AquOTic water-safety and swim-skills program for children with autism
Water Competency Intervention for Children on the Autism Spectrum: The AquOTic Hybrid Effectiveness Implementation Trial
This 10-week occupational therapy–led program will try to improve water safety and swimming skills in children aged 5–9 on the autism spectrum by comparing delivery by student professionals versus trained community interventionists.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 108 (estimated) |
| Ages | 5 Years to 9 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Ohio State University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Columbus, Ohio) |
| Trial ID | NCT07076264 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
AquOTic is a structured, evidence-informed occupational therapy intervention delivered in weekly 60-minute group sessions over 10 weeks, with six children per group each paired 1:1 with an interventionist. Sessions use six rotating stations to teach water competency and swim-safety skills while allowing individualized support from the interventionist. The study will enroll 108 children with autism and randomly assign them to one of three arms, including AquOTic delivered by professional student interventionists, AquOTic delivered by trained community interventionists, and a comparison arm. Outcomes focus on changes in water competency and swim skills measured before and after the intervention.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are children aged 5–9 with an educational or medical diagnosis of autism, normal or corrected vision and hearing, who are not already swim-proficient and whose families can commit to the session schedule.
Not a fit: Children already demonstrating swim proficiency, those with severe motor or neurological impairments (for example uncontrolled seizures, Rett or Angelman syndromes), or those with chlorine allergy or open infectious skin conditions are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could increase water safety and swim competence in autistic children and reduce drowning risk while identifying scalable delivery models.
How similar studies have performed: Occupational therapy–led aquatic programs have shown promising improvements in water skills for autistic children, though direct comparisons of different implementation models are limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Children Participants (n=108) Inclusion Criteria * Educational or medical diagnosis of autism * Age between 5 - 9 years * Having vision and hearing within normal limits with or without corrective modifications Exclusion Criteria * 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 * 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 * The family is unable to commit to the sessions or evaluations Interventionists (n=64) Inclusion Criteria * 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 Criteria * Open wounds or infectious diseases * Failed background check * Unable to commit to Basic Swim Instructor and AquOTic training (\~40 hours) and 10 AquOTic sessions (20 hours)
Where this trial is running
Columbus, Ohio
- The Ohio State University — Columbus, Ohio, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Jewel Crasta, PhD
- Email: jewel.crasta@osumc.edu
- Phone: (970) 682 - 8031
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.