ASD management

Question 1

Common FM difficulties

Answer 1

Purposeful FM skills (inability to stop repetitive tendencies; low cognitive interest in task purpose)
Tasks with sensory elements (dislike of textures)

Question 2

Common GM difficulties

Answer 2

Games involving social reciprocity (ball games, sport)
Less involvement in purposeful, complex and/or creative play
Sensory processing issues - toe walking gait
Primary coordination and planning issues

Question 3

Common P and B issues

Answer 3

Low registration (sensory info not integrated or may thrill seek)
High registration (sensory stimuli may be avoided)

Question 4

Common neuro/IP difficulties

Answer 4

Neurological - low tone

Infant patterns - extensor thrust; sensory hypersensitivity; poor postural control

Question 5

Low registration

Answer 5

Safety - awareness of damaging stimuli
Motion - increase activity level for health and fitness
Orientation - practise/challenge postural control to improve stability and orientation
Variety - involvement in more activity types
Modulation - try to include activities where effort is need - improves tone
Timing - work on turn taking and group based interaction, use music and rhythm
Vision - more watch, follow
Proprioception - more weight, use orientation
Tactile - more general input
Vestibular - more linear and rotational movement

Question 6

Sensory seeking

Answer 6

Safety - settle; self monitor; safe environment
Motion - channel activity level into more appropriate conditions for health and fitness
Orientation - slow/reduce/control movement to improve stability and orientation
Variety - gently expand activity types; teach self monitoring for appropriate behaviour
Modulation - slow/reduce/control movement to teach better graded responses
Vision - control watch, follow
Proprioception - control weight and orientation
tactile - less general, more specific input
Vestibular - control linear and rotation movement

Question 7

High sensitivity

Answer 7

Safety - non confronting environment
Motion - gently increase sensory and movement experiences, use rhythm, allow child to self-initiate, watch for over stimulation
Orientation - teach re-weighting of sensory information to improve stability and orientation
Variety - gently expand activity types; take Childs lead; use cognitive strategies
Modulation - teach relaxation to gait better graded responses
Vision - try to reduce reliance
Proprioception - try to increase awareness for orientation
Tactile - self initiated exploration
Vestibular - self initiated exploration

Question 8

Sensory avoider

Answer 8

Safety - non-confronting environment
Engages - very careful treatment, may need a specific de-sensitisation program
Motion - gently increase sensory and movement experiences, use rhythm, allow child to self-initiate, watch for over stimulation
Orientation - teach self monitoring for stability and orientation - reduce avoidance postures
Variety - gently expand activity types; take child’s lead, use familiar people
Modulation - use tolerated senses to gain relaxation and better graded responses
Vision - gentle introduction
proprioception - gentle specific input
Tactile - self initiated exploration
Vestibular - self initiated exploration