What is DCD?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behaviour. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is said to be a ‘developmental disorder’ because symptoms generally appear in the first two years of life.
DSM V1 identify that ‘people with ASD tend to have communication deficits, such as responding inappropriately in conversations, misreading nonverbal interactions, or having difficulty building friendships appropriate to their age. In addition, people with ASD may be overly dependent on routines, highly sensitive to changes in their environment, or intensely focused on inappropriate items’ – the DSM V also identifies difficulties with regulating sensory information. An estimated 45 – 90% of children with ASD demonstrate sensory –related difficulties2.
Parents / carers clearly identify the impact of this on daily activities3 and how this can often affect function in differing ways across the child’s communities, home, school4.
Working with the child and Parent / carer, as well as the school (where required) it is important to create individual goals that are led by the family and identified needs5. The Occupational Therapist is able to combine different approaches, including sensory and motor to give greater understanding to specific and individual difficulties, and enabling the child to engage in areas and communities of daily life.
Refrances:
1. APA, 2014.
2. Ben-Sasson et al, 2008
3. Ben-Sasson et al, 2008
4. Parham and Mailloux, 2015
5. Schaaf et al, 2015