Kevin at the YMCA

At Emmaus Home we try to make regular exercise a priority. According to the Autism Society, a program of exercise and fitness is important on so many levels. To quote:

From an educational and life skills perspective, our job as parents, teachers and professionals is to regularly identify an individual’s areas of need and address them in the most adaptive way possible. There is a reason so many students have difficulty in a standard classroom setting. The focus on taking tests rather than “learning how to learn” leads to skills that are not necessarily applicable to future needs and goals. For fitness programing, my hierarchy tends to look something like this (in order of importance):

1. Develop, maintain and enhance movement skills
2. Pair exercise and physical activity with reinforcement to ultimately make the activities themselves fun and part of a lifestyle
3. Increase initiation and creativity skills through exposure to various modalities of exercise (different equipment and activities)
4. Support socialization through small group activities that include elements of teamwork and helping behaviors

For those with autism who often have difficulty attending to a task for durations longer than 10 or 20 seconds, creativity and socialization behaviors are not an immediate goal. It is far more. (Read more.)

To help our work with God's children at Emmaus Home, please donate HERE. May the Lord reward with eternal life all who do good to us in His Name.