Autism is a whole-body condition! While sensory challenges have long been recognized, current research sheds light to the presence and impact of fine and gross motor difficulties in autistic children and youth. OT and PT practitioners can make a difference!

In this course, you will learn the brain, movement, and motor learning differences in autistic individuals. Karen will walk you through conducting assessments the right way to yield the child’s motor challenges. You will learn to provide evidence-informed interventions to promote motivation, motor skills & participation. Case studies of children (from those requiring minimal, to those requiring substantial support) will highlight the application of these concepts.

Finally, you will hear the dual perspective of a therapist and parent as it relates to experience with motor skills acquisition, inclusion, and participation, as well as the selection of goals and intervention strategies. As a parent of an autistic son, Karen is acutely aware of the challenges families face in dealing with chronic stress, and how collaboration with medical and educational teams can be very rewarding, though, at times, frustrating.

Leave the course with multiple tools and strategies to use the very next day.

Karen Tartick , PT has been practicing for over 30 years in a variety of settings, including outpatient, early intervention, acute care, NICU, & schools. She currently practices as a physical therapy consultant for autistic adults. Karen served as a member of the Autism subcommittee of the APTA School-based Special Interest Group & co-authored the Autism Spectrum Guide for parents on Move Forward PT. She is an APTA Advanced Clinical Instructor & an adjunct faculty member at UNC, Chapel Hill. As a mother of an autistic adult, she provides a unique perspective into meaningful services for autistic children and youth.

Disclosures: Karen receives speaking fees from Apply EBP, LLC. She has no relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

At the completion of this course, you will be able to:

1. 1. 1. Identify motor deficits common in children on the autism spectrum
      2. Determine the use of visual supports when assessing motor skills of children on the autism spectrum
      3. Select 3 evidence-based interventions from current research on children on the autism spectrum
      4. Determine elements of a motor program that addresses meaningful occupation for a case study of a child that includes 3 evidence-based interventions

The times below are Eastern Time. Note that you may be in a different time zone.

8:30 am ASD & Motor Skills (lecture)

• • • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
    • Brain and Motor Characteristics
    • Role of OT & PT on Motor Skills

9:30 am Assessing Motor Needs (lecture)

• • • Assessment Tools for ASD
    • Assessment Guidelines & Strategies

10:30 am Break

10:45 am Application (activity)

• • • Conducting an assessment

11:30 am EBPs for Motor Skills (lecture, activity)

• • • Visual Supports and Video Modeling
    • Peer-based Instruction & Intervention

11:45 pm Lunch (on your own)

12:30 pm EBPs, continued (lecture)

• • • Play Skills
    • Exercise and Sensory Processing
    • Naturalistic Intervention
    • Teaching Motor Skills
    • Motivation

2:00 pm Application of EBPs (activity)

2:15 pm Break

2:30 pm Family Perspectives (lecture)

2:45 pm Case Study (activity & discussions)

• • • Karen’s Clinical Reasoning Cheat Sheet
    • Assessment and Intervention Planning

3:45 pm Adjourn

Bonus Online Video: The Relationship between Sensory Processing and Motor Skills (35 minutes, lecture) – 60-day access to watch at your own pace, before or after the course.

Use these tools to apply what you learned the very next day!

• • • Links to Assessment Tools
    • Karen’s Assessment Strategies Cheat Sheet
    • Links to Karen’s Favorite Resources
    • Karen’s Clinical Reasoning Cheat Sheet

Attendees who complete this course will receive a certificate for 6 hours of continuing education training

For OTs and OTAs

• • Apply EBP, LLC is an AOTA-approved provider of CEUs. You will receive 0.6 CEUs for completing this course (see AOTA Imprimatur)

For PTs and PTAs

• • • Apply EBP, LLC is an approved provider of CEUs in IL, NM, NY, OK (BAP202310011), and TX (APS #: 2703055TX)
    • This course is approved in AR, CA, MD (#2022-80, thru 2/17/26), and NJ (Approval #2201-62, thru 1/31/2026).
    • These PT state boards accept approval by other states boards or state associations: AK, AZ, DC, DE, FL, HI, IN, KS, KY, MA, MI, MT, NC, ND, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, UT, VT, VA, WI & WY.
    • These states do not require pre-approval of courses or have no CE requirements: AL, CO, CT, GA, IA, ID, ME, MO, NE, NH & WA.

For Teachers

• • • Apply EBP is an approved sponsor of CTLE for educators in New York State (#23827)

If you would like to obtain CEUs for another state, please email carlo@applyebp.com

Ticket Prices and Discounts

• • • Early Bird – Group: $199/person – save $40/person if 3 or more from the same organization, community group/network or study group register by February 14, 2025. Register together or separately, indicating at least 2 of your co-therapists who are also registering.
    • Early Bird – Individual: $219/person – save $20/person by registering by February 14, 2025.
    • Full Price – Group: $219/person – save $20/person if 3 or more from the same organization, community group/network or study group register starting February 15, 2025. Register together or separately, indicating at least 2 of your co-therapists who are also registering.
    • Full Price: $239/person – available starting February 15, 2025.

Cancellation Policy

Registrants may cancel up to 14 days prior to the course for a refund minus a $75 administration fee. No refunds after this date. Substitution allowed with an email notification to applyebp@gmail.com.* Apply EBP reserves the right to cancel course up to 14 days prior to the course date due to insufficient registration with a full refund to registrants. Please do not arrange non-refundable travel arrangements until 13 days prior to the course, as Apply EBP is not responsible for such expenses.

*Note that there are no cancellations once you have accessed the included bonus webinar. If you accessed the bonus webinar, but are unable to attend the live course, you will have the option of attending the on-demand version of the course, or attend a future live in-person Motor Matters course!

Accommodation Request

Email or call 2 weeks prior to the course with requests for accommodation. We will make every effort to provide reasonable accommodations.

Online via Zoom

This course is brought to you in partnership with Columbus Public Schools

You will receive an email 2 days prior to the course date with Zoom invitation and course materials. Please check your spam folder if you do not see an email  2 days prior to the course. Contact vicki@applyebp.com if the email is not in your spam folder.