Accelerating Motor Skill Acquisition for Bicycle Riding in Children with ASD: A Pilot Study.
Zoë Hawks, John N Constantino, Claire Weichselbaum and 1 others
PMID 31535342WHAT IT FOUND
Nine of 15 children and adolescents with ASD rode independently after a camp package of graduated support cylinders, spotters, prompts, physical assistance, pairing, breaks, and practice progression; all improved, but no single part can be separated.
Key findings
01At the end of camp, 9 of 15 participants rode a two-wheel bicycle independently for at least 70 feet without cylindrical supports or spotter assistance.
02All 15 participants showed motor skill acquisition during camp, with a minimum change of 3 cylinder steps.
03In exploratory analyses, greater social communication deficits and lower motor coordination were each associated with reduced motor skill acquisition.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The analyzed sample was small at 15 participants, so the findings are preliminary. The paper does not report random allocation or a control group, so improvement cannot be separated from repeated practice, maturation, or the camp setting. All camp components were delivered together, so the effect of support cylinders, spotters, prompts, physical assistance, pairing, breaks, or venue changes cannot be separated. The study did not compare participants with children who have other neurodevelopmental conditions. The study did not report follow-up data on whether riding skills were maintained or generalized to other daily activities. Motor coordination and social communication were parent-report measures, and the study did not report direct measurement of balance, strength, or IQ. Attendance was described as high, but exact session attendance or dropout numbers are not given. The exploratory predictors were analyzed with a small sample and overlapping measures, so the associations should be treated cautiously.
Declared interests
ZH, CW, and NM declared no conflict of interest. JNC receives royalties from Western Psychological Services for commercial distribution of the Social Responsiveness Scale-2. The paper does not state who funded the study or the camp.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the camp caused independent riding or that any single component works. This was a small one-week pilot, and the paper reports no control group. Graduated support cylinders, spotters, prompts, physical assistance, pairing, breaks, and practice progression were delivered together.