CrossFit for kids with autism: a new way to boost school readiness?
NCT ID NCT07532395
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests a 12-week exercise program called FMS-CrossFit in 184 preschoolers with autism, ages 3-6. The program combines motor skill drills with circuit training to improve school readiness, social skills, and self-regulation. Researchers will compare these kids to those receiving usual care, measuring progress at several points over 20 weeks.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Fundamental Movement Skills-CrossFit Training Program (FCTP) - a structured exercise program combining motor skills, social, and communication training
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a simple, non-drug way to help preschoolers with autism build skills needed for school, like following instructions and interacting with others.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage study with 184 children, so results may not apply to all kids with autism. The program is behavioral, so benefits may vary and long-term effects are unknown.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
About 184 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Nov 2025
- Expected to finish
-
Apr 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
3 to 6 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. age 3-6 years; 2. confirmed ASD diagnosis according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria or the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2); 3. written informed consent from parent/caregiver. Exclusion Criteria: 1. participation in structured exercise programs within the preceding 6 months; 2. comorbid severe neurological disorders (e.g., epilepsy, phenylketonuria, fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis) or major psychiatric conditions (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder); 3. visual, auditory or intellectual impairments that would interfere with participation; 4. history of significant head trauma or brain injury; 5. medical contraindications to physical activity ; 6. other factors deemed unsuitable for program participation by the research team.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Autism spectrum disorder are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children's Hospital
RECRUITINGFuzhou, Fujian, 350001, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Gut bacteria may hold clues to dozens of diseases
- Can a tailored therapy ease anxiety and depression in autistic teens?
- Can coaching school staff raise the quality of autism programs?
- Can wireless monitors make ER vitals easier for autistic children?
- Why do some children with autism struggle with balance?
- Brain zaps tested to calm emotional storms in autism