What Is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy (OT) helps people work on cognitive, physical, social, and motor skills. The goal is to improve everyday skills which allow people to become more independent and participate in a wide range of activities.
For people with autism, OT programs often focus on play skills, learning strategies, and self-care. OT strategies can also help to manage sensory issues.
The occupational therapist will begin by evaluating the person’s current level of ability. The evaluation looks at several areas, including how the person:
- Learns
- Plays
- Cares for themselves
- Interacts with their environment
The evaluation will also identify any obstacles that prevent the person from participating in any typical day-to-day activities.
Based on this evaluation, the therapist creates goals and strategies that will allow the person to work on key skills. Some examples of common goals include:
- Independent dressing
- Eating
- Grooming
- Using the bathroom
- Fine motor skills like writing, coloring, and cutting with scissors
Occupational therapy usually involves half-hour to one-hour sessions. The number of sessions per week is based on individual needs.
The person with autism may also practice these strategies and skills outside of therapy sessions at home and in other settings including school.
Some OTs are specifically trained to address feeding and swallowing challenges in people with autism. They can evaluate the particular issue a person is dealing with and provide treatment plans for improving feeding-related challenges.