Along with speech therapy and physical therapy, occupational therapy is one of the three most commonly offered therapies in the clinic setting. Occupational therapists may work toward a vast range of goals including (but not limited to):
. Brushing their teeth
. Playing (throwing a ball, using a swing)
. Handwriting
. Sensory integration (sight, touching, hearing)
. Using a paint brush
. Zipping a jacket
. Tying shoes
Occupational therapists use well-established tests and evaluations to determine a child’s level of functioning. One such test is the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT); others include:
. School Function Assessment (SFA)
. Children’s Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment/Preference for Activities of Children (CAPE/PAC)
. Assessment of Life Habits (Life-H)— Children
. Movement Assessment Battery for Children— Second Edition (Movement ABC2)
. Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition (BOT-2)
. Sensory Processing Measure
. Sensory Profile School Companion
. Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT)
In addition to testing, occupational therapists often observe children in a range of settings to see how well they are able to complete tasks of daily life. They may also watch to see whether specific sensory inputs such as florescent lights, buzzers, or strong smells create difficulties for the child.
Once tests and observations are complete, therapists develop a set of individualized goals for the child. These are very personal and depend on the child’s functional level and specific needs. Some are likely to relate to personal hygiene and life skills, others to academics and still others to functioning in the social environment.
Occupational therapists will often recommend starting the day with a sensory circuit: a sensory–motor activity program which helps children achieve a “ready to learn” state. Sensory circuits are a series of activities designed specifically to wake up all the senses. They are a great way to energize or settle children into the day.
Each session includes three elements.
. Alerting activities (for example spinning, bouncing on a gym ball, skipping, star jumps) to stimulate the body’s central nervous system in preparation for learning.
. Organizing activities (for example balancing on a wobble board, log rolling, juggling) which demand brain and body to work together.
. Calming activities (heavy muscle work and deep pressure for example wall pushes, push-ups, using weights) to give an awareness of their body in space and increases the ability to self-regulate sensory input.
Children are more regulated, calmer and focused after these activities, reducing anxiety and increasing opportunities to thrive and achieve in the overwhelming environment in which we now live.
Occupational therapists will often recommend starting the day with a sensory circuit: a sensory–motor activity program which helps children achieve a “ready to learn” state. Sensory circuits are a series of activities designed specifically to wake up all the senses.
CDC works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Click the boxes below to learn what the CDC says about ASD.
ASD occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, but is about 4 times more common among boys than among girls.
For over a decade, CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been estimating the number of children with ASD in the United States. We have learned a lot about how many U. S. children have ASD. It will be important to use the same methods to track how the number of children with ASD is changing over time in order to learn more about the disorder.
ASD occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, but is about 4 times more common among boys than among girls.
For over a decade, CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been estimating the number of children with ASD in the United States. We have learned a lot about how many U. S. children have ASD. It will be important to use the same methods to track how the number of children with ASD is changing over time in order to learn more about the disorder.
ASD occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, but is about 4 times more common among boys than among girls.
For over a decade, CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been estimating the number of children with ASD in the United States. We have learned a lot about how many U. S. children have ASD. It will be important to use the same methods to track how the number of children with ASD is changing over time in order to learn more about the disorder.
ASD occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, but is about 4 times more common among boys than among girls.
For over a decade, CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been estimating the number of children with ASD in the United States. We have learned a lot about how many U. S. children have ASD. It will be important to use the same methods to track how the number of children with ASD is changing over time in order to learn more about the disorder.
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