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Combined, Multi-Component, Motor-Sensory Interventions and Autism
Introduction
There are a number of approaches which use a wide range of motor and sensory techniques including:
- Occupational Therapy: the treatment of physical and psychiatric conditions using specific, purposeful activity to prevent disability and promote independent function.
- Physiotherapy (also known as physical therapy): the use of movement as a way of assessing and improving the health and well-being of individuals.
There are also a number of interventions which use a wide range of motor and sensory techniques including
- The low arousal approach: a multi-component intervention which uses a variety of techniques to deal with challenging behaviours.
- Multi-sensory environments: an artificially-created area, such as a room or a pool, which contains equipment and materials designed to stimulate the senses.
- Restricted environmental stimulation therapy: an intervention based around sensory deprivation, that is, minimising sensory inputs such as sound, lights and smells.
- Sensory integrative therapy: a programme which usually involves a combination of different elements such as wearing a weighted vest, riding a scooter board, etc.
Evidence
Determining the benefits of combined, multi-component motor-sensory interventions for autistic people is not currently possible. We must wait for further research of sufficiently high quality to be completed.
Risks and Safety
No risks are associated with most forms of combined, multi-component motor-sensory interventions, although it is possible that someone could injure themselves when undertaking movement activities such as swinging or trampolining.
Specific Combined, Multi-Component, Motor-Sensory Interventions
Low Arousal Approach
The low arousal approach is a multi-component intervention which uses a variety of techniques to deal with challenging behaviours.
The low arousal approach is based on the idea that an individual's internal physiological state of arousal influences how they deal with sensory input from the environment and how they behave in reaction to that sensory input.
The low arousal approach is designed to reduce stressors through the use of techniques including:
- Relaxation techniques
- Sensory environments
- Physical exercise
- Reinforcement-based methods
- Physical interventions
More information
Please see
- publications on the Low Arousal Approach
Multi-Sensory Environments
A multi-sensory environment is an artificially-created area, such as a room or a pool, which contains equipment and materials designed to stimulate the senses.
Most multi-sensory environments contain a wide variety of equipment and materials (such as bubble tubes, ballpools, rockers, etc.) because they are designed to provide a variety of stimulation to a variety of different clients.
However it is also possible to design multi-sensory environments to suit the needs of individual children or adults.
Multi-sensory environments are designed to create a feeling of safety and to provide novel and intriguing sensations, which can promotes pleasure and / or feelings of well-being.
They can also be utilised as part of the learning or treatment experience or for leisure and relaxation.
More information
Please see
- publications on Multi-Sensory Environments
Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy
Restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST or peceptual isolation therapy) is an intervention based around sensory deprivation, that is, minimising sensory inputs such as sound, lights and smells.
The individual is placed in an environment with minimal distractions, such as a dimly lit room or isolation tank, for several hours or days at a time.
REST is designed to encourage an extremely deep level of relaxation.
More information
Please see
- publications on Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy
Sensory Integrative Therapy
Sensory integrative therapy is designed to help people cope with sensory difficulties.
It is based on the idea that some people struggle to receive, process and make sense of information provided by the senses.
The therapist assesses the person’s sensory difficulties and then develops a personalised treatment programme using various techniques and
tools.
A sensory integrative programme usually includes elements such as wearing a weighted vest, being brushed or rubbed by various instruments, sitting on a bouncy ball, and other similar activities
More information
Please see
- our evaluation of Sensory Integrative Therapy
- publications on Sensory Integrative Therapy
More information
Please see also the section on Standard Health Care for information about Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy and the section on Specific Sensory Interventions.
Related Pages
Related Glossaries
- Updated
- 27 May 2022