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Identification of consistent responding to auditory stimuli by a functionally "deaf" autistic child
Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia
|June 1, 1976
Summary
This study investigated auditory responsiveness in an autistic child, finding consistent responses to specific sounds. This has implications for understanding autism and speech development in non-verbal autistic children.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Auditory Perception
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Background:
- Autistic children often exhibit unresponsiveness to external stimuli, yet the nature of this unresponsiveness is not well understood.
- Previous reports on the study participant indicated inconsistent hearing status, ranging from functionally deaf to normal hearing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically investigate the auditory responsiveness patterns of an autistic child.
- To determine if predictable patterns exist in the child's responses to auditory stimuli.
Main Methods:
- The study involved systematically presenting two types of auditory stimuli: white noise and the sound of a candy machine.
- The child's responses to these stimuli were measured to identify any patterns.
Main Results:
- Consistent responses were observed for both white noise and the candy machine stimuli.
- Auditory thresholds for white noise were consistent daily but varied across days.
- Responses to the candy machine sound occurred at significantly lower sound levels than white noise thresholds.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest that autistic children may respond to auditory stimuli in predictable ways, even when appearing unresponsive.
- Understanding these specific auditory response patterns can offer insights into the challenges faced by mute autistic children regarding speech development.