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Background and aim: The aim of this study was to determine effect of home based lovaas approach on social interaction, Speech and language, Play and behavior skills, and intensity of autism in young children with Autism

Materials & Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental, interventional pre/post design. Thirty children with Autism were selected by convenience sampling in a rehabilitation center by matching closely, 8 years old, in Tehran city.

The impact of lovaas approach was evaluated in children with Autism. For evaluation total scores and dimension of social interaction skills speech and language play a behavior before and after therapeutic intervention we used The PDD assessment scale/screening questionnaire. The results were analyzed with paired T test and wilcoxon signed and multivariate T² Hotteling and SPSS software edition 17.

Results: After intervention PDD assessment scores decreased (P<0/001). Significant progress were observed in social interaction skills (P<0/001).Speech and language (P=0/001), play (p<0/001) and behavior (P= 0/002). Significant decrease wasn't seen in the intensity of PDD after intervention (P> 0/05).

Conclusion: The result showed that home based lovaas approach increased the social interaction, Speech and language, Play and behavior skills in children with Autism 

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Background and Aim: Perceptual abilities (reaction time and anticipatory skill) are essential for successful performance in daily activities. Training in dynamic and unpredicted sport domains such as volleyball might make changes in perceptual abilities of athletes compared to non-athletes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare reaction time and anticipatory skill of volleyball players versus non-athletes.

 Materials and Methods: Eleven female volleyball players and 11 female non-athletes participated in this study. Auditory choice reaction time, auditory complex choice reaction time, visual choice reaction time, visual complex choice reaction time, anticipatory skill of the high speed of the ball and anticipatory skill of the low speed of ball of both groups were analyzed by a software (Speed Anticipation Reaction Test (SART)).

Results: Statistical analysis did not show any significant differences between two groups in both auditory reaction time tests (P> 0.05). However, volleyball players showed better results in visual choice reaction time, visual complex choice reaction time, anticipatory skill of the high speed of the ball and anticipatory skill of the low speed of ball tests (P> 0.05).

Conclusion: Volleyball players acquire extensive knowledge of sport specific patterns of perceptual abilities due to experiences within the volleyball domain and due to the efficient extraction of this knowledge in similar conditions such as, computerized neurocognitive tests, they have superior perceptual skills than non-athletes.

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Background and Aim: Children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) represent some difficulties in their socio-communicative and play skills, and also have restricted interests and stereotyped patterns of behaviors that effect on their daily living. Floor-time technique is a play–based intensive intervention that deals with communication, emotion, play, and imagination. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of Floor-time technique in emotional functions of children with ASD.

  

Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on children with ASD (2.5-4 years-old) who were selected by non-randomized sampling. Ten children, as case group, received Floor-time and 10 subjects were matched with them as control group. Pretest and posttest were conducted using Functional Emotional Assessment Scale (FEAS) to measure emotional functions with an interval of six months. The data were analyzed by paired and independent samples T-test.

  

Results: Statistical analysis indicated a significant difference between pre and posttest of FEAS in the case group (P=0.017). But the difference between pre and post test in the control group was not significant. In addition, the differences of pre and posttest scores between two groups were showed significant difference (p=0.041).

  

Conclusion: This study provided preliminary evidences for the use of Floor-time technique for increasing communicative, emotional, imaginative, and play skills in the children with ASD.

  

  Key words: Autistic spectrum disorders, Floor-time, Play.

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Background and Aim: Proprioception is a component of somatosensory system. One of the most important somatosensory receptors is muscle spindles. Neck area with high density of muscle spindle, plays a significant role in providing this sense. With repeated contact sports, with high trauma on head and neck region, it is likely that proprioception will be impaired. The present study was conducted to compare proprioception between wrestlers, taekwondo players and non-athlete subjects to determine the effect of trauma on proprioception of craniocervical region.

 

Material and Methods: This study was a case-control study of 75 male with the age range of 18-30 years (Including: 25 professional wrestlers, 25 professional taekwondo players and 25 non-athlete subjects). Participants were selected through simple non-probability sampling. To assess proprioception of craniocervical region, angular repositioning of two positions (neutral and 50% of range of motion) was evaluated by using the cervical range of motion device (CROM device). The statistical method which used in this study was one way ANOVA.

 

Results: Accuracy of target repositioning (50% of range of motion) of extension, right and left rotation were significantly different between three groups (p<0.05). Returning to neutral position from mentioned movement was associated with a significant error (p<0.05).

 

Conclusion: It is assumed that proprioception of craniocervical region has been affected by trauma in wrestlers and taekwondo players, so that the accuracy of head repositioning for both neutral and target positions were reduced in wrestlers. However, taekwondo players had more errors in repositioning of target angle.

 

Keywords: Proprioception, Repositioning error, Craniocervical, Wrestlers, Taekwondo players