Occupational Therapy For Autism

What kind of therapy options are there for patients on the autism spectrum? The first of many options is occupational therapy, which is “skilled treatment that helps individuals achieve independence in all facets of their lives” (About, 2015). The occupational therapist assist people in developing skills that are necessary to living independently. In correlation, occupational therapy for patients on the autism spectrum has changed recently over the years. It used to be developing skills such as handwriting, shoe tying, and buttoning a shirt. After some new research, the therapists specializing in autism try to help develop their ability to process information through the senses” (About, 2015). As well, they will attempt to develop their ability …show more content…
It helps with “mind reading”, such as knowing what another person may be thinking. “Neurotypicals” can observe people through the tone and body language. “Patients on the autism spectrum usually make social blunders that cause problems. They don’t understand why but it can lead to hurt feelings, asking inappropriate questions, act oddly or generally open themselves to hostility, bullying, isolation, and teasing.” (Social Skills, 2015) Hippo therapy is very interesting option of therapy for autism patients. It is one of the more active therapies available. Children on the autism spectrum typically have deficits in language, sensory processing, and reading social clues. The hippo therapy usually involves being on a horse and they provide strong sensory stimulation to muscles and joints. Hugging the horse as well as watching the horse are stimulating to the patient. Some patients can develop special relationships with the horse which is uncommon for patients on the autism spectrum to …show more content…
There are certain aspects of life that are more difficult, such as sound, touch and communication. For sound, it is extremely common for autism patients to be very sensitive to sound. Loud sounds may be painful for them. An example of where it may be too loud would be potentially the noise of a city street or a mall plaza. When this happens, they become overwhelmed and they usually have a certain reaction. In this case, the reaction is typically cover their ears, in hope of blocking out the noise. As well, they may begin performing self- soothing techniques such as rocking their body or shaking their hands. Some patients on the autism spectrum have central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), which results in them having trouble perceiving subtle differences in sound and in