There are many steps you can follow to help your child reach their full potential. For example, therapeutic interventions such as Speech Therapy, ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis), and Occupational Therapy can help your child develop a range of new skills in a supportive and comfortable environment.
However, you can also do plenty of things at home too! For example, many individuals with autism and related disorders have found that music can be an incredibly vital resource for development and enrichment.
According to various studies, we like listening to music as it “triggers the release of a chemical called dopamine in a part of the brain called the striatum.” This is why we often feel happier when listening or singing along to our favorite songs. As a result, listening to music can be instrumental in improving our mental health while reducing stress and anxiety.
As such, it’s hardly surprising that listening to music is beneficial for children with autism and related disorders, who may be more prone to feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed than their peers.
Beyond aiding emotional regulation, music, when introduced through therapy or in their daily lives, can be incredibly beneficial for children with autism. For example, it can also help them when it comes to
Children with autism and related disorders sometimes find it harder to develop their communication skills. For example, they may be non-verbal or struggle with non-verbal forms of communication like eye contact.
However, music can provide them with an opportunity to communicate without having to use words. For example, they can use songs or music to describe their feelings without having to find a way to verbalize them.
Music can broaden your child’s communication skills and help them develop better social skills or make new friends. For example, according to KidsGym, when you introduce music to your daily routine, “you may notice your child singing along to a song, or even making a comment in a social setting where people are listening or dancing to a song-.” They may initiate conversations with others about their favorite singers and musicians or connect with others with the same music taste.
Furthemore, if their interest in music leaves them wanting to learn to play an instrument, this can again improve their social skills as they attend classes or concerts with their peers.
Many studies have found that listening to music can also help children with autism and related disorders change how they view the world. This could make it easier for them to succeed both socially and academically.
For example, a study found that “musical patterns can provide what an autistic person needs to help them to regulate their thoughts and brain processes, creating more coherent and adaptable responses to the world around them.-”
On a similar thread, the adaptability garnered through listening to music can also help them better regulate or control their emotions. This is because they can turn to music when feeling overwhelmed.
We’ve all felt the implications of poor sleep before. For example, you may have felt irritable, less focused or even a little sick as a result. However, while this is an occasional issue for most of us, children (and adults) with autism and related disorders often find it harder than most to get enough sleep.
The National Sleep Foundation states that children should sleep for 9-11 hours a day, depending on their age. As an adult, we should aim for around 7-8 hours of sleep in order to thrive.
Various studies have determined that “children with ASD have a higher prevalence of sleep issues than their typically developing peers.” For example, they are more likely to develop insomnia and similar conditions. In fact, “ children with autism tend to sleep 32.8 minutes less per night than their peers”. While this may not seem to be a significant difference, an extra thirty minutes of deep sleep can work wonders for their mood and overall health.
Develop a consistent bedtime routine. Children with ASD thrive when they’re given a routine to work with, as they provide them with a sense of structure and stability. As a result, a bedtime routine can be instrumental in helping them unwind and get ready for bed. This could also mean they find it easier to drift off, especially if their head hits the pillow at the same time each evening.
Keep their bedroom cool. We all like to feel warm and cozy as we settle into bed, particularly during the winter months. However, a cooler “sleeping environment helps lower your body temperature, making it easier to experience deep sleep.” This, coupled with the fact that children with ASD are often rather sensitive to heat and temperature changes, means you should try to keep their bedroom as cool as possible.
Reduce noise. We’ll all struggle to fall asleep in noisy environments, but it can be particularly hard for children with noise sensitivities to drift off. As a result, you should find a way to make their bedroom as quiet and peaceful as possible. For example, you could take steps to soundproof their room or find comfortable earplugs they can wear at night.
Focus on their comfort. Adjusting their bedroom to match their comfort needs could also be a crucial step in ensuring your child is able to get as much sleep as possible. For example, while some children may need complete darkness in order to sleep, others may find comfort in having some kind of nightlight in their rooms. You should also try to choose bedding and pyjamas that are comfortable and don’t interfere with any sensitivity issues your child experiences. For example, you may need to avoid certain fabrics or textures, as this will otherwise limit their ability to sleep comfortably.
Discuss sleep patterns in therapy. Therapeutic interventions are a great way to help children with autism thrive in their daily lives. As a result, your therapist will likely also have some advice to hand that you can use to ensure your child is getting their recommended 9+ of sleep each night.
Get in touch today to find out more!
Often considered the sixth sense, proprioception is essential for body awareness and movement. The sensory receptors are in the muscles and joints. These receptors send messages to the brain about body positioning and the direction and strength needed for a particular movement. For example, how to precisely stack blocks without knocking them over or pouring water from one cup to another.
Development of the proprioceptive system began when your child was still in the womb. Early activities like skin-to-skin contact, tummy time, shifting weight all help babies understand where their body is and how it moves. As children develop and participate in increasingly complex activities, feedback from their proprioceptive system is essential to their success.
While all children benefit from heavy work, your child may especially make gains from activities that provide proprioceptive input if he or she:
-Is constantly on the move: Jumping, bumping, and crashing.
-Frequently knocks over construction projects such as blocks or magnetic tiles.
-Constantly seeks out bear hugs or is too rough with friends.
-Rips paper or breaks writing tools when writing or coloring from using too much force.
-Bumps into peers or furniture regularly.
Obstacle courses- Climb, crawl, hop, march. Use equipment or furniture that you already have. Place a puzzle piece at the beginning, and each time your child goes through, they will collect pieces to put together at the finish.
Hopscotch- As a bonus, this is an outstanding balance and motor planning activity. If your child is old enough, let them sketch out the board. Using chalk on the rough surface tar will also provide proprioceptive feedback.
Pull, push, or carry- Let your child pull a sibling in a wagon, push furniture, or bring a stack of books from one room to the next.
Complete chores- A great way to get consistent proprioceptive input is to build it into a routine. Designate a task for your child that involves heavy work. It could be pushing the chairs in after each meal, vacuuming, or wiping down the table. Let your child be in charge of bringing in groceries from the car or moving the laundry basket.
Try a sport- Many sports are great for getting heavy sensory input. Swimming, soccer, football, track, basketball, and gymnastics are sports children who seek proprioceptive input tend to seek out.
Chew- There are many joints and ligaments (and therefore sensory receptors) in the upper and lower jaw. Have your child eat something crunchy or try a ‘chewy’ for stimulating oral motor input that doubles as regulating.
Animal walks- Try bear walks, frog jumps, crab walks, donkey kicks, and crawling. Let your child make up new animal walks to practice forming a new motor plan while getting the proprioceptive work in.
Squishes- Get comfy laying on your belly under a weighted blanket, couch cushion or provide pressure with an exercise ball. Let your child determine the amount of pressure they want and let them read or color while they relax.
An evaluation is the start of a therapeutic relationship. It is an opportunity to gather data, observe, and use critical thinking skills. Standardized assessments provide data for qualifying children for services. They can also establish a baseline for creating goals and designing a remediation plan. Selecting an appropriate motor assessment for your client will ensure that the child can engage and that you collect the information you need. Considerations when choosing an evaluation should include the child’s age, referral reason, test length, types of activities included as testing tasks, and what the test is measuring. A description of four motor assessments commonly used by both OTs and PTs are described below.
Also known as the BOT-2, this tool is widely used by occupational and physical therapists. Fine motor categories include fine motor precision, fine motor integration, manual dexterity, and upper-limb coordination. Bilateral coordination, balance, running speed/agility, and strength subtests make up the gross motor portion of the test. Tasks vary from dribbling a tennis ball to coloring in shapes, performing jumping jacks, and cutting out a circle. An abbreviated short form provides a brief overview of motor functioning. BOT-II is appropriate for children ages 4-21 years.
The PDMS-2 is standardized for children from birth to age six. This evaluation is a basal and ceiling evaluation, so you only need to test skills that are appropriate for the child’s age level. When the child is unable to complete three consecutive tasks successfully, that category is discontinued. For the youngest population, tasks will include aligning their head, pulling to sit, propping on forearms, and tracking a rattle. Older children will stack blocks, lace beads, kick a ball, balance on one foot, and more. Subtests include reflexes, sustained control, locomotion, object manipulation, grasping, and visual-motor integration.
This assessment is standardized for children ages two to eight. The test has visual motor, fine motor, and gross motor domains. Fine and visual motor activities are child-friendly games such as “Find the Puppies” and “Go Fishing.” Gross motor activities are embedded into a “Statue Game,” soccer practice, and more. The M-FUN kit includes a home and classroom observation checklist that examines social skills, sensory needs, and ability to regulate. While this assessment takes longer than the others to administer, it provides comprehensive data which can aid in writing goals and intervention planning.
Created for children ages birth to age three years and six months, the Toddler and Infant Motor Evaluation (TIME) assesses movement quality. Five subtests that assess mobility, stability, motor organization, social/emotional abilities, and functional performance. Optional subtests are available for advanced practitioners and include component analysis, quality rating, and atypical movements. Activities include sequencing movement into different positions and free-play with a caregiver. Open-ended parent questions along with a Likert questionnaire provide both contextual information and data on current performance.
Affirmations are a quick, easy (and free!) intervention for children who are working on building their self-esteem. These positive messages can foster a growth-mindset. Affirmations can be especially impactful for children who have excellent self-awareness skills. Especially when there is a gap between their potential and what they can actually do. When a child recognizes a challenge (whether it is listening to the teacher or sharing with a friend), they can withdraw from the activity. This limits their practice and ultimately growing skills in that area. Affirmations can help kids reframe the situation and recognize their strengths.
Of course, honor what is unique about the child when creating your own affirmations. Does the child have a deeply creative imagination? Share that! Are they loving to animals? Let them know that you recognize that and teach them to recognize that in themselves. Older children can be guided to contribute their own ideas for affirmations. Here are some ideas to get started:
Reciprocal play and communication can be challenging for many children with developmental delays. The back and forth nature of conversation and the inability to control the other individual can make for a difficult scenario. These affirmations will help children see their ability to interact with others in a positive light.
These will look different depending on what tools the child uses to regulate and what language they respond best to. The point of these affirmations is to help the child understand that they have control over their body and how they feel, and can make positive changes to make their body feel good.
If we want our children to be as independent as possible, we need to be sure to give them a mindset to empower them to try when things are tricky or present a challenge. These affirmations are great for children of all ages and abilities:
Starting each day with a positive affirmation can create a growth mindset and build resilience for when any challenges inevitably arise. When children are empowered, feel in control, and their self-esteem is nurtured, they are better able to access the higher level skills that help keep them at their best.
Do you use positive affirmations with your child or students? Share any favorites in the comment section below!
Children with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit disorder,andother developmental delays often have professionals of all different backgrounds providing strategies for their success. While occupational, physical, and speech therapy, special education, and applied behavior analysts have different focuses, these professionals often use the same foundations to help kids learn and grow. Read on for the most common behavior strategies that the whole team uses:
Teachers and parents use positive reinforcement with both neurotypical children and kids with disabilities for a valid reason. Their developing brains make stronger connections with positive reinforcement than negative. Try to catch them at their best, whether by saying hello to a friend, listening to your message, or trying something new without getting frustrated. Recognize and praise their behavior. Therapists and educators are as specific as possible with praise and positive attention based on what the child can comprehend.
It is helpful to remember that little ones lack the time and experience to understand what you expect of them. This goes for daily routines but is even more evident when children are in a novel situation. Communicate expectations to them by sharing what you want them to do (“let’s sit by a friend during snack for five minutes”) rather than the behavior you want to avoid (“we don’t take our friend’s snack.”)
This strategy is enormously helpful because it can be used before, during, or after a behavioral incident. As an adult, you know what is best for the child at a given moment. Based on that, offer the child two choices that would be appropriate for the situation. It can be as simple as “would you like the blue chair or the green chair?” The ability to make a (supported) decision empowers children, even amid a meltdown.
We wouldn’t expect most adults to be able to engage in a complex task when they are in a busy and loud office and haven’t had a break in several hours. However, we too often expect the equivalent out of children and adolescents. All children have sensory preferences that can enhance or discourage their learning behavior at a given time. Whether it is a speech-language pathologist helping a child learn to communicate their needs, or a BCBA assisting a child in attending at circle time, the environment plays a significant role in children’s behavior. If you feel dysregulated in the space as an adult, the child likely feels the same. Educators and therapists modify the environment by adding quiet areas, access to noise-canceling headphones, adding movement breaks, having the child sit near the teacher, dividing the class in half for certain activities, etc.
Modeling the correct behavior can be challenging in the heat of the moment. However, you may notice that the most experienced therapists and educators remain calm and collected during a behavioral episode. They realize that the child will become even more dysregulated if they become elevated. Try using a quiet voice, breathing deeply, and being present without outwardly judging the behavior. Sometimes, this strategy alone can help a child refocus.
The expectation for kids to start writing is getting earlier and earlier all of the time. However, the youngest children don’t have the physical development needed to use the small muscles in their fingers and hands to hold and control a pencil. Writing is a foundational learning skill that helps requires visual-motor integration, bilateral coordination, midline crossing, etc. It is correct that it is an important skill to master. But how do you get young children started before jumping in with a pencil and paper? Read on for several ideas to help kiddos get ready to write without actually writing.
For a person to write successfully, they need to be able to stabilize their upper arm. If the movement comes from their shoulder joint when they write, they will get tired out quickly. Use play to strengthen the upper body. Wheelbarrow walking, crawling, and animal walks all work well for this. For an extra fun activity, tape a big piece of paper to the bottom of a child-sized table. The child can lie underneath it and straighten their arm to paint.
Tape a piece of paper to a wall or find an easel with a chalkboard or blackboard. Let the child color to their heart’s content. Kids enjoy the novelty of this activity, and it allows for practice with grasp and getting the wrist into the correct position for writing. If this feels tricky, tape a sheet of paper to the wall and let them place stickers on it for a similar effect.
Creating simple drawings is a great way to work on visual-motor integrations skills. Sometimes referred to as hand-eye coordination, visual-motor integration involves using coordinated movements to make marks with intention. Start with easy drawings and work your way up. An excellent progression could be drawing a smiley face, then a person, then a teddy bear. First, demonstrate how to make it so that your child can copy you. For ideas and inspiration, check YouTube or your local library for drawing guides.
Letter recognition is a part of learning to write. Point out letters in books, on signs, blocks, and in their name. Focus on capital letters, to begin with since those are the first letters they will most likely learn to write. Alphabet magnets are a popular exploration item. With adult support, kids can start learning the names of the letters and recognize them.
Practice creating letters in new and different ways! Try rolling out play-doh letters, making letters with sticks, lines and curves cut out of paper, Legos, and anything else you have handy. You can make a sensory tray with a box lid and fill it with rice or salt to trace letters. As a bonus, many children are kinesthetic learners, and this activity can help reinforce the other work you do.
When the concepts and skills are coming together, and your child is ready to start writing letters, use child-sized writing utensils. This promotes the development of a mature grasp. Start with bits of chalk and broken crayons. For older kids, try golf pencils.
Most children benefit from proprioceptive sensory work built into their day. The proprioceptive system receptors are located in our joints and muscles and tell us about where our body is in space. The benefits of stimulating this system vary for different children but can help children feel regulated, calm, and ready to focus. Unlike the vestibular system , the proprioceptive system cannot be overloaded. The benefits of heavy work last for up to two hours after engaging. Try to build planned activities into your day to support your student or child’s participation all day long.
Play is a creative and natural method of learning and exploring the world. Encourage running and jumping as part of play, draw a hopscotch game in chalk or offer a jump rope. Indoor and outdoor trampolines provide lots of sensory input to the lower body. If you have monkey bars nearby, try to test how long you can hang on. Create an obstacle course including several of these activities to make a memorable play experience.
Common in occupational and physical therapy and physical education classes, animal walks are fun and motivating and great for sensory input and motor planning. Try crab walks, bear walks, snake crawls, dinosaur marches and wheelbarrow walks. Get creative and make up a new animal walk!
This is a functional life skill that children can practice at any age. Some cleaning activities like vacuuming or sweeping provide proprioceptive input. Younger and older kids can use a towel and wide sweeping motion to wipe down tables or spills. For even heavier input, delegate the task of pushing in chairs or pushing light furniture into place to kiddos.
Carrying heavy items can be a purposeful activity where children get a chance to help out. Try letting them bring in groceries, carry books to another room, move their chair by themselves or wear a slightly weighted backpack.
For children of all ages, the outdoors provides lots of opportunities for proprioceptive input. Go on a nature walk. The more challenging the climb, the more proprioceptive input they will get. Using a small shovel to move snow or dig dirt is another way children can help out.
Do you know anyone that chews on a pen or pencil? The jaw has several proprioceptors, and by chewing on something hard, people get lots of regulating input. A more functional strategy would be to eat something crunchy or chewy. Carrots, celery, nuts, and granola work well and can easily work into your usual snack time. Older kids (and adults) can get the same benefit by eating crunchy foods or chewing on gum.
Try a soft weighted ball for a quick and easy way to get input. Starting at two pounds and increasing to higher weights, weighted balls are versatile and easy to have nearby. Try throwing and catching the ball, rolling it back and forth to each other, or slamming it onto the ground.
The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, gives us information about how our head is oriented in space and is essential for balance. The vestibular system is closely linked to the visual system and postural control. Some children experience challenges related to the development of this system, and it may reflect in their poor balance, frequent movement-seeking behaviors, or reluctance to participate in activities that involve positional changes. Input to the vestibular system is often organizing, and effects of stimulation can last for up to eight hours!
Occupational therapists provide interventions that develop the vestibular system to help children fully participate in movement activities, whether they:
Seek vestibular input- These children love to spin, swing, and be on the move.
Have postural control challenges- Postural challenges are indicated by frequent leaning, falling out of a chair, or a child resting their body on a table surface.
Are over-responsive to vestibular input- Children in this category may be fearful of swinging, get carsick, and dislike climbing stairs.
Have perceptual challenges- Children who often appear uncoordinated or have trouble timing the movement of their body to music (such as during circle-time songs) may fall into this category.
Since there are a variety of dysfunctions possible within the vestibular system, it is best to get an occupational therapy evaluation when there are concerns. This system can be easily overloaded for over-responsive children, resulting in nausea for a prolonged period. Occupational therapists provide services and ideas for carryover in various settings so that children can be exposed to activities both in and outside of the school or clinic setting.
Playgrounds have built-in structures that are perfect for getting vestibular input. Slides provide an opportunity for children to both climb and descend in a smooth movement. Many play areas have various swing choices, giving children a chance to sit or lay down (as in a tire swing). Both spinning for a short amount of time and pushing back and forth can provide organizing input. Monkey bars work well for both climbing and hanging upside-down- an impactful way to change the position of the head.
Are you thinking it may be challenging to carry over vestibular work at home? Try this! Allow your child to sit on the couch and then hang their upper body upside-down off of it. It gives the same impact as hanging off of monkey bars and may even be more accessible to little ones who are not fond of heights. If you have an office chair on wheels, let your child explore spinning on it. Be sure to allow them to turn themselves so that they remain in control.
Children naturally work on developing their vestibular system in outdoor spaces. Climbing up rocks or hills, log-rolling down a grassy hill, or practicing somersaults or cartwheels can all be done without special equipment. Jump-roping, riding a bicycle, and rocking on a porch swing, are also organizing activities children can do outside.
OT clinics have special tools that can target a child’s specific vestibular system needs and build skills in other identified areas of need at the same time. In these spaces, you’ll often find climbing equipment, scooter boards, balance beams, a variety of different swings, spinning boards, and more.
