Speech pathologists and occupational therapists are helping Queensland children with autism spectrum disorder improve their communication, motor and sensory skills.

The Autism Early Intervention Outcomes Unit (AEIOU) is establishing more early intervention services with construction of a new custom-built centre in Sippy Downs and another at Central Queensland University’s Bundaberg campus set to open next year.

The Bundaberg centre will provide specialist services for up to 24 children with autism.

The new centres come as research shows ASD, a lifelong developmental disability, affects one in every 160 children born today.

AEIOU director of education Diane Heaney said the foundation now had nine speech pathologists, a speech pathology assistant, eight occupational therapists and a psychologist working with about 175 children with autism.

"Our program helps children to develop communication skills and motor skills as well as self help tasks and skills for every day life, with an emphasis on positive reinforcement, reward and recognition and social interaction," she said.

"Having allied professionals working with children with ASD ensures specialist input into the program with regards to communication and motor and sensory needs.

"We create an individual plan for each child once their needs have been identified, and work towards achieving individual milestones within the program.

"Part of this might be to assist children to develop communication skills, and this can often reduce meltdowns and other challenging behaviours."

Ms Heaney said the centres also worked towards meeting a child’s sensory needs.

"We do this by taking into account a child’s ability to process a variety of information at once and the impact of sensory processing on the children’s behaviour, emotions and movement," she said.

"This information is implemented into the planning of the program to formulate strategies to assist the children cope in their environment and to participate in every day activities."

Founded in 2003, AEIOU now has nine centres across Queensland with four in Brisbane, one in Toowoomba, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Townsville and Emerald with another program soon to be launched in Hervey Bay.