Research summaries for autism therapy: occupational therapy (OT)

definition of occupational therapy (OT): Type of therapy that focuses on helping people with autism learn functional physical skills that involve using their muscles. These skills may include writing, riding a bike, or catching a ball. Occupational therapists may also provide sensory integration therapy to children with autism and/or sensory integration disorder.
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The Contributions of Executive Functions to Participation in School Activities of Children with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder, Summarized May 19, 2009

Occupational therapists (OT) may be able to best help children with autism by addressing problems with executive function as well as sensory processing.

This study was designed to see if the ability to think clearly affects whether or not a child can function well in the school setting. This study was designed with occupational therapists and occupational therapy in mind. The results show that children who cannot think clearly are less likely to be active in school functions. The study also looked at sensory processing issues in the children and found them to also be important for a child to function well at school. Other factors that may be important include motor skills, social skills, and emotional skills. Read more...

Exploring Cognitive Intervention for Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Summarized May 7, 2009

A new approach to occupational therapy may be helpful in teaching children with autism to tie their shoes, keyboard, ride a bike, and do other daily tasks.

Motor problems are common in children with autism. This case study looks at a new treatment approach to treating autism, the Cognitive Orientation to Occupational Performance (CO-OP). The CO-OP approach was first designed to help children with movement (coordination) problems. The authors found that the CO-OP approach helped the two boys in the study learn to do a better job with day-to-day tasks. The authors note that the children's ability to perform the daily tasks varied over the course of the study. Read more...

Sensori-Motor and Daily Living Skills in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Summarized Apr 23, 2009

Therapy that teaches motor skills may help children with autism to perform daily tasks.

The purpose of this study was to see if sensori-motor skills affect whether or not preschool-aged children with autism can perform daily living skills. The authors assumed that children with autism would have weaker sensori-motor skills than other children. While this was true, they found that the sensori-motor skills varied quite a bit amongst their group of 35 children with autism. The children with autism had large delays in gross motor and fine motor skills compared to other children. The poor daily living skills in children with autism are caused, in part, by these delays in sensorimotor skills. Read more...

A Case Study of a Five-year-old Child with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified Using Sound-Based Interventions, Summarized Apr 17, 2009

Listening therapy may help children with autism with sensory processing, listening, and language skills.

Occupational therapists (OT) often use sensory integration therapy as a main approach when treating children with autism. Sensory integration therapy takes a wide range of forms, one of which is listening therapy/sound therapy. There are very few studies that look to see if listening therapy helps children with autism. The aim of this case study was to see if The Listening Program would help a five-year-old boy with autism. In this case, listening therapy was chosen to reduce sensory sensitivity enhance language use and improve functional behavior. Read more...

Showing 5-8 of 40 results

Synonyms for occupational therapy (OT) include: occupation therapy, occupational, occupational therapist, occupational therapy, occupational training, OT
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