A influência da educação física nos perfis de sintoma e cognitivo de crianças com transtorno do espectro autista

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental interference characterized by deficits in social interaction, communication and repetitive and restricted behavior patterns. With the growing number of children diagnosed with ASD present in Basic Education, schools and teachers, including those in Physical Education, are seeking to learn about ASD and create appropriate strategies in order to effect the child's evolution in the process of learning. Type of quasi-experimental clinical study. With the following objective: to verify the influence of an intervention model with strength, coordination and balance exercises, applied in Physical Education classes, on the symptom and cognitive profile of children with ASD. 12 children were identified for this study, 7 males and 5 females, aged 2 to 6 years old, enrolled at the Application College Telma Vitoria (CApTV) located on the A. C. Simões Campus, of the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL). The study was carried out in the academic year 2022 to 2023, through the Exercise Program for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (PEFaut) at the Institute of Physical Education and Sport (IEFE), located on the A. C. Simões Campus at the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL). The steps were: a) application of the profile characterization instruments, Autistic Traits Scale (ATA) and Childhood Autism Assessment Scale (CARS); b) assessment of cognitive development using the Operationalized Portage Inventory (IPO) instrument; c) application of ten physical exercise intervention sessions, twice a week for 60 minutes – items a and b were reapplied post-intervention; d) analysis of pre and post intervention results. The results demonstrated that the intervention model with strength, coordination and balance exercises caused positive influences on the symptom and cognitive profiles of children with ASD. The ATA descriptive analysis demonstrated that the means and standard deviation of the pre and post intervention results respectively, values 34±29.33 and 3,03±5,71, support indicating a positive influence of the exercise intervention on the symptom profile. Improvements were also identified for the hyperactivity/hypoactivity behavior subscales, pre and post intervention results respectively 3.54±1.83 and 1.36±2.04; and stereotyped and repetitive movements, pre and post intervention results respectively 4.09±1.6 and 2.16±1.36. For CARS scale results, pre and post intervention values also demonstrated improvements, values 43,5±37,5 and 5,89±7,12, it was also observed that for classifying the level of support intensity, there was a change in the structure of its classification for a child, from severe (S) to mild-moderate (LM). For the IPO results, a positive influence on the cognitive profile was identified, the pre and post values were from 0 to 1 year 91%±77,14% and 0,18±0,31; 1 to 2 years 55%±70% and 0,30±0,24; 2 to 3 years 25%±81,25% and 0,04±0,24; 3 to 4 years NA±64.16%, with no standard deviation for the pre-intervention, as only one child performed it, post-intervention with a standard deviation of ±0.15; 4 to 5 years post intervention with 50% IPO. The intervention model caused a positive influence and appears to have led to improvements in the process of engaging children in structured activities such as cognitive profile assessment instrument tasks with demands on manipulative, stabilizing and locomotor skills.