Sensory therapy may unlock better daily skills for children with autism
NCT ID NCT07789704
First seen Aug 27, 2026 · Last updated Aug 28, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether a structured sensory-based occupational therapy program can improve daily functioning, sensory processing, gross motor skills, and eating behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder. Forty children aged 3 to 9 years will receive either face-to-face therapy twice weekly for 12 weeks or a home-based activity program led by caregivers. Researchers will measure changes in occupational performance and satisfaction, along with sensory and motor outcomes, to see if the therapy offers meaningful benefits.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Structured sensory-based occupational therapy, delivered face-to-face twice weekly for 12 weeks, plus an individualized home activity program for the control group
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this therapy could offer a practical, non-drug way to help children with autism improve daily functioning, sensory processing, and motor skills.
- What could go wrong
- The trial is small (40 children) and not blinded, so results may not generalize. The therapy's success depends on individual response and caregiver commitment.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 40 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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3 to 9 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Children aged 3-9 years * Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder according to DSM-5 criteria * Level 2 autism spectrum disorder * Residence in Istanbul * Written informed consent provided by a parent or legal guardian Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of an additional neurological, psychiatric, genetic, or developmental diagnosis * Regular medication use that may affect study outcomes * History of epilepsy or seizures * Inability to participate in the assessment or intervention procedures * Participation in another structured sensory-based occupational therapy program during the study period
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Emre Dansuk
Istanbul, Beykoz, 34815, Turkey (Türkiye)
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