ABSTRACT
Although some children with autism are described as having significantly better visual than auditory perception, many children on the spectrum do experience a variety of visual distortions and sensitivities. Psychologists are already beginning to integrate aspects of OT and neuropsychology with exploration into the rapid visual-motion integration deficit in autism. This theory posits that children with autism who experience difficulty in processing and performing rapid movements become significantly impaired in their ability to interpret and use social cues. If the child suffers from hypotonia, as the child described earlier, such forced practice sessions are going to fatigue her to point where she becomes resistant to the activity and does nothing to foster true fine motor skills. Emergent research from Neuropsychology also provides exciting and compelling reasons for therapists to entice children suffering from autism to exercise. Recent findings suggest that as little as an hour of aerobic activity a week can lead to a significant decline in depression and anxiety.
