Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy in Indiana
At the Applied Behavior Center for Autism, our Occupational Therapy services help children build the practical skills they need for everyday life. While ABA therapy focuses on behavior, communication, and learning, occupational therapy helps children improve how they interact with the world around them. Some children with autism struggle with sensory sensitivities, fine motor skills, self-care tasks, play skills, or adjusting to everyday environments. Occupational therapy helps children overcome these challenges so they can become more independent and confident at home, at school, and in the community.
Our Occupational Therapists have experience working with children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. We work closely with families and other therapy teams to create individualized plans based on each child’s strengths, challenges, and goals.
Why Families Choose Occupational Therapy at ABC
- Individualized therapy plans tailored to each child’s needs
- Support for sensory processing, fine motor skills, and daily living activities
- Collaborative care alongside ABA therapy and speech therapy
- Family involvement and ongoing communication
- Therapy focused on building independence and confidence
- In-network with most major insurance providers and most Medicaid networks
- Multiple Indiana locations for easier access to care
What Is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy helps children build the physical, sensory, emotional, and daily living skills they need to participate in everyday activities. For some children, that may mean learning how to get dressed, brush their teeth, or use utensils during meals. For others, it may involve improving fine motor skills, managing sensory sensitivities, or learning how to play with peers.
Occupational therapy focuses on helping children become more comfortable and successful in the activities that are part of everyday life.
Skills Developed Through Occupational Therapy
Every child’s occupational therapy plan is different, but therapy often focuses on helping children build greater independence in daily routines and activities.
Our Occupational Therapists break these larger goals into smaller steps so children can build skills in a way that feels manageable and encouraging.
Children may work on:
- Dressing and hygiene
- Bathing and toileting
- Feeding and eating
- Brushing teeth and grooming
- Fine motor skills
- Handwriting and classroom tasks
- Play and leisure skills
- Following routines
- Communication and social participation
- Household chores and meal preparation
- Safety skills
- Emotional regulation
- Sensory coping skills
Building Independence With Daily Living Skills
Many children with autism need extra support learning how to complete everyday tasks on their own.
If your child has difficulty getting dressed, brushing their teeth, feeding themselves, or completing simple chores, our Occupational Therapists can help.
Therapists observe how your child currently completes these activities and identify what may be making the task difficult. From there, they create new strategies, supports, and teaching methods to help your child build confidence and independence.
Daily living goals may include:
- Putting on shoes and clothing
- Using utensils during meals
- Washing hands independently
- Completing bedtime routines
- Brushing teeth
- Using the bathroom
- Cleaning up toys
- Helping with simple chores
These are the types of skills that can make a meaningful difference in your child’s everyday life.
Coping With Sensory Overload
Many children with autism have sensory sensitivities that can make daily experiences feel overwhelming. Some children may become distressed by loud noises, bright lights, certain clothing textures, haircuts, dental appointments, or even the feeling of certain foods.
Our Occupational Therapists work with children to understand these sensory challenges and develop strategies to help them feel more comfortable and regulated. Therapy may focus on helping children:
- Tolerate different sounds and textures
- Handle changes in routine
- Feel more comfortable with grooming tasks
- Cope with haircuts, doctor visits, and dental appointments
- Expand food preferences
- Manage frustration and emotional responses
- Build self-regulation skills
Depending on your child’s needs, therapy can take place in the center, at home, in the community, or in other environments where support is needed.
Play Skills and Social Development
Play is an important part of childhood, but some children with autism need help learning how to play in ways that feel comfortable and appropriate for their age.
Occupational therapy can help children build play skills, imagination, social interaction, and flexibility during activities.
Therapists may help children learn how to:
- Play with toys appropriately
- Take turns
- Share with peers
- Participate in group activities
- Try new games and activities
- Build creativity and imagination
- Improve attention span during play
For children who need more support with peer interaction, we may also recommend our Social Skills services.
Occupational Therapy and ABA Therapy Together
Occupational therapy is often most effective when combined with other autism services.
At the Applied Behavior Center for Autism, our Occupational Therapists work closely with our Center-Based ABA Therapy team, Speech Therapy providers, and families to make sure your child’s goals are supported across every environment. For example, if a child is working on communication, emotional regulation, and sensory coping skills, all members of the therapy team can use similar strategies and goals to help the child make more consistent progress.
This collaborative approach helps children build skills faster and apply them in everyday life.
Insurance and Enrollment Information
We are in-network with most major insurance providers and most Medicaid networks. Our team can help verify your benefits, explain coverage, and guide you through the enrollment process.
If your child does not yet have a formal autism diagnosis, we may recommend beginning with Diagnostic Testing before starting therapy services.
Get Started With Occupational Therapy
If your child struggles with sensory sensitivities, self-care tasks, fine motor skills, or daily routines, occupational therapy may help.
Our team can help you determine whether occupational therapy is the right fit for your child and explain how it may work alongside ABA therapy and other services.
Learn more about Our Process, Diagnostic Testing, and Funding or contact us today to get started.