Occupational therapists for autistic people

什么是职业治疗师？

职业治疗师（OTs）专注于促进健康、福祉和独立，使有损伤、残疾或障碍的人能够从事日常活动。这些活动包括自我照料活动、生产活动（学校和工作）和社会活动。

How can an occupational therapist help people on the autism spectrum?

Many OTs have a special interest in working with people on the autism spectrum and have developed experience and knowledge in assessment and program development for autistic people.

OTs work closely with individuals, parents, teachers and other care-givers to implement strategies that will help autistic children to develop skills in child care, kindergarten and school environments. They can also help autistic adults to refine things such as motor skills, social skills or organisational skills.

Occupational therapy can provide therapeutic support to address the social and functional life skills that are required for autistic people to live the life they choose.

在一个人生活的不同阶段，需要不同的技能。OTs 可能最初评估自闭症儿童或成人的日常生活和休闲技能，并确定这些日常活动如何影响其独立性。

然后，OT 将根据个人需求制定治疗方案，并着手在一对一或小组的基础上发展他们的技能。

职业治疗的关键领域包括：

Daily living skills – mealtime skills, dressing, bathing, toileting, sleeping. For older children or adults this may include tasks such as catching public transport, managing money and meal preparation.
Play and leisure skills – how to play with toys, playing together, engaging in leisure activities, development of social skills to interact with others and build relationships. This can also include construction skills (using LEGO®, Duplo®, puzzles or model trains); doll dressing and manipulation; and IT use, such as using a mouse or stylus on an iPad or a personal computer.
Sensory processing – how the person recognises and processes information from their senses – taste, touch, sound, smell, body awareness and movement. This includes assessing how these sensory difficulties will have an impact on an autistic person’s daily life.
精细电机技能：
- Play – using two hands together, colouring-in, drawing, threading, writing, using tools, managing fastenings, using scissors.
- Self-care – dressing (tying shoelaces, doing up sandals, zips, buttons, belts), using cutlery, opening a lunch box or food bag; and personal hygiene such as cleaning teeth, brushing hair and toileting and using money.
Gross motor skills – such as crawling, sitting up, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, body awareness, coordination, climbing.
Managing organisational skills, stress and anxiety – such as engaging within the community and interacting with other people.
Work skills (for adults) – such as analysing work demands, setting work plans and developing appropriate skills related to jobs.

OTs 还可能与个人或儿童及其家庭成员或关键利益相关者（如教师、老板或教练）合作，制定支持个人的计划。它们还可以规定设备或资源，以协助实现职能成果。

什么是职业治疗助理？

Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs) work in partnership with an occupational therapist (OT) in the development and execution of support plans for clients, then work directly with the individuals to roll out that plan.

OTAs can help people with injuries, disabilities, or illnesses to improve their functional skills across a range of areas.

OTA 与个人合作实施计划和做法，提供建议、帮助纠正活动并监督 OT 规定的活动，他们还将记录进度，并反馈给 OT。

How do occupational therapy assistants help autistic people?

An OTA, supervised by an OT, may implement most of the support outlined in a therapy plan for an autistic person or child. OTAs can provide therapy services at home, at school, in an outpatient clinic or inpatient hospital setting, or within the community service facility.

OTA 在各种环境中工作，对于在学校需要 OT 治疗的儿童来说，可以是一个有用的资源，可以帮助儿童参与课堂和教育活动。

OTA还有助于帮助孤独症儿童和成人在他们自己的家庭和社区。