Mastering daily routines for greater independence
Occupational therapy helps people of all ages do the tasks and activities of everyday life better. The goal is to give them more independence and improve their quality of life. You might envision a person who has physical limitations and wonder, “How does it apply to kids with autism?”
That’s a great question and one we hope to answer in this article that rounds out our blog series exploring the top three autism treatments.
Occupational therapy (OT) joins ABA therapy – the gold standard in autism care – and speech therapy as the three most common interventions or treatments for children with autism. They all have similar goals and share areas of focus. And because of that, a doctor may recommend more than one treatment or a combination of treatments. It really all depends on the unique needs of your child.
If your child needs more than one type of autism treatment, the key to success is ensuring all the different therapists work together for the best outcomes for your child and family.
So, let’s briefly explore what OT is and how it helps children with autism.
Overcoming challenges in everyday life
According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), “occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants focus on the things you want and need to do in your daily life. Occupational therapy intervention uses everyday life activities to promote health, well-being, and your ability to participate in the important activities in your life. This includes any meaningful activity that a person wants to accomplish, including taking care of yourself and your family, working, volunteering, going to school, among many others.”
For kiddos with autism, OT can focus on a range of activities, from toileting, bathing, and dressing, to writing and coloring to balance, strength, and coordination, to sensory modulation and safety awareness. In general, the focus is most often on helping them develop better play skills, learning strategies, and self-care.
OT starts with an evaluation of your child
Like ABA and speech therapy, getting OT for your child starts with an evaluation of their strengths and areas for improvement. It will also take into account the personal and family goals you have might have as a parent. The evaluation can include standardized testing as well as skilled observation by an occupational therapist or pediatric occupational therapist.
Findings from your child’s evaluation will be used to create a therapy plan. It should spell out goals for your child as well as recommendations on how often your child should receive OT. It’s common for a child with autism to receive therapy one or two times a week, lasting 30 to 60 minutes for each session.
Your child can receive OT at home, in school, and in a clinical setting. While OT is free in school based on state laws governing special education, most insurance plans cover OT if your doctor has said it is a medically necessary treatment for your child.
Strategies used in occupational therapy
There are several strategies occupational therapists can draw from to help a child with autism. Obviously, the strategies that are ultimately used will depend on the goals for your child. The strategies include:
- Teaching children new skills or helping them improve skills they haven’t mastered yet
- Making changes to a task or the environment to make an activity easier for a child to do, including using adaptive equipment
- Changing routines or expectations of a task to remove a barrier altogether
- Practicing in a simulated environments to build social interaction skills
- Training for caregivers on how to do an activity safely or differently
To improve outcomes of OT, parents should work on the same things with their child that their occupational therapist is working on during therapy sessions.
Where to Get Started
The best way is to talk with your doctor who diagnosed your child with autism. They can make recommendations and refer an occupational therapist near you.
If you live in the North Texas or Boulder Colorado areas, the ABA therapy and autism experts at The Behavior Exchange can also point you in the right direction. Send us an email or complete our contact form and will be right with you. We’ve been helping children with autism and their families have a brighter future together for over 20 years. We’d love the opportunity to make a difference in your family’s life, too!
