Fall 2015 Perspectives

26 • NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Thanks to the efforts of organiza- tions such as Autism Speaks, as well as our own Center for Autism and Related Disorders (NSU- CARD), the general public has become increasingly more aware of the rising incidence of autism in the United States and around the globe. Currently, 1 in 68 chil- dren are diagnosed with autism (CDC, 2015), and this rate has been on the rise since the 1990s. In response to this increase, health care providers and government officials have recognized the need to provide early services and support for families and children. Currently, there are more educa- tional and therapeutic programs for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) than ever before. The importance of physical activity in regard to overall wellness for individuals with ASD is well documented. Children with autism have a higher risk of childhood obesity than their typically develop- ing peers. While there are a number of local South Florida therapeutic programs, summer camps, and adaptive sports programs for children with ASD to facilitate physical activity, there are rela- tively few that target older teens as they transition to adulthood. Melissa Tovin, Ph.D., M.A., PT, has been working with children with ASD for more than 15 years. Over the past several years, many of the children and families she has worked with have experienced a surprising lack of programs available for their child once he or she reached the age of 18. Moreover, once these children exit the school system at age 22, there are little to no organized programs to facili- tate physical activity and fitness. Recognizing this need, Tovin, along with Suzana Simoes, D.P.T., M.S., PT, NCS, and three doctoral-level physical therapy students developed a program to promote physical fitness in young adults with ASD in Physical Therapy FORT LAUDERDALE A Special Team: Faculty Members and Students Help Young Adults with Autism “Go for the Gold” MELISSA MORAN TOVIN, PH.D., M.A., PT, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, AND SUZANA SIMOES, D.P.T., M.S., PT, NCS, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR