Occupational therapy is a key part of rehabilitation treatment for children with autism

I believe that many people who have been to rehabilitation institutions will find that whether it is the adult rehabilitation department or the children's rehabilitation department, there is a place called "occupational therapy room."

The full name of occupational therapy in English is Occupational Therapy, referred to as OT . It helps patients return to their families and society to the greatest extent possible by selecting purposeful and meaningful activities combined with environmental adjustments!

Traditionally, occupational therapy is mostly used for adults with hemiplegia and children with cerebral palsy and developmental delay. However, with the increase in the number of children with autism in recent years, occupational therapy has gradually been highlighted in their treatment. Today, let’s talk about how occupational therapy can help children with autism.

Occupational therapy for children, also known as manual therapy, cultivates children's ability to use their hands and brains through purposeful training, playing with toys, playing games, etc., and further develops their intelligence. It enables children to restore their ability to participate in daily life, study, labor and social activities as much as possible, integrate into society and improve their quality of life.

Characteristics of occupational therapy for children with autism

It combines therapy, games and education, while emphasizing the active participation of family members to create a good training atmosphere.

How occupational therapy helps children with autism

Occupational therapy training content for children with autism

1. Daily living activities training

The main goal of occupational therapy is to train autistic children to take care of themselves by themselves, such as eating, dressing, washing, making phone calls, shopping, etc., so that children can learn to take care of themselves as soon as possible.

2. Fine motor function training

Training autistic children to tear paper along a straight line, use scissors, screw lids, string beads, doodle and other activities can cultivate the flexibility and accuracy of children's fine motor skills, improve their hand-eye coordination ability, and lay a good foundation for self-care in the future.

3. Cognitive function training

Children's cognitive development includes two aspects: basic cognition and comprehensive cognition. Basic cognition is to lay the foundation for children's basic understanding of things (naming, matching, shape, distinguishing and comparing, etc.); comprehensive cognition is the children's thinking reflection and understanding of things.

4. Play therapy

The fun of games can attract the attention of autistic children, allowing the brain to selectively receive and process external information, which is conducive to the formation of emotional stability and concentration. These include painting, music, dance, comedy, sports, poetry and storytelling.

5. Sensory Integration Therapy

Sensory-rich activities such as trampolines, horizontal bars, ball pools, competitive games, etc. are used to improve the integration of sensory information in children with autism, allowing them to become more adaptable to sensory input.

6. Preparation before admission

Assess your child's behavior before the appropriate age, such as hyperactivity, running around, hitting others, screaming, etc., and intervene in advance. In addition, fully develop your child's cognitive and self-care abilities to reduce the difficulties your child will encounter after entering school.

Considerations for occupational therapy for children with autism

1. The choice of occupational therapy content should vary from person to person;

2. The choice of occupational therapy should be tailored to local conditions;

3. Improve children’s awareness of active participation;

4. Develop appropriate and progressive occupational therapy plans;

5. Protection should be strengthened during occupational therapy to prevent accidents;

6. Regular evaluation is required during occupational therapy;

7. Combination of treatment and education;

8. Using games as a means;

9. Encourage family involvement.

At present, the most effective method to treat autism is rehabilitation training, and it requires long-term intervention. Only scientific, systematic and professional methods can help children return to the mainstream.