My ASD Child

“What does sensory integration therapy entail? And is it effective for children with high functioning autism?” Sensory integration therapy is often used alone or as part of a broader program of occupational therapy for kids on the autism spectrum. The goal of this particular therapy is not to teach specific skills or behaviors, but to remediate deficits in neurologic processing and integration of sensory information to allow the youngster to interact with the environment in a more adaptive way. Unusual sensory responses are common in young people with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism (HFA), but there’s no good evidence that these symptoms differentiate HFA from other developmental disorders. The effectiveness of sensory integration therapy has not been demonstrated objectively. “Sensory” activities may be helpful as part of an overall program that uses desired sensory experiences to reinforce a desired behavior, help with transitions between activities, and calm

“Is there a correlation between gastrointestinal issues and Asperger Syndrome? Our son seems to be very sensitive to certain foods, especially bread and milk (they cause him to cramp).” The relationship between gastrointestinal problems and Asperger’s (high functioning autism) is unclear, because most studies have not examined representative groups of kids with Asperger’s compared with appropriate controls. Surveys published in the gastroenterology literature have stated that gastrointestinal problems (e.g., constipation, diarrhea) occur in 46% to 85% of Asperger’s kids. Lower rates in the range of 17% to 24% have been reported in other population-based studies. One case-control study in the United Kingdom found that only 9% of young people with Asperger’s had a history of gastrointestinal complaints. Conversely, in one cross-sectional study that used structured interviews and matched control groups, a lifetime history of gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., abnormal stool pattern, f