Our Occupational Therapy team are working with a family whose child has autism. As you may be aware, children with autism can sometimes struggle with communication as well as emotional regulation. Some cannot sit and focus on any activity for more than a few minutes.
In this case, the parents were very concerned because their child could not sit still for more than a minute. He would run around the room, touch every object and jump up and down. We worked with the child to increase his attention span and his ability to remain seated for a short time.
We communicated using different tools, primarily visual prompting. Children with autism can sometimes lack the receptive or expressive language skills to make sense of their world. We used many prompting and hand-over-hand techniques to model the desired behaviour.
Initially, there were a lot of tantrums, crying, and screaming. The parents witnessed this process as they were often included in the home sessions. The parents came to me later and said, “Thank you. We have to admit that initially, we weren’t sure about the effectiveness of what you were doing. However, now our child can sit at the dinner table for five minutes, which he couldn’t do initially.” This is a testament to what can be achieved. Small changes over an extended period can lead to significant improvements, offering hope and optimism for the future.
Parents play a crucial role in this process, and their involvement is key to the child’s progress. Their dedication and support are invaluable. They can relax with the child for a few minutes while eating together. It is a step forward—an important one for that family.
We notice that the parents will often learn the skills we demonstrate and apply them to work toward other goals. If you are experiencing difficulties with certain behaviours, please know that we are keen to support you to achieve whatever goals are essential for your family. We’d like you to feel inspired by the possibility of change. Our therapy has been proven effective in numerous cases, and we are confident that it can also bring about positive changes for your child.
Our Therapy Circles Occupational Therapists are non-judgmental, empathetic professionals focused on solving problems. We want you to feel confident and motivated that things can and will improve. We can support and guide you through that process, always maintaining a non-judgmental and accepting stance. Yes, it will take time, but when those changes happen, we see joy and relief for everybody. Please contact us if you would like to meet with our Occupational Therapy team.
