Blog

Anxiety:  We’ve all experienced it and witnessed it, and it ain’t pretty.

As adults, we may have learned tools and methods to control our anxiety. But when anxiety manifests itself in children without the language or the means by which to identify their inner struggle, anxiety can not only be difficult to diagnose, but even more challenging to effectively address. 

Common Signs of Anxiety in Children

Anxiety is often accompanied by a wide variety of external factors, stimuli and expression, ranging from withdrawal, agitation, restlessness, inattention and poor focus. Anxiety may also manifests in somatic symptoms of stress, such as stomachaches, headaches or restlessness. 

One of the most common reactions to anxiety is the avoidance of regular activities: this is usually accompanied by an emotional outburst such as tantrums and crying. Your child may suddenly refuse to go to school and have massive meltdowns before school about how their clothing, hair, shoes or socks looks or feels. Or the meltdowns may come after school about homework. Parents often witness the meltdown triggered by transitions, such as the transitions between school and other sports and activities. Meltdowns may also accompany performance-related anxiety for children who hold themselves to extremely high standards for homework, sports, school and artistic endeavors. 

Not only is anxiety present throughout the day, but children with anxiety often have a difficult time relaxing and settling down for bed, compounding the stress factor the next morning when they awake. When children live with anxiety, their bodies are under a constant deluge of stress hormones, which creates a snowball effect upon their health and well-being, causing even more anxiety. Poor sleep, inability to relax, shortened breath and fear become the norm. It’s no wonder these children lack the ability to be calm and present: their bodies are overworked and  overstressed.

Anxiety is Stress

Clinically speaking, anxiety is classified as a stress related mental health disorder. 

When the body experiences stress, it does not differentiate between non-fatal modern day stressors and the ancient stressors we faced when living in caves and fighting for our lives. 

The body reacts in the same way, and fight-or-flight takes over the nervous system and immediately triggers the release of cortisol and adrenaline, preparing us to whatever we are doing and run or fight for our lives. 

As adults, we may react verbally, by yelling and cursing at other drivers when in the throes of road rage, for example. As negative as this reaction is, it is still a reaction and one under our control, one which allows our nervous system to release some tension. 

Children often react by crying and having a tantrum, or suddenly refusing to do those things that we adults perceive of as normal, everyday functions. These reactions  which may come as a result of a non-threatening phrase for an adult –  “Let’s get dressed for soccer practice, honey,”  – all of the sudden trigger fear and anxiety in the child’s body. Their young body reacts to fear and anxiety with a flood of cortisol and adrenaline, the same hormones that our ancestor’s bodies released when faced with a sudden attack by a saber toothed tiger. Without the tools to understand why they are feeling anxiety and fear, or even the language to be able to identify these feelings, children are faced with the effects of the feelings, oftentimes too frightening to process. And the result is physical behavior that can be extreme and unexplainable. Other common symptoms of anxiety in children include selective mutism and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Under such conditions, it’s not difficult to see why children with anxiety act out in ways that may baffle the adults around them. Frequently, these behaviors become more persistent, intense and frustrating over time., Oftentimes, anxiety can be misdiagnosed as a learning disability or attention deficit disorder because it is usually present in conjunction with other disorders.  

How to Manage Anxiety

As educators and therapists, our staff at Specialized Therapy Services and The OAS Center is here to help you and your family manage your child’s anxiety with a blend of evidence and play based therapeutic techniques. We provide a variety of therapies in our clinic and charter school settings including: Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Individual Counseling, Psychological Services, and more. For more information find us at https://www.theoascenter.com

Childhood anxiety often goes away, but the process is slow and requires patience. A more accurate term might be that your child will learn how to handle their anxiety to such a degree that the anxiety will seem as if it is no longer present. And over time, this is what happens. Anxiety becomes less and less of an issue, because your child is given the tools to manage and control their own behavior. Once in control of their behavior, this out-of-control stressor no longer is out-of-control, and the effects of the stressor lesson and may even entirely go away. 

The key to managing stress and anxiety in children is learning to recognize when the anxiety strikes and not punishing your child when they are acting out: remember, this is a child who does not have the full means of controlling their body and emotions. This child needs to have a patient and calm person on the other end of their outburst. If you mirror your child’s anxiety with your own emotional outburst, the process becomes more complicated and difficult to diffuse.

It’s important to recognize that anxiety is rooted in fear. Fear is not diminished by anger, frustration or discipline. Stay calm when your child experiences anxiety and pay attention to your child’s feelings over their actions. Your goal is not to eliminate the anxiety, but to help your child learn to manage it: in doing so, you empower your child to learn to help themselves. 

Instead of keeping your child’s life as anxiety-and-stress-free as possible, give them positive tools before common stressors, such as, “Take three deep breaths.” This simple act forces the child to focus on something other than the root of their anxiety. Distraction is a powerful tool. In being distracted, you’re now asking the child to breathe deeply and oxygenate their system, to calm and slow down. You are helping diminish the stress and fear trigger that flooded their system with cortisol and adrenaline. Three deep breaths may seem like nothing at all, but it is rooted in science and is a powerful technique to introduce body-based mindful awareness tools to your child. 

If your child is old enough to count, follow the three deep breaths with an instruction to increase the length of their exhale in comparison with their inhale. A recent article in Psychology Today notes how a longer exhale helps decrease stress by stimulating the Vagus nerve and combat fight-or-fight stress response. Something as simple as, ““Let’s count to three as we inhale. And now let’s count to five as we exhale” has powerful, long-lasting effects on the nervous system, especially if you can maintain this breath for one and up to two minutes at a time. 

Don’t modify or skip activities because they cause anxiety. This won’t help your child learn to manage their anxiety or live a normal life: your child will simply transfer their anxiety onto other situations. Instead, plan for transitions. Recognize and praise your child for the small accomplishments that they take. And don’t punish mistakes or lack of progress. Remember to give lots of positive reinforcement. 

When you’re faced with an activity that causes anxiety, listen to your child’s fears but don’t empower them. Instead, explain that you will be there with your child every step of the way. Tell them it’s okay to be scared, nervous or worried. Tell them this is normal. Practice with them a coping skill, like our longer exhale breath technique, and then tackle the activity together. Your child may not be able to effectively handle their anxiety right away, but with patience, time and practice, you will both get better at handling anxiety-inducing situations.

If you know you can’t be there with your child when the anxiety-triggering situation presents itself,talk out the situation before it happens and coach them through practice scenarios on how to deal with their anxiety. For example, a child with separation anxiety might need to have a specific adult like a teacher, other parent, or counselor to connect with if mom or dad aren’t around. If your child knows that this particular adult is “safe,” automatically, their anxiety is lessened. It may also be helpful to share your anxiety-reducing tools (such as our Three Deep Breaths) with this adult so that they can practice your child’s anxiety-reducing techniques with them.

Also remember that as a parent and educator, it’s important for YOU to model healthy anxiety coping skills. Our children are master observers. If they see you becoming inexplicably angry or constantly complaining to other adults in your life about how stressed you are, they will interpret your stress and anger within their body as fear of the unknown. That fear then translates to anxiety. Certainly, life can be stressful and we’re not saying that you shouldn’t ever be stressed, fearful, anxious or angry: to live so is not human. But what is human is to live and learn how to manage our anxiety so that we can model these behaviors to our young ones. 

Remember that children learn the most by watching. When you react to stress with anxiety, make sure to take time afterwards to explain why you felt these things and how you are dealing with them. 

Share your tools on dealing with anxiety with your children. When you take the first step in managing your own anxiety, your children will see and realize that anxiety is normal and that it’s OK to be anxious. That permission alone will lessen their need to demonstrate negative anxiety-coping behaviors.  In voicing your feelings and sharing your coping methods, you not only show your children that you are human and that you experience the same things they do, but you will empower your children manage their anxiety and become more mindful citizens of the world. 

Think Your Child Might Have an Anxiety Disorder, but not sure?  Take this quiz offered by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Social Media Affecting Teen Depression

Social media has become a daily method of communication even though the research consistently points to the fact that the more time we spend on social media, the more depressed we are. The level of social media-linked depression increases at an exponential rate for teens because of a lack of support structure in place, and also because the human brain still in the process of development until the age of 25, and therefore, increasingly subject to influence during these crucial formative years. In the spectrum of mental health disorders, social media as a trigger and a cause is relatively new and this phenomenon is still being studied. The United States National Institute of Health has conducted some of the most rigorous data-driven research protocols examining this very subject.

Psychological Effects of Social Media on Youth

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has officially linked teen depression linked to social media use. Teens affected with social media-linked depression often describe feelings of anxiety, envy, narcissism, poor body image, loneliness and decreased social skills. These affects are cross-cultural and not linked to socio-economic status. 

Social-media linked teen depression has become so prevalent that the NIH is currently conducting yet another research study “to understand the causes of depression, the teen brain, and evaluate new treatments. Studies enroll participants, ages 11-17, for research assessments, brain scans, talk therapy or other standard treatments.” 

How Does Social Media Affect Self Esteem?

Social media’s effect on self-esteem results from:

1. comparison of self with others (usually to highly curated images not depicting “life as it is.”
2. The perception that one is being left out, also known colloquially as FOMO (fear of missing out), a term coined specifically to describe “anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on a social media website.”

Dr. Jennifer Rhodes terms this a paradox affect, wherein we are connected to every one of our friends on social media, and yet our reality is that we are more disconnected than ever before and less likely to venture outside of our screen for human interaction. Our online friends’ lives are depicted in such glorious and bright terms that we perceive that their lives are filled with so many options, none of which are currently available to us. 

Social media also causes unrealistic expectations, negative body image, and addiction. Teens catch themselves comparing their physical features or daily life to people who they’re envious of, a cycle fueled by Influencers and You Tubers and which has no end in sight.  

Donna Wick, EdD, founder of Mind-to Mind Parenting, says “that for teenager’s the combined weight of vulnerability, the need for validation, and a desire to compare themselves with peers forms a perfect storm of self-doubt. She’s so thin, her grades are perfect. What a happy couple, I’ll never be that cool, that skinny, that lucky, that successful.” These thoughts often plague the mind of children who suffer from depression or anxiety.

What can YOU do as a concerned parent or educator? 

Signs of Depression
It’s important to recognize these classic signs of depression and anxiety in teens, according to the The NIH:

1. Does my child seem irritable or sad for days? Not interested in activities that he/she usually finds fun?
2. Have my child’s eating habits changed?
3. Does my child spend less time with friends?
4. Has school suddenly become a struggle?
5. Despite my child’s low energy, does he/she become riled up and angry easily? 

Social-media affective depression might be classified as typical depression – there is a cause and effect, and the factors involved in each can be manipulated. 

We also wish to share these three signs of atypical depression from Psychology Today:

1. Self-Harm
2. Chronic Substance Abuse
3. Suicide Ideation or Attempts

Teenage Counseling Services

Teenage counseling services can be an excellent tool in developing skills for current and future problems. The effects will be life-long by gaining insight in self-regulation, setting boundaries, coping strategies, social skills, and self-esteem. 

Teen Therapist

If your teen is suffering from depression, reaching out to a licensed professional can help your child navigate their emotions and regain his/her sense of self, learn to manage time online and rebound back into a healthy dialogue with self, friends and the world around them. Teens not only need someone to hear them, they also need practical tools to help them manage their ever-shifting world. 

Teen Therapy

Specialized Therapy Services partner with Charter Schools in order to provide Special Education services to students. Our ERMHS (Educationally Related Mental Health Service) therapists work with students on their social-emotional goals in schools to help improve mood, learn helpful coping strategies, and increase academic success.

Frequently Asked Questions:

By Alyssa Safran, LMFT

As the national discussion on autism continues to progress, so too does the debate over best practices and treatment options for individuals with an autism spectrum diagnosis. Today, 1 in 59 American children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder each year (Autism Speaks, 2018). The DSM V describes an autism spectrum disorder as “persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, manifested by deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, nonverbal communicative behaviors, and deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships” (DSM V, 2013). Though autism occurs on a spectrum with symptoms ranging from mild to severe, the majority of all individuals with an ASD, regardless of severity, report feeling challenged by their own cognitive rigidity. This lack of flexibility impacts many areas of life including: communication, pragmatics, relationships, and coping skills. When children are younger, cognitive rigidity often presents as difficulty working through frustration, meltdowns, perseveration on limited topics of conversation, or adverse behaviors. As children age, cognitive rigidity not only impacts pragmatic skills, but can also lead to excessive negative thoughts about self and the world around him/her. Many studies (Chandrasekhar, 2015; Hammond, 2014; Strang, 2012) show an especially high correlation between children with autism and a diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression. The science behind this finding suggests that humans have a tendency to pay more attention to negative events versus positive events. For individuals on the autism spectrum who are already contending with a higher level of cognitive rigidity than most, negative thoughts are especially detrimental, in that they can exacerbate negative views of self and reinforce isolation from others. This article seeks to explore the benefits of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as an acceptable treatment modality for older children, adolescents, and adults on the autism spectrum.

 

While there is no “cure” for autism, various therapies exist to minimize and manage symptoms. For many parents, determining the “right” therapy for their child can prove to be a challenging quest. After the initial diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder, parents are usually encouraged to pursue behavioral therapy to target the most “outward” signs of autism (self injurious or aggressive behavior, communication challenges, inability to regulate emotions, food aversion, etc). Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), is the most commonly recommended therapy for younger children on the spectrum. This evidence based intervention is designed to reduce unwanted behaviors and to promote the growth of foundational concepts in communication, social skills, and independent living. ABA tends to provide structure and routine, and primes the child for social and emotional growth. Once foundational communication, social, and coping skills are learned and maintained, behavioral therapy is reduced. As children on the spectrum age, the focus of treatment often shifts from managing behaviors, to improving social skills. Towards the end of the elementary school years, children on the spectrum often report an increased awareness of social difficulties, and a distinct feeling of differentness from peers. Adolescence can prove to be a particularly challenging time, as individuals on the spectrum become increasingly aware of challenges to “fitting in” socially with peers.

Research affirms Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as an effective and acceptable treatment modality for pre-teens, adolescents, and young adults with an autism spectrum disorder. This particular modality of therapy combines talk therapy and behavioral therapy, and operates under the assumption that an individual’s thoughts can evoke positive/negative emotions, which drive behaviors. The ultimate goal of CBT is to replace negative thoughts with positive, realistic thoughts, which ultimately impact an individual’s ability to respond to challenging situations.

Participants in therapy are taught to understand the impact of their thoughts on behavior and learn to reframe negative thoughts in order to avoid falling into negative thinking patterns.

 

Individuals with an autism spectrum disorder tend to respond well to CBT, as this modality targets cognitive rigidity and concrete thinking. For many individuals on the spectrum, the world is viewed from a very “black and white” perspective, and can ultimately lead to negative thoughts about the self or world around them. Common negative thoughts such as “If I try to fit in, I’ll fail;” “If I stay away from people, I won’t get hurt;” or “I can’t understand what is going on in [my] world” are often reported by individuals with an ASD. Negative beliefs can become self-fulfilling prophesies and pose serious challenges to the individual forming positive relationships and achieving personal goals.  Research shows that not only do negative thoughts tend to “stick in our memory longer than positive thoughts” but also can change the way the neurons fire in the brain. Each time a negative thought is formed, a new network between neurons is created. The more times an individual accesses a negative thought, the stronger the bond between neurons becomes. Over time, negative thoughts lead to subconscious habits.

CBT is effective in helping the individual to  identify ways in which their patterns of thinking, feeling, or behaving may be more or less helpful (or accurate) and can dramatically improve one’s interactions with peers, family, and the world around him/her.

 

Many therapists are trained in the techniques of CBT and are able to offer as a modality of treatment. For parents who are unable to afford therapy sessions but are still interested in helping their child address negative thoughts, a variety of online, interactive programs exist. Coping Cat and Go Zen offer affordable, interactive, and family friendly materials. For more information about CBT services offered at the OAS Center, check out our website at https://oascenter.wpengine.com.

While there is no known cure for autism, autism is treatable and a variety of therapies exist to help minimize symptoms. Autism can impact a child in many ways: communication, eye contact, social skills, emotional regulation, and behavior are frequently affected. Such challenges can lead to difficulties accomplishing independent developmental tasks, navigating social situations, and remaining in the general education setting. Autism research points to the effectiveness of behavioral therapy as one of themost effective interventions for children with an autism spectrum disorder.

What is Applied Behavioral Analysis?

Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy (ABA) is often the most recommended therapy for a child who has been newly diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.ABA is a behavioral intervention that aims to assist a child with developing essential skills related to social interaction, communication, and self care through the use of positive reinforcement. Children are taught various concepts through play-based activities and tasks, then rewarded for responding with positive behavior. Treatment goals range from encouraging meaningful play (reciprocal play), to enhancing communication. Some children with autismhave difficulty expressing themselves effectively and appropriately. ABA therapy teaches important communication skills such as requesting versus demanding and conversational turn taking.Other common treatment goals include developing a self care routine(eating neatly, brushing teeth, toilet training, etc.) and working towards independence on various tasks. ABA is most often the starting point for the treatment of autism, as it creates foundational building blocks for the child to utilize when participating in other therapies such as speech or occupational therapy. ABA therapy is effective in supporting the child through various developmental stages. It’s often started when the child is a toddler and then goals are continually modified to match the child’s changing developmental needs.

How does ABA work?

Most often, children and parents receive ABAsupport from a Behavior Interventionist in the family home setting. Not only is this a convenient option for the parent, but ensures consistent weekly participation and practice of treatment goals. Another benefit of ABA therapy is observing the child in his/her natural environment, which allows the Behavioral Interventionistto observe the child within their family dynamic but also to effectively work on developmental skills such as feeding, toilet training, and other self help skills. Parents are usually encouraged to observe or participate in their child’s session, in order to understand the goals their child is working on and learn the necessary skills to support their child in practicing tasks between sessions. Once a task has been mastered “in-home” it’s common for ABA therapists to take the child and parent on community outings to practice the task in a public setting, which enables the child to generalize the new task. ABA service time depends on the severity of theautism spectrum disorder and the age of the child. Some children only require three hours per week, while other receive upwards of 40 hours per week. A typical amount of ABA support is usually about six hours per week.  Once a child has reached school age, in-home support might be reduced in order to accommodate the child’s academic support needs. Children with autism are provided with free IEPs(Individualized Education Plan) and Behavior Intervention is usually a typical service available to children with autism.

Who can practice ABA?

Behavior Interventionists work with children, adolescents, and occasionally adults with developmental disabilities to facilitate positive behaviors and to decrease negative, unhealthy, or destructive behavior. Behavior Interventionists may work in many settings such as a community clinic, in the client’s home, or in schools. Behavioral Interventionists work directly with the child and also build relationships with the parents, teachers, and any other treatment provider in the child’s life. Most Behavioral Interventionists understand the importance of collaboration between treatment providers and will often develop goals related to behavior and social interactions that may be worked on in a variety of settings. Behavior Interventionists must possess a bachelors degree. Supervisors of Behavior Interventionists are called Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) and have completed a masters degree, supervised experience, and have passed a certification exam.

Accessing ABA Therapy

Children with autism (ages 0-3) are entitled to free early intervention behavioral therapy services (in-home intervention) though the San Diego Regional Center. School aged children are also able to access free behavioral intervention support services through their IEP (Individualized Education Plan).Another option for ABA therapy includes private therapy through a clinic. Some insurance plans cover private ABA therapy, if a child has a documented diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder. If you are interested in learning more about options for accessing ABA therapy for your child with autism we would encourage you to contact the OAS Center for more information at 619-431-5049. The Autism Speaks (auitismspeaks.org) and theSan Diego Regional Center (sdrc.org) websites offer great support to parents and both websites are easy to navigate. We would also encourage you to contact the OAS Centerat 619-431-5049 for more information.

Autism does not have a cure. However, behavioral interventions for children with autism, is one of the most effect interventions used that can profoundly diminish the symptoms of autism and help a child with autism lead a productive and fulfilling life. A child with autism can experience both social and educational challenges. When behavior therapy is used as a treatment plan, can help alleviate the challenges that many children with autism face. After all, no one wants to see their child become frustrated in school or life and then feel helpless. The most important thing to remember is that no one plan is the end all be all for treating autism, each child has unique needs and it is important that parents find a treatment that works for their child.

Overall, the most generally accepted and successful treatment approach for children with autism is behavior therapy. This is an effective approach for children across the autism spectrum, not just for children with behavioral issues. Behavior therapy is widely implemented as a tool to help develop social skills for children with autism.

As a parent, it may be confusing deciding which treatment is best for your child with autism. Schools may tell you one thing and you may hear something else from a parent group. There is no one right answer. One thing that has been proven is that the earlier the intervention the better. The sooner your child begin behavioral therapy the easier it will be for your child to learn age-appropriate social skills and better transition into society.

One of the most effect and used behavior support for students with autism is applied behavior analysis (ABA).  This type of behavior intervention is safe, flexible, and when used, has proven effective. Parents continuously report that ABA has had tremendous positive results for their child with autism. Whether a child is three years old or seventeen years old, ABA is one of the most reliable ways for a child to develop social, communication, academic, life skills, and emotional skills that will make them successful in the classroom and in life.

So what is applied behavior analysis (ABA)?

ABA is a behavior intervention that focuses on developing social skills, language, and self-help abilities through positive reinforcement. A behavior interventionist will either, go to a child’s house or school, and work one-on-one with the child to develop these skills. Some things a behavior interventionist might do is intervening on problem behavior such as aggression or defiance and then teach them a positive replacement behavior. The child is essentially rewarded for the positive behavior. An ABA therapist might work with a child on turn-taking skills. Instead of always interrupting the other person in a conversation, a behavior interventionist might teach a child to learn to wait until the appropriate time in the conversation before interjecting.

During a session with a child, an ABA therapist will introduce new skills to the child. An overwhelming amount of research has proven that ABA is highly effective in reducing problematic behavior of a child with autism. The ABA therapist will teach the child through modeling and role-playing activities. The child will be able to watch the therapist use the appropriate behaviors and then try the behavior with the support of the therapist.

There are many skills that a child may not be interested in learning or may not see the value in learning. For example, a child might not be interested in having eye contact when they talk to someone. An ABA therapist would work with that child on learning to have eye contact anyways because of the value of that skill in the long run. Whether it is for a casual conversation or a job interview, making eye contact with a person while they are talking to you is a skill that is important in the work place and in social situations.

ABA therapists are trained to assess the child and create sessions that individually benefit the child. What one child needs to work on could be completely different from what another child needs to work on in life. Some children need as many as 30-40 hours per week in ABA therapy and other children may only need 4 hours a week. When children begin to practice these positive behaviors and their social skills start to improve, ABA will continue to help the child in maintaining and cementing those life-long skills.

The number of children diagnosed with autism continues to increase each year. Autism can impact a child in many different areas of life such as communication and social interaction and can have a considerable effect on a child’s participation and performance in the classroom. Children with autism often experience difficulty processing sensory information, and this can lead to feeling overstimulated (too much energy) or lethargic (difficulty maintaining attention), ultimately impacting academic participation and socialization with peers. When problems related to sensory processing occur in the classroom, children are more likely to experience acting out behaviors, lower self esteem, or withdrawn behavior. Aside from behavioral and speech/ language support, children with an autism spectrum disorder may also benefit from occupational therapy.

What is occupational therapy?

Occupational Therapy (OT) is a treatment modality designed to treat injured, ill, or individuals with developmental disabilities through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2018). Examples include: helping children with fine motor difficulties to learn to tie their shoes, grasp a pencil correctly, button their shirt, etc. Occupational therapy is usually sensory based, with interventions designed to help children develop awareness around their sensory systems and mange sensory input appropriately. Occupational therapy for children is often play-based, and hands on, and might involve deep touch, massage, use of a swings, stability balls, etc. based on the child’s sensory needs. Occupational therapy is particularly effective in not only helping children with autism to refine gross and fine motor skills, but to also filter information and manage environmental stimuli. Most individuals on the autism spectrum experience difficulty with sensory processing. Such children often report concentration difficulties in the classroom. This is due to the extra challenge they face of filtering out background noises, managing their own sensory needs, and ignoring classroom distractions in order to focus on the instructor. Participation in occupational therapy allows children with autism to manage sensory information more effectively with the use of specific strategies, ultimately increasing focus and regulation.

What are Occupational Therapists?

Occupational therapists (OTs) help individuals become proficient, independent, and  successful at accomplishing everyday tasks, specifically when the individual has a disability (such as autism). Occupational therapists create activities designed to strengthen different muscle groups, improve coordination, and manage sensory input through the practice of everyday activities such as brushing teeth, tying one’s shoe, or writing.  Occupational therapists are trained to understand the specific ways a disability may affect a child’s physical and emotional functioning or disrupt regular routines, and are able to tailor treatment goals to the individual needs of the child. Occupational therapists may work in many settings such as a clinic, hospital, or school. Occupational therapists work directly with the child and also build relationships with the parents, teachers, and any other treatment provider in the child’s life. Most Occupational therapists understand the importance of collaboration between treatment providers and will often develop goals related to behavior and social interactions that may be worked on at home and at school. Occupational therapists determine each child’s service time based on the child’s needs and the impact of their disability.

Children with Autism and Occupational Therapy

It is estimated that 80% of children with autism have sensory processing problems (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2018). Occupational therapy offers many benefits for children with autism ranging from improved attention, enhanced social problem solving and cooperation, improved emotional regulation, and/or  increased independence in daily task completion.

When initially evaluating a child’s eligibility for occupational therapy, the Occupational therapist will observe the child participating in challenging motor tasks or in the setting where difficulties commonly arise. Data gathered from observation is then used to develop treatment goals, and will help the Occupational therapist to determine if goals should focus on attention and sensory regulation, social interactions, or developmental tasks. For children struggling to maintain attention in the classroom due to sensory dys-regulation, OT’s are able to suggest modifications to the child’s learning environment and strategies to use throughout the school day obtain sensory input appropriately. Examples include replacing a chair with a Bossa ball for children who have difficulty sitting still, playing a theraband between chair legs so children have a place to expend their energy without disrupting their peers, or providing children with visual reminders of strategies they can practice throughout the school day (ex:asking for a break, drinking water, taking deep breaths, hands to self, etc). Occupational therapists regularly consult with teachers and school staff to determine if suggested strategies are effective, or if new strategies could be implemented. Occupational therapists are also able to utilize play based interventions to assist children with improving social interactions. Examples include acting out common social challenges through role play or pretend play, determining behaviors that would be viewed appropriate and inappropriate by peers, and practicing socially acceptable regulation strategies (ex: hands to self versus touching peers). If a child’s difficulties arise during developmental tasks such as brushing hair or eating neatly, treatment activities will focus on practicing such activities until the child is able to perform task independently.

Accessing Occupational Therapy

Children with autism are entitled to free occupational therapy though their public school, via their IEP (Individualized Education Plan). Another option for occupational therapy includes private therapy through a clinic. Many insurance plans cover private occupational therapy if a child has a documented diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder. If you are interested in learning more about options for accessing Occupational Therapy for your child with autism we would encourage you to contact the OAS center for more information at 619-431-5049