EFFECTIVENESS OF SENSORY INTEGRATION THERAPY AND GROSS MOTOR THERAPY FOR IMPROVING GROSS MOTOR SKILLS IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition often associated with sensory processing difficulties and gross motor delays, both of which impact daily functioning, independence, and social participation. Impairments in balance, postural control, and coordination are frequently observed in affected children. Sensory Integration Therapy (SIT), aimed at enhancing sensory modulation and motor planning, may improve outcomes when combined with Gross Motor Therapy (GMT), a structured physical intervention targeting motor function. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of Sensory Integration Therapy combined with Gross Motor Therapy versus Gross Motor Therapy alone in improving gross motor skills among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder aged 3 to 6 years. Methods: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted over six months across four clinical sites in Lahore. Forty-two children (mean age: 4.15 ± 1.15 years) diagnosed with ASD using DSM-5 criteria were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (SIT + GMT, n=21) or a control group (GMT only, n=21). Both groups received 45-minute sessions thrice weekly for eight weeks. Gross motor skills were evaluated pre- and post-intervention using the Gross Motor Development Checklist (GMDC). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27. Paired t-tests assessed within-group changes, while ANOVA was used for between-group comparisons. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The experimental group showed a statistically significant improvement of 20% in gross motor performance (SD = 3.12), while the control group improved by 10% (SD = 2.85). ANOVA yielded an F-value of 6.22 with a p-value of 0.013, indicating a meaningful difference between groups. Conclusion: Integrating Sensory Integration Therapy with Gross Motor Therapy significantly enhances motor development in children with ASD. Early combined intervention appears to be more effective than gross motor training alone.