scholarly journals Gait Symmetry in Children with Autism

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria L. Chester ◽  
Matthew Calhoun

Most studies examining gait asymmetry have focused on infants and toddlers and have tended to use subjective methods of evaluating movement. No previous studies have examined gait symmetry in older children with autism using objective motion capture systems. The purpose of this paper was to quantify gait symmetry in children with autism versus age-matched controls. Fourteen children with autism (N=14) and twenty-two (N=22) age, height, and weight-matched controls participated in the study. An eight camera Vicon motion capture system and four Kistler force plates were used to compute temporal-spatial parameters and symmetry indices during walking. Group differences in these measures were tested using MANOVAs. No significant differences between the autism and control group were found for any of the temporal-spatial measures or symmetry indices. Therefore, results suggest that children with autism demonstrate typical symmetry or interlimb movement during gait. Further research is needed to examine the use of different gait inputs to the symmetry indices (e.g., joint angles and moments). A greater awareness of the movement patterns associated with autism may increase our understanding of this disorder and have important implications for treatment planning.

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 470-477
Author(s):  
Anjar Astuti ◽  
Suryono Suryono ◽  
Melyana Nurul Widyawati ◽  
Ari Suwondo ◽  
Mardiyono Mardiyono

Background: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Audio therapy is considered as one of the complementary therapies to improve the behavior of children with autism.Objective: This study was to analysis the effectiveness of the Al-Qur'an murrotal audio therapy on behavioral development in children with autism.Methods: This study was a true-experimental research using pretest and posttest approach with control group. This research was conducted on November 2016 in the Autism Foundation of Semarang City. There were 30 samples were selected using simple random sampling, with 15 samples assigned in the experiment and control group. Mann Whitney and Wilcoxon tests were used for data analysis in this study.Results: Results showed that there was a significant difference in the mean of behavioral development after given intervention between the experiment group and control group with p-value 0.034 (<0.05). The mean of behavioral development in the experiment group (4.53) was higher than the mean in the control group (3.47).Conclusion: The Al-Qur'an murrotal audio therapy is effective to develop behavior of children with autism. Therefore, it is expected that this audio therapy can be applied an alternative therapy for children with autism.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-47
Author(s):  
M.A. Panin ◽  
◽  
N.V Zagorodnii ◽  
A.V. Boiko ◽  
L.M. Samokhodskaya ◽  
...  

Introduction Non-traumatic avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH) is a poly-etiologic and socially significant disease in the age of 20 to 50 years and is associated with disability. Research on the identification of necrosis causes/predictors is a relevant issue. Purpose To study the contribution of polymorphisms in the genes of coagulation factors F7 and F13 in the aetiology of non-traumatic avascular necrosis of the femoral head. Methods Polymorphisms of the genes of coagulation factors F7 and F13 were studied; comparative analysis of the frequency of important allelic variants of F7genes (Arg353Gln) and F13 (Val134Leu) in patients with a verified diagnosis of aseptic necrosis (study group) and in healthy patients (control group) was performed. The study group included 41 patients (all males) with aseptic necrosis of the femoral head of unknown etiology. Results The frequency of gene alleles in the F7 Arg353Gln in the study group were: GG in 30 out of 41 patients (73.2 %), GA in 11 out of 41 patients (26.8 %), and none of 41 patients had a polymorphic variant AA. The frequency of alleles of this type of gene in the control group was as follows: GG in 7 out of 320 subjects (2.2 %), GA in 66 out of 320 patients (20.6 %), AA in 247 out of 320 (77.2 %). Significant differences were identified in the frequencies of homozygous genotypes, AA (χ2 = 100.215, p < 0.001) and GG (χ2 = 205.770, p < 0.001) in the study and control groups respectively. As for the heterozygous GA genotype, the differences were not significant (χ2 = 0.834, p = 0.362). The GG genotype of the gene Val134Leu F13 WAS 2.8 times more frequent in patients of the study group, differences were statistically significant (26.8 % against 9.7 %, χ2 = 10.388; p = 0.002). The presence of the TT genotype of the gene Val134Leu F13 was almost five times more frequent (χ2 = 18.956, p < 0.001) in healthy individuals (control group). Differences in the frequency of allele T in homo/ and heterozygous combinations (TT and GT) in the study and control groups was also significant (72.7 % vs 90.1 %, respectively, χ2 = 4.946, p = 0.027). Discussion Polymorphisms of coagulation factors genes F7 and F13 have a significant effect on the genesis of non-traumatic avascular necrosis of the femoral head. Risk factor of ANFH development is homozygous GG genotype in the gene Arg353Gln F7. Low probability of the disease is due to a protective role of AA genotype of the gene Arg353Gln F7 and TT genotype of the gene Val134Leu F13.


2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy L. Van Raalte ◽  
Allen E. Cornelius ◽  
Elizabeth M. Mullin ◽  
Britton W. Brewer ◽  
Erika D. Van Dyke ◽  
...  

A series of studies was conducted by Senay et al. in 2010 to replicate and extend research indicating that self-posed questions have performance benefits. Studies 1–3 compared the effects of the self-posed interrogative question (“Will I?”) to declarative (“I will”) and control self-talk, and found no significant group differences in motivation, perceived exertion, or performance. In Studies 4–5, interrogative, declarative, and control self-talk primes were compared, and no outcome differences were found. In Study 6, the effects of self-talk on motivation, perceived exertion, and physical performance were assessed. The self-talk groups performed better and were more motivated than the control group, but declarative and interrogative groups did not differ from each other. Finally, meta-analyses of the six studies indicated no significant differences among conditions. These results highlight the value of replication and suggest that factors other than grammatical form of self-posed questions may drive the demonstrated relationships between self-talk and performance.


1999 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 1367-1377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly Dailey Hall ◽  
Ofer Amir ◽  
Ehud Yairi

Both clinical and theoretical interest in stuttering as a disorder of speech motor control has led to numerous investigations of speaking rate in people who stutter. The majority of these studies, however, has been conducted with adult and school-age groups. Most studies of preschoolers have included older children. Despite the ongoing theoretical and clinical focus on speaking rate in young children who stutter and their parents, no longitudinal or cross-sectional studies have been conducted to answer questions about the possible developmental link between stuttering and the rate of speech, or about differences in rate development between preschool children who stutter and normally fluent children. This investigation compared changes in articulatory rate over a period of 2 years in subgroups of preschool-age children who stutter and normally fluent children. Within the group of stuttering children, comparisons also were made between those who exhibited persistent stuttering and those who eventually recovered without intervention. Furthermore, the study compared two metrics of articulatory rate. Spontaneous speech samples, collected longitudinally over a 2-year period, were analyzed acoustically to determine speaking rate measured in number of syllables and phones per second. Results indicated no differences among the 3 groups when articulation rate was measured in syllables per second. Using the phones per second measure, however, significant group differences were found when comparing the control group to the recovered and persistent groups.


2007 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce A. Larson

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an adventure camp program on the self-concept of adolescents with behavioral problems. Subjects in the study included 61 randomly selected male and female adolescents ranging in age from 9 to 17 years with behavioral problems. The treatment group of 31 adolescents was randomly selected from a population (N = 85) of behavioral problem adolescents who voluntarily attended an adventure camp. The control group of 30 adolescents was randomly selected from a population (N = 80) that underwent treatment for behavioral problems. Analysis of variance was utilized to determine if significant differences existed between the treatment and control groups. The paired t test was utilized to determine within group differences between pretest and posttest scores on both groups. Alpha for both tests was set at the .05 level. Analysis demonstrated a significant difference between the experimental and control 9- to 11-year-old age group's self-concept.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (37) ◽  
pp. 90-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Azadeh Afrasiabi Navan ◽  
Ali Khaleghi

This study was conducted with a pre-test–post-test design with a control group in which participants were divided into two experimental (ten persons) and control (ten persons) groups. The Smile 1 intervention took place in 16 sessions of 30 min, which consisted of eight sessions of 1 h owing to the time spent by the parents of the participants in the study. Additionally, a Child Behaviour Check List (CBCL) was used to measure the effectiveness of this interventional game on reducing the behavioural problems of children that participated. The questionnaire consists of 113 questions in which 13 different behavioural factors are identified in the children. For this purpose, pre-test and post-test stages were performed for both groups. In fact, due to time constraints for holding intervention sessions, it was expected from the outset that significant changes in participant behaviour during the two months of interventions would not be observed.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Al Abdrabalnabi ◽  
Sujatha Rajaram ◽  
Edward Bitok ◽  
Keiji Oda ◽  
W. Lawrence Beeson ◽  
...  

Accumulating evidence links nut consumption with an improved risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS); however, long-term trials are lacking. We examined the effects of a daily dose of walnuts for two years on MetS in a large elderly cohort. A total of 698 healthy elderly participants were randomly assigned to either a walnut supplemented or a control diet. The participants in the walnut group were provided with packaged walnuts (1, 1.5, or 2 oz. or ~15% of energy) and asked to incorporate them into their daily habitual diet. The participants in the control group were asked to continue with their habitual diet and abstain from eating walnuts and other tree nuts. Intake of n-3 fatty acid supplements was not permitted in either group. Fasting blood chemistries, blood pressure, and anthropometric measurements were obtained at baseline and at the end of intervention. A total of 625 participants (67% women, mean age 69.1 y) completed this two-year study (90% retention rate). Triglycerides decreased in both walnut (−0.94 mg/dl) and control (−0.96 mg/dl) groups, with no significant between-group differences. There was a non-significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the walnut group (−1.30 and −0.71 mm Hg, respectively) and no change in the control group. Fasting blood glucose decreased by ~1 point in both the walnut and control groups. There were no significant between-group differences in the development or reversion of MetS. In conclusion, supplementing the diet of older adults with a daily dose of walnuts had no effect on MetS status or any of its components, although the walnut group tended to have lower blood pressure.


2013 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 199-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaroslav Uchytil ◽  
Daniel Jandacka ◽  
David Zahradnik ◽  
Roman Farana ◽  
Miroslav Janura

Background:A symmetrical gait affords the most efficient walking pattern. Bionic prostheses should provide better gait symmetry than mechanically passive prostheses with respect to a nonpathological gait.Objectives:To compare the basic temporal–spatial parameters of gait in transfemoral amputees fitted with bionic or mechanically passive prosthetic knees with those of subjects with a nonpathological gait.Study design:Three-dimensional gait analysis using an optoelectronic device.Methods:Eight transfemoral amputees participated in the study. Subjects walked across two dynamometric platforms a total of 15 times. Movement kinematics were measured using optoelectronic stereophotogrammetry.Results:The swing time of the affected limb in patients fitted with a mechanically passive knee joint was longer than that of the nonaffected limb by 0.055 s (effect size = 1.57). Compared with the control group, the swing time of the prosthetic limb in patients fitted with a mechanically passive knee was longer by 0.042 s (effect size = 2.1). Similarly, the stance time of the nonaffected limb was longer by 0.047 s (effect size = 1.07).Conclusions:Compared with a mechanically passive knee joint, a bionic knee joint evinced gait symmetry. Both the stance time and the swing time for amputees with a bionic knee were similar to those of nonamputees.Clinical relevanceProsthetists aim to design prostheses that achieve a good symmetry between the healthy and affected limbs. The use of bionic technology achieves a level of symmetry approaching that observed in nonamputees.


Author(s):  
Mengxian Zhao ◽  
Shihui Chen ◽  
Yonghao You ◽  
Yongtai Wang ◽  
Yanjie Zhang

Various therapeutic interventions have been studied and found to be effective in reducing the stereotypical behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There has been increasing interest in using animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) as an alternative approach to therapeutic rehabilitation for children with ASD, and many studies have reported that AAI has significant benefits for the cognitive, psychological, and social behavior of children with ASD. The present study was designed to examine the effects of a 16 weeks therapeutic horseback riding program on social interaction and communication skills in children with autism. Eighty-four children diagnosed with ASD, aged between 6 and 12 years old, were recruited for this study. All selected participants met the DSM-V criteria, and a total of sixty-one participants (N = 61) completed the study. A quasi-experimental design with an experimental group and control group was implemented for this study, taking measurements at pre-test, interim-test, and post-test to monitor the behavior changes in social and communication throughout the 16-week intervention. Repeated measures ANOVA and the independent sample t-test were used for data analysis, to assess the difference between the experimental group and control group. The results indicated that the THR program had positive influences on overall social skills and communication, based on the SSIS and the ABLLS-R scores, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). A notable improvement in the overall social interaction score was observed from the interim-testing point to post-test. In addition, participants in the therapeutic horseback riding (THR) group achieved significant improvements on six out of seven items in their communication evaluations. In conclusion, after 16 weeks of intervention, the THR program significantly enhanced the subdomains of social and communication skills in the areas of social interaction, communication, responsibility, and self-control, compared to the control group.


2021 ◽  
pp. 027112142110191
Author(s):  
Xinyue Liu ◽  
Hannah H. Schertz

Parent-mediated intervention can enhance parents’ competence in supporting parent–child social interactions. Research and current policy have highlighted the importance of building family capacity in supporting parents to help children with autism develop social communication abilities. Parents who experienced parent-mediated interventions have reported reduced parenting stress; however, few studies have examined parents’ learning outcomes from such interventions for children with autism. We assessed parents’ learning outcomes from participation in the Joint Attention Mediated Learning (JAML) intervention and explored differences in parents’ application of mediated learning principles between intervention and control groups. We used parent–child interaction videos to analyze parents’ application of mediated learning principles with their toddlers in home settings and found significant group differences in parents’ application of the principles at postintervention. Parents in the intervention group showed significant improvements in their competence in mediating child learning in unstructured parent–child interactions, but there were no significant gains for parents in the control group.


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