Module III: Intervention of Sensory and Motor Issues in Individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome

Approaches To Intervention

As occupational therapists first and foremost, we are looking at the person’s overall functioning in their daily lives. We look at how they are impacted by challenges in their lives and how we can help them achieve a level of independence in their activities of daily living and occupation. Intervention is directed at helping the individual reach their goals or their parents’ goals toward independence and function in the various environments with which they come in contact. It is apparent from all of the previous information in this module as well as module one and two that person’s with Asperger’s Syndrome may experience significant enough difficulties with sensory integration that are negatively impacting their level of independence and function in their lives. When we speak of sensory integration intervention, it is important to recognize and remember that we are speaking of occupational therapy intervention with an emphasis and concentration on the theory and intervention principles of sensory integration.³

Sensory integration based occupational therapy usually involves direct (1:1) intervention using a variety of sensory modalities, parent or client education concerning sensory integration and how dysfunction in sensory integration is affecting their lives, and finally the formulation of a “sensory diet” along with a home/school program of activities for the client. Sensory diet activities follow a routine and schedule in a person’s day much like a nutritional diet does. With a nutritional diet, a person eats three meals a day with smaller snacks in between when hungry. With a sensory diet, a person uses sensory activities (such as jumping, crashing into large pillows or mattresses, moving and carrying heavy objects, etc.) throughout the day to help the nervous system achieve a more organized and comfortable state. It is important that client/parents/teachers or other caregivers carry out sensory diet activities and home recommendations to maintain the child’s progress in intervention and help the person develop good coping strategies and tools to help them deal better with their environments on a daily basis. This ensures that the intervention is generalized to other environments besides the clinic, school, or hospital, and helps reinforce the sensory input the client is receiving from direct intervention. For more information about sensory diet please click on www.alertprogram.com and see How Does Your Engine Run? A leader’s Guide to the Alert Program for Self-Regulation.⁷ This is an excellent resource for helping parents, teachers, and children develop language about organizing strategies and sensory diet planning. When we talk about sensory integration intervention, we must talk about direct intervention, parent or client education, and home programming and sensory diet planning. Let us now follow a client with Asperger’s Syndrome through the intervention process to get a better idea of what sensory integration intervention is all about.

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