Methodology for correcting ball throwing movements in children with autism spectrum disorders

Importance. In older preschool-age children with auditory spectrum disorders, motor skills’ development is extremely challenging. Complex motor coordination, including throwing, poses particular challenges in learning and correcting these disorders. The research objective is to develop a method for correcting throwing disorders. The aim of the study is to develop and experimentally test the effectiveness of a method for correcting ball throwing disorders in 6–7-year-old children with auditory spectrum disorders based on the use of joint movements with limited degrees of freedom of the body’s joints. Materials and Methods. A review of scientific and methodological literature, a biomechanical video analysis of the movements of 6–7-year-old preschoolers with auditory spectrum disorders, a pedagogical experiment, an expert assessment, and pedagogical testing are conducted. The results are processed using mathematical statistics. The method is based on the use of joint movements with limited degrees of freedom of the body’s joints and is aimed at eliminating errors in arm movements. It is implemented over the course of a year. Results and Discussion. Following a pedagogical experiment, target throwing performance in 6–7-year-old preschoolers in the experimental group is significantly higher than that of children in the control group ( p < 0.05). Conclusions. The use of a movement correction technique for ball throwing in 6–7-year-old children with auditory spectrum disorders contributed to improved expert assessment and coordination development scores.