Q: My son is autistic, he is now 14, and I have noticed that when he comes with me to go out jogging, that he seems to be more focused later that day.
He also seems to be in a good mood the entire day if we run in the morning. I have asked the doctor if this is well known, and he had no idea. He did say to keep it up, but I am curious if there is any data to support this, and if it is bring recommended to people. I am very excited about this, and want to let other people know. I brought it up at our support group.
A: That is great that you found something that helps your son, and I am sure it is also good for him as it helps him bond with you. I had not heard of this either, so I looked at some of the data. It is certainly pretty well documented that mental exercises help autistic people at all levels with improving their cognitive skills. I did come across some recent research that is looking at exercise. There were some small trials that were positive, and the bigger trials are ongoing. If it is helping your son, that is great, and you should help spread the word. It can’t hurt people to try.
Watch this video about one of the new trials.
