Water Safety and Swim Skills Program for Children With Autism
Tests a 10-week water skills program in autistic children aged 5 to 9.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Water Competency Intervention in Autism
Key facts
- Where
- Columbus, United StatesSee the site
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 5 and 9 years old?
Source: NCT07076264, who can take part
Where in United States
- The Ohio State UniversityColumbus, United StatesTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Ohio State University
- Trial code
- NCT07076264
- Record updated
- 7 October 2026
- Original description
AquOTic is an evidence-based, occupational therapy-led intervention designed to enhance water competency and swim safety skills in children on the autism spectrum. The 10-week program consists of weekly 60-minute group sessions, each including six children paired in a 1:1 ratio with an interventionist. Sessions follow a structured routine involving six rotating stations, targeting various swim and safety skills, with the flexibility for individualized support by the interventionist.Read full original descriptionShow less
Water Competency Intervention for Children on the Autism Spectrum: The AquOTic Hybrid Effectiveness Implementation Trial
AquOTic is an evidence-based, occupational therapy-led intervention designed to enhance water competency and swim safety skills in children on the autism spectrum. The 10-week program consists of weekly 60-minute group sessions, each including six children paired in a 1:1 ratio with an interventionist. Sessions follow a structured routine involving six rotating stations, targeting various swim and safety skills, with the flexibility for individualized support by the interventionist.
Overall, this study has 3 major aims. The first aim evaluates the effectiveness of the AquOTic intervention in improving water competency and swim skills, while comparing outcomes between two implementation models: professional student interventionists (occupational and physical therapy students) and trained community-based interventionists. A total of 108 autistic children will be enrolled and randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) AquOTic with professional student interventionists, (2) AquOTic with community interventionists, or (3) a control group receiving no AquOTic intervention. The second aim explores the mediators and moderators of the intervention outcomes to assess fidelity and efficacy. The third aim identifies the cost and resources associated with AquOTic. A cost analysis will be conducted to evaluate the resources required for implementation and to inform the development of a scalable, cost-effective drowning prevention strategy for autistic populations.
Inclusion: Educational or medical diagnosis of autism; Age between 5 - 9 years; Having vision and hearing within normal limits with or without corrective modifications; Aged 18 or over; Demonstrate swim proficiency, as defined by the ability to tread water for 1 minute and move the body through the water without flotation for 25 yards.
Exclusion: Open wounds or infectious skin diseases; Allergy to chlorine; Severe co-occurring motor impairments or neurological conditions such as uncontrolled seizures, Rett's or Angelman's syndrome; Open wounds or infectious diseases; Children who demonstrate swim proficiency, as defined by the ability to tread water for 1 minute or move the body through the water without flotation; The family is unable to commit to the sessions or evaluations; Interventionists (n=64); Failed background check; Unable to commit to Basic Swim Instructor and AquOTic training (~40 hours) and 10 AquOTic sessions (20 hours).
Children Participants (n=108).