This page provides links to information about some of the motor/sensory interventions commonly used to help people on the autism spectrum.
Motor interventions refer to any treatments and therapies which make use of, or which aim to improve, motor functioning, that is, control, coordination and movement of the whole body or parts of the body.
Sensory interventions refer to any treatments and therapies which make use of, or which aim to improve sensitivity to, one or more of the senses.
Some interventions - such as sensory integrative therapy - may use a range of motor and sensory techniques and be designed to improve a range of motor and sensory functions.
Some health-care professionals (such as occupational therapists and physiotherapists), some parents and carers, and some autistic people may deliver one or more motor-sensory interventions.
There are a number of approaches which use a wide range of motor and sensory techniques including
There are also a number of interventions which use a wide range of motor and sensory techniques including
Please see
Please see also the section on Standard Health Care for information about Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy
There are many interventions based around physical activities undertaken by the autistic person. Some of those activities may be very energetic (such as trampolining) while others may be less energetic (such as yoga).
Specific types of physical activities include
Please see
Please see also
Manipulation-based interventions include a range of treatments and therapies in which someone other than the patient manipulates or moves the patient's body or parts of it.
Manipulative interventions focus primarily on the structures and systems of the body, including the bones and joints, soft tissues, and circulatory and lymphatic systems.
Specific manipulative practices include
Please see
Sound-based interventions are any treatments and therapies which use sound as an intervention technique or which are designed to help someone deal with their hearing sensitivity.
Noise-reducing headphones are headphones which are designed to reduce ambient noise (noise generated by the environment). The materials of the headphones themselves block out some sound waves, especially those at higher frequencies. They also add an extra level of noise reduction by actively erasing lower-frequency sound waves.
Auditory integration training programmes involves a person listening to a selection of music which has been electronically modified. AIT is designed to improve the person's ability to process sounds by 're-educating' the brain. This is done by playing electronically modified music in which the frequencies have been changed.
Please see
Sight-based interventions are any treatments and therapies which use sight as an intervention technique or which are designed to help someone improve their sight and visual processing skills. Sight-based interventions include
Please see
Smell-based interventions are any treatments and therapies which use smell as an intervention technique or which are designed to help someone deal with their sensitivity to smells.
Specific interventions include aromatherapy, which is the use of aromatic plant oils to improve health and well-being. The oils can be used in a variety of ways including through massage, baths and inhalations.
Taste-based interventions are any treatments and therapies which use taste as an intervention technique or which are designed to help someone deal with their sensitivity to taste.
Please see publications on Aromatherapy
Touch-based interventions are any treatments and therapies which use touch as an intervention technique or which are designed to help someone deal with their tactile sensitivity.
Touch-based interventions include deep pressure interventions such as brushing, the hug machine and weighted items such as blankets and vests.
Touch-based interventions also include some manipulation-based interventions such as massage therapy.
Please see our evaluation of Weighted Items