Occupational therapy home program for children with intellectual disabilities: a randomized, controlled trial.
Fifteen minutes of parent-led OT at home five days a week improves fine motor skills and daily participation for kids with ID.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Wuang et al. (2013) tested a 20-week home occupational therapy program for children with intellectual disability. Parents gave 15-minute sessions five days a week after one training visit. The study used a coin flip to decide which families got the program and which got none.
What they found
Kids who got the home program gained fine motor skills and joined more daily activities. Parents in the program group felt happier with services. The gains showed up on standard tests and everyday tasks like buttoning shirts.
How this fits with other research
Crowley (2022) pooled many studies and found occupational therapy gives big gains for gross motor skills in youth with ID. The 2013 trial adds fine motor and parent happiness data to that picture.
Kaplan-Kahn et al. (2026) later used the same home idea for toddlers with cerebral palsy. They swapped OT for caregiver-delivered hand therapy and still saw large gains, showing the model extends beyond ID.
Irvin et al. (1998) ran a shorter TEACCH home program for preschoolers with autism. Both studies found medium effects, but TEACCH targeted play and imitation while OTHP targeted motor skills.
Why it matters
You can teach parents a short daily OT routine and see real gains without clinic visits. The 15-minute dose fits busy family life and keeps costs low. Try writing a simple fine motor checklist, train parents in one visit, and ask for photo proof each week.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a proposed occupational therapy home program (OTHP) for children with intellectual disabilities (ID). Children with ID were randomly and equally assigned to OTHP or to no OTHP groups. The primary outcome measures were Canadian Occupational Performance, Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Second Edition, and The Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment scores at 10 and 20 weeks. The 20-week OTHP produced significant difference in fine motor function, activity participation, and parent satisfaction with performance, compared to those of no OTHP. Pediatricians can advise families to implement 20 weeks of OTHP with an average 15 min per session to facilitate functional changes of children with ID.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2013 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2012.09.008