Overview:
Our General Mobility Training program is designed to help children with autism develop the physical skills they need to move independently and safely in their environment. The program focuses on improving a variety of mobility-related abilities, including walking, running, navigating obstacles, balancing, and using assistive devices (if necessary). This training helps children increase their confidence, coordination, and independence in moving through different spaces.
Key Areas of General Mobility Training
Walking Skills:
Focuses on developing and improving walking ability, including posture, gait, and endurance. This helps children with autism walk comfortably and safely in various environments, such as at home, at school, or in the community.
Posture and Balance: Teaching children how to maintain proper posture while walking and stand with improved balance to prevent falls.
Gait Improvement: Working on steps, pace, and rhythm to improve walking style and ensure mobility is smooth and coordinated.
Running and Jogging:
Teaching children how to run or jog safely and efficiently. This includes developing stamina, understanding pace, and enhancing leg strength and coordination.
Speed and Coordination: Working on running speed, coordination between arms and legs, and overall fluidity of motion.
Safe Running Practices: Helping children develop the awareness of their surroundings to run safely in open or crowded spaces.
Obstacle Navigation:
Training children to navigate around obstacles in their environment, whether it’s furniture at home, curbs in the community, or other physical barriers in different spaces. This helps improve spatial awareness, coordination, and safety.
Avoiding Hazards: Teaching children to recognize obstacles or dangerous objects in their path and how to avoid them effectively.
Climbing and Descending: Training on how to navigate stairs, ramps, and other elevation changes safely.
Balance and Stability:
Teaching fundamental balance skills through exercises that strengthen core muscles and improve coordination. A child’s balance and stability play a key role in their ability to move with ease and confidence.
Balance Exercises: Using balance boards, walking on different surfaces, or practicing single-leg stances to improve balance.
Core Strengthening: Targeting exercises that enhance trunk and abdominal muscles, which are critical for maintaining stability during movement.
Use of Assistive Devices (if needed):
For children who may require mobility aids such as walkers, canes, or wheelchairs, this training focuses on how to effectively and safely use these devices.
Proper Technique: Teaching the proper way to use walking aids to ensure safety and independence.
Mobility and Environment Interaction: Ensuring children can effectively navigate different types of terrain and spaces using their mobility devices.
Coordination and Fine Motor Skills:
Coordinating hand and foot movements is important for overall mobility, especially for tasks like holding onto a railing while climbing stairs or carrying objects while walking.
Hand-Eye Coordination: Incorporating activities that strengthen the ability to control hand movements while maintaining balance.
Dexterity Exercises: Targeting exercises to improve the child’s ability to grasp, release, and carry objects during movement.
Safety and Awareness:
Developing situational awareness to prevent accidents and injuries while moving in different environments.
Crossing Streets Safely: Teaching children how to safely navigate sidewalks, cross streets, and use pedestrian signals.
Personal Space Awareness: Understanding the importance of personal space when moving in crowded areas or between people.
Environmental Navigation:
Helping children develop the skills needed to move within various settings, such as at home, in school, or in public places. This includes practicing walking through hallways, adjusting to different floor textures, and understanding the layout of various environments.
Route Recognition: Teaching children to remember and navigate familiar routes (like from their classroom to the playground) to encourage independence in daily activities.
Public Transportation Use: If applicable, teaching children how to use public transportation safely, including getting on and off buses or trains.
Therapeutic Approaches and Techniques
Sensory Integration:
Incorporating sensory-based activities to help children who may have difficulty processing sensory information, such as balancing on a wobble board or practicing weight-bearing activities.
Motor Planning and Practice:
Working on motor planning skills to help children follow the steps required to perform tasks, such as putting one foot in front of the other while climbing stairs or sequencing movements when navigating a crowded area.
Interactive Play:
Using games and play-based activities, such as ball games or playground equipment, to practice mobility and movement in a fun, supportive environment.
Strength and Endurance Training:
Engaging in exercises that improve muscle strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance, allowing children to move with more ease and for longer periods.
Strength Training: Focused exercises to build leg and core muscles for better mobility.
Endurance Routines: Activities designed to help children increase stamina and confidence in moving across distances.
Task-Based Training:
Using specific tasks to practice mobility in real-life contexts, such as reaching for an object on a shelf, walking from one room to another, or running to catch a ball. This helps children apply their mobility skills in meaningful ways.
Family and Community Involvement
Home Practice:
Parents are encouraged to continue mobility training at home, using everyday activities like walking to the store, going for a walk in the neighborhood, or using stairs to reinforce mobility skills.
Community Integration:
Involving children in community activities that require mobility, such as visiting parks, going to shopping centers, or taking part in community events, to apply what they’ve learned in a real-world setting.
Outcome Goals
Improved Physical Independence:
Children will develop the physical skills necessary to move independently and with greater confidence in various settings.
Enhanced Coordination and Balance:
Training will help children develop better coordination and balance, reducing the risk of falls and increasing overall mobility.
Increased Confidence in Navigating the Environment:
As children improve their mobility skills, they will gain confidence in navigating different spaces, whether at home, school, or in the community.
Safe Mobility:
Children will learn the skills necessary to move safely, including how to avoid hazards and recognize important safety cues in different environments.
Our General Mobility Training program is designed to give children with autism the tools and skills they need to confidently and safely navigate their world, whether that’s moving around the house, playing outdoors, or participating in community activities.