Sensory and Motor Strategies: Practical Ways to Help Autistic Children and Young People Learn and Achieve

In this fully revised third edition, Corinna Laurie sets out practical strategies to help autistic children develop their sensory and motor skills. Learn to identify possible challenges, recognise signs of overload and work in a co-productive way with your student or child, developing sensory regulation strategies and improving motor skills to aid well-being.

The simple, low-cost activities provide practical solutions to help children meet the demands of any situation, building skills from handwriting and using scissors to improving posture, co-ordination and motor planning. Sensory strategies include calming techniques and simple environmental modifications to prevent overwhelm, among many others.

Helping to improve functional abilities and enable children to thrive and build independence, this is an essential resource for anyone working with children on the autism spectrum.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Sensory Strategies

• Arousal States
• Self-regulation
• Calming Strategies
• The Touch System
• The Gustatory System
• The Auditory System
• The Olfactory System
• The Visual System
• The Vestibular System
• The Proprioceptive System
• The Interoceptive System

Motor Skills Strategies

• Motor Skills Overview
• Objectives of Yoga Sessions
• Core Stability
• Fine Motor Skills
• Visual Motor Integration
• Visual Perception
• Handwriting
• Scissor Skills
• Cutlery Skills
• Dressing
• Simple Strategies for Secondary School Students

Photocopiable Resources

"Every page is filled with easy to implement strategies to build independence and develop sensory and motor skills and self-regulation. It is great to have a resource that includes dressing and practical skills for everyday living that oftem get overlooked for so many children on the Autism Spectrum. The printable resources are a great time saver for busy professionals. "
- Sue Larkey

"If we truly want to remove barriers to learning, we need informed teachers in the classrooms. In this book, Corinna balances the latest research on sensory processing difficulties with specific lessons and educational strategies. It is a must-read for any professional working in the field of special needs education. Read this book - and learn from one of the best. "
- Emma Sanderson, Managing Director Education

"Sensory issues are such a key area for autistic people and yet so often overlooked. Autism South East have worked closely with Corinna and are delighted to see how comprehensive this latest edition of her book is. It contains explanations of the difficulties autistic children can have with clear instructions and practical advise on how best to support these issues. Corinna's experience and skills make this a must have book for all those wanting practical help and strategies to support autistic children."
- Tim and Amanda Cook, Autism South East

"As a paediatric Occupational Therapist with over 20 years of experience working with autistic children, I highly recommend this resource to any school, parent or carer who wish to expand their knowledge and understanding of sensory and motor challenges. Using plain and easy to understand language, this book explains the signs of sensory and motor difficulties. This latest version, sees Corinna Laurie explain the impact of regulation difficulties and how to implement strategies to support the child's developmental needs. This book includes many practical ideas to be used in homes and in schools to aid managing specific sensory difficulties, building independence skills. such as dressing and feeding, as well as activities that will support the development of fine and gross motor skills. This is a fantastic resource for both parents and professionals living or working with autistic individuals. "
- Kirsty Richards, Paediatric Occupational Therapist

"This is an excellent practical resource that provides accessible information on arousal states, self-regulation, environmental modifications and calming strategies to support autistic children and young people's skill development and well-being. It covers all the sensory domains including interoception which is key to understanding the emotional and behavioural regulation difficulties that autistic people so often experience. It is written with parents and education staff in mind but will be equally useful in health and social care settings too - we will be recommending this to all the families we work with! "
- Dr Sarah Lister Brook, Clinical Director and Consultant Clinical Psychologist, National Autistic Society, UK