Low heart rate response of children with autism spectrum disorders in comparison to controls during physical exercise

The objective of the study was to investigate how the heart rate adjusts during different physical tests. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do indeed have a lower cardiac response to specific tests.

Twenty children including 10 subjects with ASD diagnosis and 10 control subjects were evaluated using the Eurofit Physical Fitness Test Battery. During the evaluation, the heart rate was monitored continuously. In parallel, their parents were completed the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales.

Both groups show the same trend of heart rate increase (during exercise and also during the maximum effort). However, children with ASD presented a significant lower heart rate compared to the control population (p<0.001). Based on Eurofit Physical Fitness Test battery, children with ASD showed lower results than controls on plate tapping test (p<0.01), vertical and broad jump tests (p<0.01) and also sit up test (p<0.01). Moreover, Flamingo balance test showed that the ASD group had a higher number of falls (p<0.01). The handgrip test showed that they had a lower force (p<0.01) and they also executed the find motor educational course more slowly with a significantly higher number of falls, mistakes and omissions (p<0.01).

Both groups showed similar trend with the cardiac kinetic reflecting the adjustment to the effort. However, the significant heart rate decrease of the ASD group during physical test could be due to an alteration of the cardiac response. In addition, the scores obtained by children with ASD on physical tests confirmed the lack of motor abilities such as balance and executive functions.