Effects of Kinetic Sand on Functional Reach and Eye-Hand Coordination in Children With Autism

Children with autism often experience deficits in fine motor skills, sensory processing, and motor coordination, which can significantly impede their ability to perform functional tasks such as reaching and manipulating objects. Kinetic sand, with its unique moldable and tactile properties, offers a multisensory experience that encourages repetitive hand movements, proprioceptive input, and tactile engagement.

These characteristics make it an ideal medium to potentially improve functional reach and eye-hand coordination. The intervention is designed to provide calming sensory input that may reduce tactile defensiveness and anxiety, thereby facilitating greater focus and motor control. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of kinetic sand as a sensory-motor intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A quasi-experimental study that follows a single group before and after ten months will occur at various pediatric therapy clinics and special education centers. Seventeen children between 6 and 12 years old, diagnosed with mild to moderate ASD, will be invited using non-probability convenient sampling, after allowing for the effect of potential dropouts. The intervention will last six weeks and consists of playing with kinetic sand for 30 minutes, three times every week. Activities will require molding objects, looking for hidden items, and simply playing freely to help children get creative, improve their grips, and learn coordination. The Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT) and Functional Reach test will be used to study changes in hand-eye coordination and in reaching tasks. Scores will be analyzed by SPSS Version 26, either with paired t- tests or with non-parametric methods based on what is suitable. The conclusions might assist therapists in applying sensory-motor therapy to children with autism in Pakistan. The synopsis will be presented to the Research Ethical Committee of Riphah International University, Lahore, for ethical approval to conduct this study.

Inclusion criteria

• According to DSM-5 criteria, characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction
• Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior or interests
• Children demonstrating measurable impairments in functional reach and eye-hand coordination
• Able to follow instructions

Exclusion criteria

• Children with severe intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy or other neurological conditions that significantly impair motor function
• Children currently receiving other intensive occupational or physical therapy targeting functional reach or eye-hand coordination
• Presence of musculoskeletal deformities, severe visual impairments, or other medical conditions independently affecting motor skills or coordination