Sensory therapy may unlock better daily skills for children with autism

NCT ID NCT07789704

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

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.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

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

About 40 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Aug 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Nov 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

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

3 to 9 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show 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.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. 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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  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Emre Dansuk

    Istanbul, Beykoz, 34815, Turkey (Türkiye)

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