Sports, exercise help determined ones beat stigma
DUBAI — People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face unique challenges in terms of physical fitness as the core features of autism are social, communication and behavioural problems. These can make joining a game such as basketball, baseball or any other outdoor sport a struggle. On Monday, as the world marked the Autism Awareness Day, an internationally-recognised day that aims to help raise acceptance and awareness for people with autism throughout the world, parents of determined ones said they have found that sports activities can work wonders for those with autism.
Meena Noronha, mother of 20-year-old Calvin who has autism and is enrolled in Manzil Centre for special needs in a vocational training course, said: “Exercise in the form of sports is a great way to keep my son fit. Usually, the determined ones tend to put on a lot of weight due to inactivity and they can get very hyper due to the inability to vent out or channelise their energy. My son has limited speech and understanding ability, and used to be very hyperactive previously but after we started taking him for extracurricular activities such as swimming and baseball, which he enjoys with a team of determined ones, everything has changed.”
She added: “Calvin is also into cycling, basket ball and weight lifting. These sports have helped him immensely as his motor hand coordination has improved and his concentration levels have gone up. His hyper-activity has reduced to a good level and he is well-behaved and focused because of these physical activities.”
Keerthana, mother of 17-yearold son Sujith who also has autism (non-verbal), said: “Although my child doesn’t speak, we take him for baseball, basketball, tennis, football and even horse-riding. These sports have given him opportunity to be more focused and disciplined. He gets to be with other children in his age group and he doesn’t feel left out.”
Sports like jiu-jitsu have also been seen as a place of refuge for these children — and one where they are able to flourish and develop everything from their confidence to their social interaction and communication skills, more so than many other team sports.
Trainer of one of UAE’s celebrated para jiu-jitsu athletes said sports activities can help autistic people to deal with frustrations and improve concentration: “Sports such as jiu-jitsu have also been seen as a place of refuge for these children. While many autistic children find it a challenge to be part of a team activity, jiu-jitsu offers them the benefits of a team sport. But ultimately once you are on the mat, it’s just between you and your competitor. This allows autistic children a happier medium between learning to develop those skills, with a balance between the two in comparison to many other sports.”
He added: “The fact that jiu-jitsu is so intertwined with body language also helps autistic children improve upon their ability to communicate through non-verbal cues and learning to deal with various other sensory challenges, thus having a positive impact on their social interactions. Building up the selfdefence skills taught through jiujitsu and learning to control one’s strength better helps to build and boost confidence.”