Postural control in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Acute effect of a Horse-Assisted Therapy Session

INTERVENTION: E02.760.169.063.500.083.500 The intervention protocol will be applied by a physical therapist with 10 years of experience in caring for children with autism spectrum disorder and 6 years of practice in hippotherapy. The physical therapist will have access to the random allocation list, and will implement the treatment according to the group in which the participant with autism spectrum disorder is allocated. Only the Intervention Group (60 participants) and the Typical Group (60 participants) groups will receive the intervention protocol based on hippotherapy. Participants in the Control Group (60 participants) will spend 30 minutes seated, with their feet on the floor and their elbows on a table. puzzle. Participants in the Intervention Group and Typical Group will be submitted to the intervention protocol through hippotherapy. The protocol will consist of a single intervention session using hippotherapy with a total duration of 30 minutes, the entire session will be developed with the participant mounted on the horse. The horse will be prepared by the rider, the initial handling includes cleaning and checking the hooves, scraping, brushing and sailing using a blanket and saddle with a central fixed handle, stirrups or bridles, bits and reins will not be used, driving will be done through the cable of the horse. halter. After the horse is ready, the rider will perform a warm‐up ride lasting 5 minutes at a pace, then the rider will hand the horse over to the assistant guide who will lead the horse during the session. The assistant guide will lead the horse to a ramp so that the practitioner can ride it with the help of the physiotherapist responsible for the research. minutes. The session will be held outdoors, the physical therapist will remain next to the horse next to the practitioner, and t CONDITION: Autism Spectrum Disorder F03.625.164 PRIMARY OUTCOME: It is expected that with the acute effect of a hippotherapy session on postural sway in children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder, it is expected to improve when compared to their typical peers, which will be verified through a strength platform. SECONDARY OUTCOME: To verify the acute effect of a hippotherapy session on functional mobility in children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder and to compare it to the effect in their typical peers and in a group with autistic spectrum disorder not submitted to this intervention. This variable will be collected through the Timed Up and Go(TUG) test. ; To verify the acute effect of a hippotherapy session on postural sway during sensory manipulations in children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder and to compare it to the effect in their typical peers and in a group with autistic spectrum disorder not submitted to this intervention. This variable will be collected through the force platform. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Only children and adolescents with a closed medical and/or psychological diagnosis, according to the DSM‐V, will be included for the group with autistic spectrum disorder; with levels of mild or moderate impairment; able to understand and follow simple commands; who have had no previous experience, or at least in the last year, with hippotherapy; only participants whose parents have read and signed the Free and Informed Consent Term (FICT) and Assent Term (TA) will be included. For participants with typical development, only children or adolescents will be included: who do not present neurological alterations or motor disorders; participants with learning disorders, attention deficits and postural changes, certified by physicians; whose parents have read and signed the Free and Informed Consent Term (FICT) and Assent Term (TA);