Basic research has linked autism to an underlying neuropatho-physiologic substrate, but, for the most part, educational planning for autistic children has yet to undergo significant change as a consequence of these findings. With occupational therapy's emphasis on the neurobiologic substrates of functional performance, it may be that researchers in this profession can, based on the current etiologic breakthroughs, develop new theories of practice, or refine existing ones, pertinent to autism. This article reviews recent research on the etiology of autism and discusses educational assessment and programming in light of these findings. Implications for occupational therapy are addressed, and it is recommended that occupational therapist involvement in autism be expanded through instrument development and refinement of theories used in clinical practice. Through this enterprise, occupational therapy may further establish its role in the educational management of autistic children, clarifying its relationship to special education.
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