Research: Interventions to Facilitate Auditory, Visual, and Motor Integration in Autism: A Review of the Evidence

This article is a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of sensory integration therapy as a treatment for autism.

Many children with autism have difficulty processing sensory input; these disturbances appear to be more common during infancy and early childhood than they are in adulthood. Sensory integration symptoms are often treated with sensory integration therapy. This therapy involves the use of planned and controlled sensory experiences, for example, swinging, deep pressure touch, and touching different types of objects. After reviewing sensory integration literature, the authors found that no firm conclusions could be made about the advantages of sensory integration therapy. This is because there are so few studies on the effects of sensory integration therapy on children with autism. The authors also note that very little is known about which ages or subgroups of individuals are most likely to benefit from sensory integration therapies.