Feasibility and changes observed following an individualized home-based seating intervention in children with Autism spectrum disorder and motor coordination difficulties: a pilot case series

Objective Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently present with motor coordination difficulties that may contribute to impaired postural control and reduced participation in everyday activities. Although seating interventions have been used in children with ASD, evidence for their effects on postural alignment, motor performance, and everyday functioning remains limited. This exploratory pilot study documented feasibility-related observations and descriptively examined safety and changes following an individualized seating intervention.Methods Three children with ASD who presented with significant motor coordination difficulties participated in a 2-week intervention using an individually customized polyurethane seating support chair. Outcome measures included postural alignment (AKIRA), seated pressure distribution (SR Soft Vision), fine motor performance (Purdue Pegboard Test), visual-motor integration (Bender–Gestalt Test), sustained attention (MOGURAZU), behavioral, social, and sensory measures, and caregiver interviews.Results All participants completed the intervention without adverse events, although device-use duration, frequency, and activity-specific acceptability varied. All showed a smaller absolute magnitude of pelvic asymmetry, greater seat contact area, higher dominant-hand Purdue Pegboard scores, and lower Bender–Gestalt Koppitz scores after the intervention. Behavioral, social, sensory, and attentional outcomes varied across participants. Caregivers reported changes in sitting posture, everyday functioning, toileting-related behaviors, and reductions in falls in some participants.Conclusions Implementation was completed without adverse events, but patterns of chair use and activity-specific acceptability varied. Observed changes were descriptive and cannot be attributed to the intervention because of the small sample, uncontrolled design, heterogeneous exposure, and uncertain measurement reliability. Larger controlled studies with prespecified feasibility criteria and standardized intervention exposure are needed to determine whether the observed changes are reproducible and clinically meaningful and to clarify the underlying mechanisms.