Children with autism often struggle with some of the basic social, play and personal skills required for independent living, playing, learning, developing peer relationships and interpreting incoming sensory stimuli. Occupational therapists help identify areas of a child’s life where there may be participation restrictions, both personally and environmentally.
At Children’s Occupational Therapy QLD we:
- provide a comprehensive assessment and report to individualize a treatment program to provide the most suitable interventions for the child.
- provide interventions to help a child appropriately respond to information coming through the senses. Interventions may include swinging, jumping, playing in a ball pit, using a scooter board and many other activities aimed at helping the child better manage his/her body in space.
- facilitate play activities that instruct as well as aid a child in interacting and communicating with others. For the OT specializing in autism, this can translate specifically into structured play therapies.
- devise strategies to help the child transition from one setting to another, from one person to another, and from one life phase to another. For a child with autism, this may involve soothing strategies for managing transition from home to school etc.
- develop adaptive techniques and strategies to support apparent disabilities (for example, teaching keyboarding when handwriting is difficult; selecting a weighted vest or a move ‘n’ sit to enhance focus, etc.)
- treat each child as an individual and not make them ‘fit’ into a therapy program. Much of the therapy approach is following the child’s lead and gently engaging with the child in their world, developing relationships and circles of communication.