{"id":134729,"date":"2023-04-12T14:11:21","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T18:11:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729//news/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729//?p=134729"},"modified":"2023-05-21T18:35:08","modified_gmt":"2023-05-21T22:35:08","slug":"ucf-supports-autism-community-with-resources-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729//news/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729//ucf-supports-autism-community-with-resources-research/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729//","title":{"rendered":"UCF Supports Autism Community With Resources, Research"},"content":{"rendered":"

One Saturday morning at UCF, a shy, young girl began to learn the basics of judo practice /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729/u2014 the proper stance, movements, how to hold opponents and how to safely fall to the mat./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729/n

Autism spectrum disorder affects about one in 36 children nationally, according to  the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729/n

She was starting the 15-week UCF Judo Program, run by Associate Professor Jeanette Garcia of the College of Health Professions and Sciences. The program isn/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729/u2019t an ordinary judo lesson; it is specifically for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. Garcia and her team of 20 undergraduate health sciences students research how movement interventions like judo can help improve physical activity, sleep quality, social skills, self-confidence and academic performance in kids with ASD, which affects about one in 36 children nationally, according to a new report released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just ahead of Autism Awareness Month, which occurs in April./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729/n

According to the CDC, autism is a developmental disorder that can result in a variety of symptoms, such as challenges with social communication and interaction skills, leading to impaired speech and language development. Some with ASD also may have sensory issues. For this young girl, judo brought her out of her shell./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/134729/n