Running Away? Teach “Stop” with This Indoor Walking Activity 👦🏽🏠 | Severe Autism PT #24

👋🏽 Hi, I’m Amy Sturkey, a retired pediatric physical therapist with over 35 years of experience. In this video, I work with my co-instructor Eeshwar 👦🏽, a 13½-year-old with severe involvement due to autism, on an important real-world safety skill: *stopping on request while walking* 🚶🏽🛑 Many children with autism struggle with stopping quickly when excited, distracted, or moving toward something they want. This can become a major safety concern in public places, parking lots, stores, or crowded environments. In this activity, we practice stopping while walking in a *small indoor space* by circling around a chair together. I first demonstrate the activity with Eeshwar’s younger brother, Maadhav 👦🏾 (4½ years old), and then the three of us practice together. Eeshwar is nonverbal and communicates primarily through movement (often pulling adults toward what he wants), with limited prompted use of a communication app. --- ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 0:20 Why practicing “stop” is important 0:35 Working indoors in a smaller space 0:45 Demonstration with sibling model 1:10 Watching the demonstration carefully 1:20 Eeshwar joins the activity 1:30 “Work first, then bubbles” motivation 1:45 Walking and stopping together 1:55 Using the ASL sign for “stop” 2:10 Adding extra emphasis to stopping 2:30 Attention and listening reminders 2:50 Final successful stops 3:00 Why this skill matters for safety 3:20 Closing thoughts --- 🎯 What We’re Working On This session focuses on: • stopping on request • safety awareness • motor control during walking • listening and attention • inhibition (stopping movement) • following visual and verbal cues --- 🪑 Why We Practice in a Small Space We circle around a small chair indoors because: ✨ it creates a predictable path ✨ there are fewer distractions ✨ it helps organize movement I often find children are more successful learning this skill indoors before practicing it in larger outdoor spaces. --- 👦🏽 Using a Sibling Demonstration I first demonstrate the activity with Maadhav 👦🏾 while Eeshwar watches. Sibling demonstrations can help: ✨ increase attention ✨ clarify expectations ✨ provide a visual model His mom, Sravani 💜, also helps support participation during the activity. --- 🖐🏽 Pairing Words with Sign Language As we practice, I pair the verbal cue “stop” with the American Sign Language (ASL) sign for stop 🛑 Using both visual and auditory input can sometimes help children better understand the expectation. --- 🫧 Motivation & Reinforcement We use a simple structure: 👉🏾 first work, then bubbles Bubbles help maintain engagement and participation during practice. --- 🎯 Why This Skill Matters Stopping quickly when asked is an extremely important safety skill. As children get faster and more independent, it can become difficult for parents to physically catch them if they run unexpectedly. Practicing “stop” regularly can help improve: • community safety • participation in outings • responsiveness to caregivers --- 🎥 Watch Eeshwar’s Full Video Series    • Physical Therapy with a Child with Autism,...   --- 🌐 Stay Connected Website: www.pediatricPTexercises.com Facebook: Pediatric Physical Therapy Exercises Email: [email protected] ⚠️ Disclaimer This video is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. It is unethical to provide specific treatment recommendations for a child I have not personally evaluated. --- 📚 Children’s Educational Books P is for Poop and Pee Accidents https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLSRJ483 A is for Anxiety https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LXQ3W6V A is for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QH9H5HR C is for Cerebral Palsy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088TSJCYP D is for Down Syndrome https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079P8HH49 A is for Autism https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071F4FFTB --- 📘 Professional Books for Pediatric Therapists Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Hips https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156736 Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Knees https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156760 Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Ankles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TX2ZCFD --- 🌍 Captions To turn on captions: Click CC To translate captions: Settings → Subtitles/CC → Auto-translate