Study Finds Sensory Integration Therapy Benefits Children with Autism

Small but rigorous study backs parent reports that sensory integration therapy improves daily function in children with autism
A new study backs parent reports that sensory integration therapy improves daily function in children with autism. The research, led by occupational therapists at Philadelphia’s Jefferson School of Health Professions, appears online in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. The study was funded by an Autism Speaks treatment research grant.
Autism’s symptoms often include difficulty processing sensory information such as textures, sounds, smells, tastes, brightness and movement. These difficulties can make ordinary situations feel overwhelming. As such, they can interfere with daily function and even isolate individuals and their families.

Study Finds Sensory Integration Therapy Benefits Children with Autism | Science News | Autism Speaks

For more information, refer to:

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders© The Author(s) 201310.1007/s10803-013-1983-8

Original Paper

An Intervention for Sensory Difficulties in Children with Autism: A Randomized Trial

 

Roseann C. Schaaf¹  , Teal Benevides², Zoe Mailloux³, Patricia Faller⁶, Joanne Hunt⁷, Elke van Hooydonk⁶, Regina Freeman⁶, Benjamin Leiby⁵, Jocelyn Sendecki⁵ and Donna Kelly⁴

(1)

Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of the Farber Institute of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, 901 Walnut Street, Suite 605, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA

(2)

Department of Occupational Therapy, Jefferson School of Health Professions, 901 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA

(3)

Pediatric Therapy Network, Torrance, CA, USA

(4)

Children’s Specialized Hospital, 200 Somerset Street, New Brunswick, NJ, USA

(5)

Division of Biostatistics, Thomas Jefferson University, 1015 Chestnut St., Suite M100, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA

(6)

Children’s Specialized Hospital, 94 Stevens Rd, Toms River, NJ 08755, USA

(7)

Children’s Specialized Hospital, 150 New Providence Road, Mountainside, NJ 07092, USA

 

 

Roseann C. Schaaf

Email: Roseann.schaaf@jefferson.edu

Published online: 10 November 2013

Introduction

Difficulty processing, integrating and responding to sensory stimuli has been described as a feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) since the disorder was first identified. Current estimates show that between 45 and 96 % of children with ASD demonstrate these sensory difficulties (Ben-Sasson et al. 2009; Lane et al. 2010) and sensory features (i.e.: hyper- or hypo reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in the sensory aspects of the environment) are now included as one of four possible manifestations of ‘Restricted, Repetitive Patterns of Behavior, Interests, or Activities’ (American Psychiatric Association 2013). Families report that behaviors associated with difficulty processing and integrating sensory information create social isolation for them and their child, restrict participation in daily living activities (Schaaf et al. 2011) and impact social engagement (Hilton et al. 2007, 2010; Baker et al. 2008; Ashburner et al. 2008; Reynolds et al. 2011; Watson et al. 2011; Hochhauser and Engel-Yeger 2010). Consequently, interventions to address problems associated with difficulty processing sensory information, such as occupational therapy using sensory integration (OT/SI), (Ayres 1972, 1979, 1989) are among the most often requested services by parents of children with ASD (Mandell et al. 2005; Green et al. 2006; Goin-Kochel et al. 2009). There is emerging evidence regarding positive outcomes of OT/SI for children with ASD (Pfeiffer et al. 2011; Fazlioglu and Baran 2008; and see Schaaf 2011 for a review), however, methodological limitations preclude definitive conclusions. Hence, there is the need for a rigorous study of OT/SI that includes a manualized protocol and measurement of treatment adherence (Case-Smith and Arbesman 2008; Watling et al. 2011). Fortunately, a validated measure of treatment fidelity that describes the key principles of the sensory integrative approach and provides guidelines for best practice is now available (Parham et al. 2011, 2007; May-Benson et al., in press). Importantly, this measure provides a means to evaluate the fidelity of OT/SI in a clinical trial while assuring internal and external validity; a standard that is followed in the current study.

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