Other Helpful Methods

TEACCH

Structure provides security — making the world understandable

People with autism often have difficulty filtering information or organising processes without help. The TEACCH approach is an educational concept that adapts everyday life through "structuring" and "visualisation" to provide orientation.

The principle: visualisation

Since many autistic people are "visual learners", TEACCH uses visual cues to answer central questions: What am I doing? How long will it take? What comes next? This is achieved through illustrated daily schedules, spatial separation of work and play areas, or time timers.

To offset the disadvantage of limited flexibility, combining it with ABA/VB is ideal: ABA/VB serves to actively build new skills and train flexibility in thinking – "the engine" that enables development. TEACCH provides the necessary "guardrails" to apply these skills independently in everyday life.

Occupational Therapy & Sensory Integration

A hands-on, playful training that specifically organises sensory processing in the brain, to ease sensory over- or under-sensitivity and massively strengthen independence.

In autism and developmental disorders, the focus is almost always on Sensory Integration therapy (SI) according to Jean Ayres. In specially equipped therapy rooms – with swings, hammocks, climbing walls, or ball pits – SI therapy applies targeted physical stimuli that feel like an exciting game to the child, while demanding and developing the nervous system with high precision on a neurological level.

It helps regulate the sensory threshold, improve motor planning (getting dressed, eating with cutlery, fine and gross motor skills), and increase body awareness, which reduces inner restlessness and stress-related outbursts.

Auditory Therapies

Stimulation through hearing

Gentle, targeted sound-training methods that stimulate the brain through hearing, in order to optimise sensory processing, reduce anxiety, and noticeably ease verbal communication. The most important approaches include:

• The Tomatis method: developed by Dr. Alfred Tomatis, uses classical music and the "electronic gate" between high and low frequencies, supplemented by bone conduction to stimulate the sense of balance.
• AIT (Guy Bérard method): specifically dampens those frequency peaks to which the person is hypersensitive.
• The Listening Program (TLP): psychoacoustically processed music for the gradual development of sensory integration, memory, and emotional regulation.
• Samonas sound therapy: developed by Ingo Steinbach, using spectrally activated music and natural sounds to promote concentration and motor coordination.

Addresses (Tomatis): activate.ch(combines Tomatis with integrative medicine), centre-tomatis-geneve.ch

Body Therapies

Gentle, non-verbal bodywork

Gentle manual treatment forms that use the body as an access point to the nervous system, working with light pressure and minimal movements, without abrupt manipulations.

• Craniosacral therapy: focuses on the subtle rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid; gentle pressure releases deep-seated tension, improves sensory processing, and eases sleep disturbances.craniosuisse.ch
• Bowen therapy (Bowtech): works with rolling finger movements on muscle and fascia points; relaxes fascial tissue and strengthens body awareness.bowenacademy.ch