Introduction to Occupational Therapy at

Springhallow School.

Contents

• What is Occupational Therapy (OT)

• What is Sensory Integration • OT input at Springhallow School

• OT contact details

Children and young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate

a variety of behaviors which affect their ability to participate in their daily

occupations (Law, 2006).

Occupational therapists use a number of approaches to enable children and

young people with ASD to participate in everyday life and for families to better

manage their children’s needs.

Law, M (2006) Autism Spectrum Disorders and Occupational Therapy. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, November.

http://www.caot.ca/pdfs/Autism%20Brief%20Nov%2006.pdf

Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy

Evidence shows that by working collaboratively with the child and the family, to

identify and achieve their goals, occupational therapists enable children with

ASD to participate more fully in everyday life and reduce parental stress and

increase feelings of confident parenting (Dunn et al., 2011)..

Dunn W, Cox J, Foster L, Mische-Lawson,L, Tanquary, J (2011) Impact of an integrated intervention on parental competence and

children’s participation for children with autism, University of Kansas Department of Occupational Therapy Education. School of

Health Professions. University of Kansas Medical Center

Occupational Therapy

• OT considers how child’s difficulties/delays would affect their daily function;

– Sensory Integration: Attention control, maintaining a calm and alert

state for functional tasks, sleep.

– Gross motor: Postural control, sitting posture, co-ordination, balance.

– Fine Motor: Pre-writing and handwriting skills, bilateral integration, in hand manipulation.

– Self care: Dressing, toileting, feeding, hygiene. – Perceptual/ Cognitive: Following instructions, understanding basic

learning concepts e.g. cause and effect, planning, organisation, sequencing.

- Play and Social skills: joint attention, turn taking, sharing.

Sensory Integration

• Is the neurological process that organises sensations from one’s own body and from the environment.

• This makes it possible for the person to

respond appropriately to their environment.

1. TOUCH

2. HEARING 3. VISION

4. SMELL

5. TASTE

The Sensory Systems

1. TOUCH

2. HEARING 3. VISION

4. SMELL

5. TASTE

6. Proprioception: muscle and joint sense – the internal awareness of

the position of one’s joints and muscles in space, which allows you to

lift a spoon to your mouth without spilling your soup.

The Sensory Systems

1. TOUCH

2. HEARING 3. VISION

4. SMELL

5. TASTE

The Sensory Systems

7. Vestibular: balance and movement, the knowledge of the position of

ones head in relation to gravity and movement, which is used to come

down a slide or ride a swing without falling off.

OT input at Springhallow School

Individual Input

• Initial review when starting school: - Clinical observations in class and during play. - Discussion with teacher and parent. • Advice and strategies: - Classroom - Home - Respite settings • Goals established with parents and teachers.

• OT to support home and school to carry out strategies.

• Regular review of goals as needed.

OT input at Springhallow School

Whole Class Input • Provide consultation to teachers. • To educate and support teaching staff to carry out strategies or

programmes e.g. ALERT programme, write dance programme. Parent Workshops and Consultation

• To educate parents about the role of OT and areas of input.

• To provide ongoing consultation and support as needed via meetings at school, telephone contact and written resources.