Video Games May Benefit Kids With Cerebral Palsy. Often reviled for encouraging kids to spend too much time in front of screens, new research suggests that some video games may actually benefit those with cerebral palsy. Researchers observed 17 children with cerebral palsy as they played four “active games” on the Nintendo Wii—bowling, tennis, boxing, and dance dance revolution. They found that the games encouraged repetitive movements, while providing positive feedback in a fun environment. Significantly, the researchers said children with cerebral palsy who typically utilized one dominant side of their body were engaging their full body when playing the games, suggesting that the activity could be a low-impact way of achieving therapeutic goals. Although the results did not show that (active video) game play can be regarded as a replacement for more vigorous physical activity or muscle strengthening, the results indicated that some games may provide targeted therapy focused on specific joints or movements.—Howcroft, J., Klejman, S., Fehlings, D., Wright, V., Zabjek, K., Andrysek, J., & Biddiss, E. (2012). Active video game play in children with cerebral palsy: Potential for physical activity promotion and rehabilitation therapies. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 93, 1448–1456.
Employment of Adults With Autism. One in three young adults with autism has no paid job experience or college or technical education nearly 7 years after high school graduation, a study finds. That is a poorer showing than those with other disabilities, including the mentally disabled. With roughly half a million autistic children who will reach adulthood in the next decade, experts say policymakers urgently need to address the issue. Within 2 years of leaving high school, more than half of those with autism had no job experience or college or technical education. Things improved as they got older. Yet nearly 7 years after high school, 35% of autistic young adults still had no paid employment or education beyond high school. Those figures compare with 26% of mentally disabled young adults, 7% of young adults with speech and language problems, and 3% of those with learning disabilities. Those with autism may fare worse because many also have the other disabilities studied.—Shattuck, P. T., Narendorf, S. C., Cooper, B., Sterzing, P. R., Wagner, M., & Taylor, J. L. (2012). Postsecondary education and employment among youth with an autism spectrum disorder. Pediatrics, 129, 1042–1049.
