Ab. No. 42 Effect of Visual Perceptual Skills Training on Manual Dexterity and Functional Abilities in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Series

Abstract

Introduction: Globally, prevalence of ASD is rising alarmingly. Evidence synthesis on effective intervention strategies is crucial to bridge the knowledge gap. In addition to disruption in communication and social interaction, motor signs like impaired manual dexterity are frequently associated in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aims to investigate the positive impact of visual perceptual skills training along with functional training as these skills are closely related to daily activities and academic skills. Methods: Three school-aged children (between 8-12 years of age) diagnosed with ASD were included. Motor clumsiness was the primary concern of parents. Intervention was based on principles of sensory integration. It comprised functional training along with visual perceptual skills training including figure-ground discrimination, design copying, visual scanning, visual closure, and visual-motor integration. Manual dexterity was assessed by the Nine-Hole Peg Test (9HPT) and Box and Block Test (BBT) before intervention and after 12 weeks of intervention. Besides, functional changes in activities like feeding, buttoning, writing, and copying from the board at inclusive schools were gauged. Result: All children showed improvement in manual dexterity as assessed by the 9HPT scores that changed from 49 to 40 seconds, 42 to 35 seconds, 45 to 37 seconds, respectively. In addition, BBT scores improved from 38 to 44 blocks, 41 to 49 blocks and 39 to 46 blocks, respectively. Independence in feeding and buttoning increased, apart from better efficiency in copying from board and writing. Conclusion: Visual perceptual skills training helped in improving manual dexterity in children with ASD. Moreover, independence in daily activities and academic skills were enhanced. Implications: This case series reveals that the effect of this approach is clinically significant in real life settings. However, it must be investigated on a larger population.