Developed by occupational therapists and researchers, the CO-OP method – Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance – focuses on the child and supports them through the problem-solving process by carrying out everyday actions. Part of motor-activity-centred therapies, it proves particularly effective for the difficulties faced by children with DYS disorders, but also by people with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).

What is the CO-OP approach?

Highly practical in their application, “Top-Down” therapies (as opposed to “Bottom-Up” ones) are directly based on the patient’s everyday motor activity. Among these approaches is the CO-OP method (Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance), originally created for children with developmental coordination disorder (such as dyspraxia).

Person-centred, it can now be applied to a wider range of difficulties (DYS disorders, ASD), whether in children, adults or older people. Through this approach, the occupational therapist guides the patient in carrying out everyday tasks, following a predefined problem-solving process.

How does the method work?

The success of the CO-OP method rests on three essential prerequisites: the patient must be motivated, have good verbal skills, and choose 3 activities they want to learn or simply improve.

If these conditions are met, the occupational therapist can then build a strategy around each activity, taking into account the patient’s own abilities. In detail, it includes a:

  • Goal (an objective chosen by the patient)
  • Plan (a set of actions, built under the professional’s guidance)
  • Do (the patient tries out the plan)
  • Check (the patient looks at whether the goal has been reached and whether the plan is working. If not, the goal is reviewed and the plan adjusted).

For example, in a CO-OP approach for a child with dyspraxia, an occupational therapist may work on different goals such as “tying shoelaces,” “cooking,” “drawing a circle with a compass,” or even “taking a shower” or “putting on makeup.”

How effective is it for children with DYS or ASD?

The main goal of the CO-OP method is to correct the action plan of a child with DYS or ASD, giving them a course of action to follow in their learning. Around the 4 stages “Goal, Plan, Do, Check,” the patient automates their approach to each difficulty, gradually increasing their independence.

With the CO-OP method, they develop clinical reasoning and a dynamic analysis of how they perform a task. They discover strategies that allow them to reach their own goals, by themselves and at their own pace.

Don’t hesitate to discuss the relevance of this approach for your child with DYS or ASD with the professionals on the Ora-Visio platform: specialised in learning difficulties, our occupational therapists are available to you remotely and over wide availability windows! Book an appointment with one of them today!