An individual with ASD often faces troubles in communicating and interacting with other people and also their play skills interests and activities may be limited. Occupational therapy helps people with ASD to develop all these skills. In order to easily cope up with it, working with a reliable doctor at his or her autism clinic may be a better option.
Occupational therapy/OT- role in curing ASD-
Occupational therapist studies human growth and development and individual’s interaction with the environment through the day to day activities. They are proficient in the emotional, social, and physiological effects of injury and illness. This knowledge assists in promoting skills for independent living in people with ASD and other developmental illnesses.
Occupational therapists work along with parents, teachers, and other specialists and they help in setting specified goals for one with ASD illness. The goals often include behavior, social interactions, and performances. The occupational therapist helps in two ways that are evaluation and therapy.
Occupational therapy- How is it useful for ASD evaluation?
The therapist at his/her autism clinic observes sufferers see if they can do the task expected to do at their ages-- playing the game or getting dressed. Often the therapist will have the kid videotaped throughout the day to see how the kid interacts with the atmosphere so that they can access the kind of care required. The therapist may not any of the following-
- Interactions between caregivers and child
- Attention span and stamina
- Transition to new activities
- Aggression or other kinds of behaviors
- Play skills
- Motor skills like- balance, posture, or manipulation of small objects
- Need for personal space
- Occupational therapy- How does it help an individual with ASD?
Once the therapists get all the information, they can set up a program for the kid. There’s no single ideal treatment. But the early, structured and individualized care has been shown to work favorably. OT may combine a range of strategies. These can assist your child respond quite well to the environment. The OT strategies include-
- Adaptive strategies- coping with transitions
- Physical activities- stringing beads, doing some puzzles help a kid develop body awareness and coordination
- Play activities to assist children with communiqué and relations
- Developmental activities- combing hair, trimming nails, and brushing teeth
- Occupational therapy- Benefits-
- Daily living skills- Brushing teeth, toilet training, etc
- Fine motor skills- Holding objects, cutting with scissor, and handwriting
- Gross motor skills- Climbing stairs, walking, and riding vehicle
- Visual skills for writing and reading
- Self-help, problem-solving, social skills, and communication
By working on those throughout OT, one with ASD may be able to-
- Develop a relationship
- Learn to focus
- Learn to delay gratification
- Learn self regulate
- Express feelings appropriately
- Final words-
