Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2025
Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Published on: April 22, 2015
Comparison of abnormal sensory symptoms in children with and without autism spectrum disorder
Imran Maqsood1, Erum Afzal2, Kausar Aftab3
1Imran Maqsood, FCPS Department of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital & Institute of Child Health, Multan, Pakistan.
Insights
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show significantly more sensory processing issues than typically developing children. These differences across auditory, tactile, visual, and proprioceptive domains highlight the need for targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Sensory Processing
Background:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social communication deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors.
- Sensory processing abnormalities are frequently reported in individuals with ASD, but comparative data across different sensory domains is crucial for understanding their impact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the prevalence and nature of abnormal sensory symptoms in children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) versus neurotypical children.
- To identify specific sensory processing patterns associated with ASD across various sensory modalities.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 128 children aged 5-12 years was conducted.
- Children diagnosed with ASD (cases) were compared to children without ASD (controls) using the "Sensory Profile" tool.
- Sensory processing abnormalities were evaluated across auditory, tactile, visual, and proprioceptive domains.
Main Results:
- Children with ASD exhibited significantly higher rates of abnormal sensory symptoms across all evaluated domains compared to controls (p<0.001).
- Hyperresponsiveness was notably prevalent in the auditory domain (43.8% in ASD vs. 7.8% in controls).
- ASD children showed significantly elevated rates of hyperresponsiveness, hyporesponsiveness, and sensory-seeking behaviors in visual and proprioceptive domains.
Conclusions:
- Abnormal sensory symptoms, including hyperresponsiveness, hyporesponsiveness, and sensory seeking, are highly prevalent in children with ASD.
- These findings underscore the critical need for comprehensive sensory assessments and tailored interventions for children with ASD.
Objective:
To compare the abnormal sensory symptoms in children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Method:
This case-control study was conducted at the department of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Multan, Pakistan from January, 2024 to June, 2024. Inclusion criteria for cases were children of either, aged 5-12 years, diagnosed with ASD, and accompanying at least one of the parents. For controls, children visiting outpatient department of pediatrics were included. The study utilized standardized sensory assessment tools "Sensory Profile" to evaluate sensory processing abnormalities in both groups.
Results:
In a total of 128 children, 85 (66.4%) were male. The mean age was 8.2±2.4 years, ranging between 5-12 years. In terms of sensory profiles, children with ASD exhibited significantly higher rates of abnormal sensory symptoms across all domains compared to non-ASD children (p<0.001). In the auditory domain, hyperresponsiveness was prevalent in 43.8% of ASD children versus 7.8% in non-ASD children (p<0.001). For tactile, visual, and proprioceptive domains, similar patterns were observed where significantly higher proportions of children with ASD were affected (p<0.001). In the visual and proprioceptive domains, ASD children consistently demonstrated significantly elevated rates of hyperresponsiveness, hyporesponsiveness, and sensory-seeking behaviors compared to non-ASD children (p<0.001).
Conclusion:
The high prevalence of hyperresponsiveness, hyporesponsiveness, and sensory-seeking behaviors across sensory domains in ASD children raises the requirement for comprehensive sensory assessments and individualized interventions.
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