New Zealand Autism Spectrum Disorder Guideline - Ministry of Health

Part 2: Support for individuals, families and carers
Part 2
in early intervention, home and school settings
or in the community 175 176 .
Assessments and treatment should be carried
out by therapists with appropriate experience
in ASD 175 . Essential elements for a complete
multidisciplinary assessment may include
assessments to investigate unusual sensory
responses, motor planning, coordination
difficulties and self-care problems for the person
presenting for diagnosis. Joint assessments
are considered preferable. All professionals
involved in a multiagency assessment for ASD
should be experienced and knowledgeable about
ASD and assessment should lead to specific
recommendations 11 (Recommendation 2.3.14).
Interventions
There is no consistent evidence that sensorybased
treatments have special effects (see
also section 3.2.c Sensori-motor development) 96 .
Additional studies are needed to document
the unusual sensory processing features and
motor functions and their relationship to
broader behavioural and educational outcomes.
Methodologically rigorous research is needed to
examine the effectiveness of current evaluation
methods and treatments/interventions being
used by occupational therapists (Recommendation
2.3.15).
Special forms of occupational therapy are
used to help people with ASD to overcome
their isolation, progress developmentally, find
ways of coping and gain a sense of self and
relatedness to the world 177 .
Some experimental therapies, such as sensory
integration therapy, are sometimes tried but
there is insufficient evidence to recommend
them as it has not been established scientifically
that they are effective (see section 4.5 Other
interventions).
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New Zealand Autism Spectrum Disorder Guideline