Autistic kids process sound, vision differently than others
Scientists have found solid evidence that kids with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) process sensory information such as sound, touch and vision differently than typically developing children.
The study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University supports decades of clinical and anecdotal observations that individuals with ASD have difficulty coping with multiple sources of sensory information.
The Einstein finding offers new insights into autism and could lead to objective measures for evaluating the effectiveness of autism therapies.
via Autistic kids process sound, vision differently than others.
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About The Author
Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts is founder of Support for Special Needs and has been a regular contributor since its inception in May 2010. A mom to two kids with special needs, she didn't want other parents to feel what is the often isolating world of raising a child (or two!) with disabilities. Her kids had kidney transplants at the age of eight and will need liver transplants in the future as a result of ARPKD/CHF. They both have vision disorders and learning disabilities.
I am glad there is scientific evidence to support the anectodal evidence. I wish the study had included children with special needs other than autism to see if the “diagnosis” for SPD is correct. My child is not autistic, but I would definitely say (and so does her OT) that she has sensory processing disorder. It would be good to see if the EEG evidence holds true for SPD generally or just for children with autism especially if new, specific therapies may be developed.
Although there isn’t as yet EEG evidence for differences in sensory processing in children with SPD there are other studies that have clearly demonstrated these differences through physiological measurement. One of the nicest and latest is:
Schoen S, Miller LJ, Brett-Green BA, Nielson DM: Physiological and behavioral differences in sensory processing: a comparison of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Sensory Modulation Disorder. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience. 03 Nov 2009.