Introduction:
Children and adults with autism benefit from the support of occupational therapists who teach them new skills and provide them with specialized equipment. Occupational Therapy for Autism can help with better handwriting, play skills, and sensory integration. Along with speech therapy and behavioral therapy, they are one of the three types of therapy that are provided in the school setting the most frequently.
Occupational therapy Role in the Treatment of Autistic Children:
Occupational therapists frequently assist young patients with the physical effects of conditions like cerebral palsy and traumatic brain injury. While many children with autism may not have obvious physical impairments, they still face several difficulties.
- Weak muscles due to low motor tone.
- Impairments in the senses of touch, hearing, sight, smell, and taste.
- Coordination issues due to problems with motor planning.
- Children with typical development have trouble learning play and life skills due to lacking imitative abilities.
- The inability to participate in group physical activities due to a lack of social skills commonly develop in youngsters
Occupational Therapy for Childrencan help with these problems (though it won't usually eliminate them). Play therapy, handwriting therapy, sensory integration therapy, social skills treatment, and behavioral therapy are some areas in which occupational therapists can specialize while working with children who have been diagnosed with a disease on the autistic spectrum.
An Occupational Therapist's Approach to Treating Autism:
Children on the autistic spectrum are often seen by occupational therapists at school. They may assist the teacher in the classroom or remove the student for individual attention. Some schools provide "sensory rooms" where kids can play with indoor swings, balls, and trampolines. The therapist may also bring equipment such as exercise balls and jump ropes. Therapists may also:
- Encourage the youngster to use techniques that will help strengthen their hands, legs, and core.
- Give them aids like a weighted vest or a big pencil to help them concentrate and complete their work.
- Participate with the kid in regular school activities, including recess, exercise, art, and music classes
Therapists may visit a child at home if necessary; this is often the case with very young children. They might also collaborate directly with parents, teaching them how to carry on the therapist's work while they're not there.
Adults on the Autism Spectrum and Occupational Therapy:
Adults on the autistic spectrum often benefit fromSpeech and Occupational Therapy. Some people use occupational therapy to learn how to cook, clean, dress, fold clothes, etc. For others, it's a way to relax, get in shape, or improve their leisure activities.
The Search for an Occupational Therapist:
Early intervention and school programs offer free Occupational Therapy Activities for Kidson the autism spectrum. The therapists and the amount of treatment supplied won't be to the parents' liking. Insurance will usually cover at least some private counseling if that's the case.
Your child's school, other parents of children on the autism spectrum, or the local chapter of the Autism Society can all be good places to start looking for referrals when locating a private occupational therapist.
Conclusion:
A licensed therapist often establishes a Sensory Integration Therapy for Autism program and then delegates its implementation to an assistant. While a licensed therapist is the best person to determine treatment objectives and methods, many paraprofessionals can effectively support children on the spectrum.
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