[P2-4] A case of autistic spectrum disorder with self-injury behavior eliminated by exercise rehabilitation
[Summary] Internal medicine and sensory integrative therapy are used in treatment and rehabilitation for children with mild developmental disability. However, some children have no improvement in daily life due to local, environmental, and personal factors. We report a case in which symptoms of mild developmental disability were improved by a new approach using exercise rehabilitation. [Case] An 8-year-old female had no abnormalities in a medical check-up. She visited our hospital at 6 years and 1 month due to restless behavior and hot temper at elementary school. At the first visit, she had limited expression, a lack of social skills, and oppositional defiant disorder with self-injury behaviors, such as peeling of fingertip skin or nails. Her FIQ score of 99 in WISC-III suggested no intellectual disability. [Process] Based on her symptoms and test results, she was diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autistic spectrum disorder. For ADHD, oral methylphenidate was started. After treatment, she was calm in class and caused no problems with her friends. However, she still showed no expression, social skills, self-injury, and violent behavior towards her family. Thus, at 8 years old, exercise rehabilitation was started. After 1.5 months of exercise, her expression and communication improved. Her nails, which were peeled for several years, recovered, and finger inflammation resolved. Her violent behavior towards her family gradually disappeared. [Discussion] In this case, symptoms that could not be improved by drug treatment were markedly improved by exercise rehabilitation, which can be widely performed with no risk of side effects.