Occupational Therapy (OT)

Occupational Therapy helps develop fine motor skills, such as holding a spoon, cutting with scissors, writing, and other skills.  These skills are integral to performing daily living skills, social skills and recreation leisure activities independently.  OT also helps with sensory integration therapy, which means they help your child with not only their body space awareness and movement but also with how the brain process the senses.  OT helps evaluate your child's needs and create a fun and dynamic individualized program to increase independence.

Related Sites

http://www.aota.org/autism   The American Occupational Therapy Association provides additional resources for parents seeking further information on the use of Occupational Therapy for children with Autism.
www.webmd.com/brain/autism/benefits-of-occupational-therapy-for-autism   This webpage provides a short write up on the benefits of occupational therapy for children with Autism.
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-integration-activities.html   A sensory checklist, activities, and articles about Sensory Processing Disorder is provided at this web site.

Books

The Out-of-Sync Child  by Carol Kranowitz and Lucy Jane Miller PhD OTR.
Description:  The Out-of-Sync Child broke new ground by identifying Sensory Processing Disorder, a common but frequently misdiagnosed problem in which the central nervous system misinterprets messages from the senses.  This newly revised edition features additional information from recent research on vision and hearing deficits, motor skill problems, nutrition and picky eaters, ADHA, autism, and other related disorders.

Sensory Integration and the Child: 25th Anniversary Edition  by A. Jean.
Description:  Retaining all the features that made the original edition so popular with both parents and professionals, "Sensory Integration and the Child" remains the best book on the subject.  With a new forward by Dr. Florence Clark and commentaries by recognized experts in sensory integration, this volume explains sensory integrative dysfunction, how to recognize it, and what to do about it.  Helpful tips, checklists, question-and-answer sections, and parent resources make the new edition more informative and useful.  Indispensible reading for parents, this book is also an excellent way to improve communication between therapist, parents and teachers.

The Pocket Occupational Therapist for Families of Children With Special Needs  by Cara Koscinski.
Description:  If you are unsure about what occupational therapy is and how it can help your child, this accessible overview is for you.  Answering all of the common questions about the issues an occupational therapist might address with a child with special needs, including core muscle strength, feeding, fine motor skills, sensory sensitivities, transitions and life-skills, this book also offers simple activities to practice at home that are inexpensive, fun and, most-importantly, OT-approved.  This will be an illuminating and essential guide for parents and careers of children with physical and developmental disabilities or parents of children in rehabilitation from illness or injury.  Professionals who want to learn more about the principles and practicalities of occupational therapy will also find it useful.

Tools

http://www.therapystreetforkids.com/index.html  Therapy Street for Kids website provides therapeutic activities to work with your child at home to enhance your occupational program.
http://www.therapyshoppe.com/  This is a specialty shop for parents, therapists, and educators that sells an assortment of sensory materials and fine motor tools for your child with Autism.
http://sensoryprocessingmadesimple.com/calming-activities-for-sensory-processing-disorder/  Calming activities for students who have Sensory Processing Disorder are described at this web page.

Parent Forums

(Some forums require you to sign in to Yahoo or Facebook to locate forum names.)
Forum Name:  Forum posts regarding Occupational Therapy for Children with Autism
http://www.city-data.com/forum/special-needs-children/1983638-occupational-therapy-children-autism.html  This website allows you to post and answer questions about Occupational Therapy.