the family environment. Parents help children build and refine their knowledge and skills, charting a trajectory for their health and well-being during childhood and beyond. The experience of parenting also impacts parents themselves. For instance, parenting can enrich and give focus to parents' lives; generate stress or calm; and create any number of emotions, including feelings of happiness, sadness, fulfillment, and anger. Parenting of young children today takes place in the context of significant ongoing developments. These include: a rapidly growing body of science on early childhood, increases in funding for programs and services for families, changing demographics of the U.S. population, and greater diversity of family structure. Additionally, parenting is increasingly being shaped by technology and increased access to information about parenting. Parenting Matters identifies parenting knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with positive developmental outcomes in children ages 0-8; universal/preventive and targeted strategies used in a variety of settings that have been effective with parents of young children and that support the identified knowledge, attitudes, and practices; and barriers to and facilitators for parents' use of practices that lead to healthy child outcomes as well as their participation in effective programs and services. This report makes recommendations directed at an array of stakeholders, for promoting the wide-scale adoption of effective programs and services for parents and on areas that warrant further research to inform policy and practice. It is meant to serve as a roadmap for the future of parenting policy, research, and practice in the United States.
Teaching children how to swim provides them with the necessary skills to maintain a physically active lifestyle. Many children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis have shown interest in participating in swimming lessons. Studies have demonstrated that teaching students with ASD how to swim has aided in their motor performance (Yanardag, Nurgil, & Akmanoglu, 2013), their ability to initiate social interactions with peers (Chu & Pan, 2012) and a reduction in stereotypical behaviours associated with ASD (Vonder Hulls, Walker, & Powell, 2006). In order to meet the needs of this unique group of students, swim instructors take part in a variety of training programs amongst other experiences to effectively prepare themselves to teach their students with ASD. This study consists of three individual case studies designed to examine the journeys that swim instructors have taken in order to effectively coach students with ASD how to swim, along with encouraging motor skill development, social interactions and reducing stereotypical behaviours. Two research questions guide this study: What are the experiences of swim instructors who work with children with ASD? What are the practical teaching strategies in swimming lessons that are effective for social skill development, reducing stereotypical behaviours and motor skill development in children with ASD? The findings of this study which focus on strategies of effective practice include: gestural communication, positive practice, contact communication, complexities of choice, and encouraging independence and confidence. Along with these findings, the instructors credit the following sources for their construction of knowledge: peer learning and mentorship, parental/caregiver support, and the value of certification and training. It is clear that instructors access a number of sources for their coaching development, but current swim instructor certification programs require revisions to increase instructor preparedness. This study contributes to current literature which focuses on coaching individuals with developmental disabilities. The findings may provide coaches with insight into strategies of effective practice for a more inclusive and equitable community.
In the present phenomenological study, mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) were interviewed using semi-structured, open-ended interview questions. The purpose of this study was to explore the stressors and joys, and parental coping associated with having a child with ASD, before and after out-of-home placement. A total of 9 mothers, six from British Columbia and three from Alberta, participated in the study. The findings suggest that along with stressors, parents experienced a multitude of joys throughout their caregiving experiences. Also, joys had an impact on caregiver's stress-coping process. This study, therefore, expanded upon current states of knowledge on the adaptational function of joys to caregivers of individuals with chronic conditions. In light of the findings, modified stress-coping process model based on the work of Lazarus and Folkman (1984), Folkman (1997), and Pearlin et al. (1990; 1980) is proposed. Also, findings shed light on mothers' lived-experiences leading up to and after out-of-home placement, illuminating an understudied aspect of caregiving for children with ASD.
Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2024 in the subject Art - Architecture / History of Construction, The University of Kashmir (School of Architecture Kashmir), course: B.Arch, language: English, abstract: As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders continues to rise, there is a growing recognition of the importance of creating educational spaces that foster inclusivity and support the diverse learning styles of autistic students. Traditional school settings often struggle to provide the tailored support required for the diverse learning styles and sensitivities of autistic students. The varied sensory demands of people, especially those who are autistic, have been more widely acknowledged in educational settings in recent years. To improve the educational experience and general well-being of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), this study investigates the incorporation of sensory-friendly water features into the architecture of autism-friendly schools. Since water features are known to have therapeutic and relaxing effects, they may be advantageous for autistic students in educational environments. This study offers insights into the possible effects of sensory-friendly water elements on the learning environment for autistic students.
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are uniquely vulnerable to any adverse effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic due to greater healthcare needs, dependency on resources and services, and difficulty in adapting to environmental changes. Caregivers of children with autism also experience substantial stress, even under ideal conditions, and have simultaneously been negatively impacted by the pandemic based on disruptions in routines and social infrastructures that typically bolster against mental health problems. Comprising data from two studies, this dissertation reports changes throughout the pandemic regarding the adaptive and developmental health of children with autism; access and barriers to telehealth; and the emotional wellbeing of their parents, with an additional aim to determine whether clinical or sociodemographic characteristics affect outcomes. Study 1 was a secondary analysis of 3,941 parents of children with autism between the ages of 3- and 10-years-old, shared from the Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge (SPARK) national autism project. Study 2 consisted of primary data collected from 85 parents of children with ASD within this same age range, recruited throughout the United States. Both studies obtained direct responses from caregivers to comprehensively explore challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and characterize the outcomes of children with ASD and their families. Participants were given an online battery of standardized and novel measures, administered across Baseline and Follow-Up timeframes (spanning 1–6 months in Study 1, and 3 months for Study 2). Tests of group and mean differences and regression analyses assessed relations among behavioral characteristics of the children, general experiences and concerns regarding current service delivery, and the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on parental wellbeing, while quotes and free-response comments were reviewed descriptively for common themes. Results showed children with ASD mostly demonstrated increases in adaptive and self-care behaviors between evaluation points, yet still performed below chronological age-level. Most families faced disruption in autism services due to COVID-19, but transitioning to online/remote delivery has been possible and successful in some instances. Finally, all children and parents experienced negative mental health effects during this time, though the extent of this impact varied based on risk and/or protective factors inherent to each individual family. Results also uncovered demographic disparities in COVID-19-related stressors and outcomes, particularly for parents from a lower educational background, families who are economically disadvantaged, and those residing in smaller geographic areas. Thematic analyses revealed parent concerns surrounding finances, fear of sickness, and the overarching impacts on child development, given the shift in education, therapies, and social interaction opportunities. Positive changes frequently included increased time for family togetherness, reduced academic and social worry in children, and benefits provided by technology. These findings outline the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the autism population and can guide efforts to maintain and promote health and development while in crisis and inform strategies to limit potential harm in future emergencies. The value of this dissertation is its qualitative and quantitative consideration of both child and caregiver, and emphasis on the importance of ASD services during this critical age of development, recommending both parent and provider training programs as the best method to ensure continuity of care.
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) constitute a major public health problem, affecting one in every 150 children and their families. Unfortunately, there is little understanding of the causes of ASD, and, despite their broad societal impact, many people believe that the overall research program for autism is incomplete, particularly as it relates to the role of environmental factors. The Institute of Medicine's Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders, in response to a request from the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, hosted a workshop called "Autism and the Environment: Challenges and Opportunities for Research." The focus was on improving the understanding of the ways in which environmental factors such as chemicals, infectious agents, or physiological or psychological stress can affect the development of the brain. Autism and the Environment documents the concerted effort which brought together the key public and private stakeholders to discuss potential ways to improve the understanding of the ways that environmental factors may affect ASD. The presentations and discussions from the workshop that are described in this book identify a number of promising directions for research on the possible role of different environmental agents in the etiology of autism.
COVID-19 changes and restrictions have necessitated a change in the way schools, mental health providers, medical providers, and other educational and therapy services provide for children with autism. This study explores, in-depth, the experience of parents of children with ASD as they have navigated the COVID-19 required changes to professional treatment and services for children with ASD and their families. Research suggests that raising a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be an overwhelming experience for parents and families, and greater family burden is positively associated with the number of unmet professional help service needs. As services were moved to online or discontinued during COVID-19 in Washington state, participants experienced a reduced access to care and describe in this study how it impacted their families. Specifically, parents and children preferred professional supports that were in person and when treating the child, participants appreciated a whole family approach where they were included in the therapy process but were not compelled to provide the therapy. Parents added that the further isolation that lockdowns, move to online therapies, online schooling, and shutting down of parks, and other venues had an outsized negative impact on them and their family. The systemic family impact of the COVID-19 mitigation efforts by providers of professional supports were significant to parents and varied across delivery methods, age of the children, parental transgenerational challenges, and other significant factors.
