Re: Sensory Learning Center?

[Guest guest]

I wish I could help you.... my daughter has sssooooo many of the same

problems! We couldn't afford it.... Have you read 'Disconnected Kids'

yet?

[ ] Sensory Learning Center?

I know that this group is about apraxia, but I figure that many

of us have children with sensory issues as well. My 8 year old daughter

has some mild sensory things going on and is also struggling with

behavior and attention. A friend told me about the Sensory Learning

Center. I am a PT, so I believe in sensory integration, although we have

not tried any with my daughter yet. The SLC sounded intriguing to me

because it combines three senses into each treatment (auditory, visual

and proprioceptive). We took her to be evaluated. It was an optometrist

who evaluated her and told us she has convergence insufficiency (ie

tracking poorly). BTW, we had no concerns with her visually - she has

20/20 vision and reads very well. He suggested both sensory learning

($3000) and vision training ($4500). My husband and I choked at the

price (not usually covered by ins). Her child psychologist was very

skeptical and felt it was not scientifically backed. The research the

clinic gave me was vague and not specific to this treatment. I would be

inclined to try the therapy if I had more confidence that it was not a

hoax. So, has anyone out there tried the Sensory Learning Center, and/or

vision training? If so, have you had good/bad/indifferent results? Any

input would be wonderful!!!

[Guest guest]

yes, I did the Sensory Learning Center with my son a few years back.  you can

contact me offline if you want info - it's very detailed and if you want to have

a telephone conversation about it, more than happy to talk.

 

Sherry and Josh

From: jgl2000mpl <jgl2000mpl@...>

Subject: [ ] Sensory Learning Center?

Date: Thursday, August 19, 2010, 1:29 PM

 

I know that this group is about apraxia, but I figure that many of us have

children with sensory issues as well. My 8 year old daughter has some mild

sensory things going on and is also struggling with behavior and attention. A

friend told me about the Sensory Learning Center. I am a PT, so I believe in

sensory integration, although we have not tried any with my daughter yet. The

SLC sounded intriguing to me because it combines three senses into each

treatment (auditory, visual and proprioceptive). We took her to be evaluated. It

was an optometrist who evaluated her and told us she has convergence

insufficiency (ie tracking poorly). BTW, we had no concerns with her visually -

she has 20/20 vision and reads very well. He suggested both sensory learning

($3000) and vision training ($4500). My husband and I choked at the price (not

usually covered by ins). Her child psychologist was very skeptical and felt it

was not scientifically backed. The research the

clinic gave me was vague and not specific to this treatment. I would be

inclined to try the therapy if I had more confidence that it was not a hoax. So,

has anyone out there tried the Sensory Learning Center, and/or vision training?

If so, have you had good/bad/indifferent results? Any input would be

wonderful!!!

[Guest guest]

I don't know anything about the Sensory Learning Center---

BUT--

In regards to the different therapies that you mentioned:

Vision therapy-- I support 100% I have heard nothing but excellent

reports from this alternative therapy from parents. The reviews i've heard

from clinicians, on the other hand, have all be " skeptical " .

I'm not surprised at that though, because you have all types in the

medical profession. You have Neuro drs who believe in the plasticity of the

brain and it's ability to heal and grow til the day we die, and then you have

the naysayers who disagree with that.

Everything I've seen about brain plasticity has been in favor of the

alternative treatments and not the typical therapies.

here are things I've personally heard excellent reviews on from PARENTS

~Vision Therapy

~Cranial Sacral Therapy

~Bio Feedback

~Neurologic Reorganization

~The Listening Program or other Audio Processing programs

~Sensory Integration treatments

now-- there are specific treatment plans that seem to work extremely well,

and others that may work just as well but don't get the same " publicity "

from parents. I guess the key thing is to find out what works for YOUR

child.

In regards to Vision Therapy-- I say YES-- go for it-- but I would find

someone that is specifically trained in VT. I'm pretty sure you can do a

google search for trained professionals. (the eye Drs don't do VT for what

that's worth-- they deal with the health and vision of the eye, while the VT

deals with the actual function of the eye. Similar to how the Cardiologist

is with structure/health of the heart, while the function of the heart is

sometimes an altogether different beast in itself)

I'm not sure if this place offers what a private VT would offer, and the

only way you can know is to check out a local place and see what they do.

As for the Sensory Integration-- Again I say YES-- it's vital for neuro

kids (and everyone really) to have their senses integrated as much as

possible. the WAY it's done is again, another beast all on it's own.

I don't know what to suggest with this-- but look at each program that is

offered and see which gives the MOST as far as treatment is concerned.

Sensory issues go back to the BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, so try to find a program that

encompasses ALL aspects of brain development from in utero on up.

hope this helps

Becky

In a message dated 8/19/2010 2:37:28 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

jgl2000mpl@... writes:

I know that this group is about apraxia, but I figure that many of us have

children with sensory issues as well. My 8 year old daughter has some mild

sensory things going on and is also struggling with behavior and attention.

A friend told me about the Sensory Learning Center. I am a PT, so I

believe in sensory integration, although we have not tried any with my daughter

yet. The SLC sounded intriguing to me because it combines three senses into

each treatment (auditory, visual and proprioceptive). We took her to be

evaluated. It was an optometrist who evaluated her and told us she has

convergence insufficiency (ie tracking poorly). BTW, we had no concerns with

her

visually - she has 20/20 vision and reads very well. He suggested both

sensory learning ($3000) and vision training ($4500). My husband and I choked

at

the price (not usually covered by ins). Her child psychologist was very

skeptical and felt it was not scientifically backed. The research the cl inic

gave me was vague and not specific to this treatment. I would be inclined

to try the therapy if I had more confidence that it was not a hoax. So, has

anyone out there tried the Sensory Learning Center, and/or vision

training? If so, have you had good/bad/indifferent results? Any input would be

wonderful!!!

[Guest guest]

Sherry-

I would love it if you would share more about this onlist if you could?

Bek

In a message dated 8/19/2010 4:42:44 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

srsilvern@... writes:

yes, I did the Sensory Learning Center with my son a few years back. you

can contact me offline if you want info - it's very detailed and if you

want to have a telephone conversation about it, more than happy to talk.

Sherry and Josh

From: jgl2000mpl <_jgl2000mpl@..._ (mailto:jgl2000mpl@...) >

Subject: [ ] Sensory Learning Center?

_ _

(mailto: )

Date: Thursday, August 19, 2010, 1:29 PM

I know that this group is about apraxia, but I figure that many of us have

children with sensory issues as well. My 8 year old daughter has some mild

sensory things going on and is also struggling with behavior and

attention. A friend told me about the Sensory Learning Center. I am a PT, so I

believe in sensory integration, although we have not tried any with my daughter

yet. The SLC sounded intriguing to me because it combines three senses into

each treatment (auditory, visual and proprioceptive). We took her to be

evaluated. It was an optometrist who evaluated her and told us she has

convergence insufficiency (ie tracking poorly). BTW, we had no concerns with

her

visually - she has 20/20 vision and reads very well. He suggested both

sensory learning ($3000) and vision training ($4500). My husband and I choked

at the price (not usually covered by ins). Her child psychologist was very

skeptical and felt it was not scientifically backed. The research the

clinic gave me was vague and not specific to this treatment. I would be

inclined to try the therapy if I had more confidence that it was not a hoax.

So, has anyone out there tried the Sensory Learning Center, and/or vision

training? If so, have you had good/bad/indifferent results? Any input would

be wonderful!!!

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Guest guest]

Even though this group has a focus on speech and/or language communication

impairments -today's neurologically based communication impairment typically

presents as a spectrum with other diagnosis co existing such as sensory issues

-so translate that to sensory issues are ON TOPIC here. And Sherry I've never

seen such an incredible well detailed blog as the one you started to document

Josh's journey from day one -I again think it is going to make a great blog for

research as it's so well documented!! http://budsnvblog.blogspot.com/ Just one

teeny little suggestion -you mention PINES lots...it's probably a good idea to

explain what that is as I'm guessing it's some sort of post traumatic stress

from the abuse he went through in the school???

But main point being anyone who can document as well as you in your NV blog can

(probably due to you being an attorney!) is the perfect person to fill us all in

here about the Sensory Learning Center. So I agree with Bek and please do share

here!! And do tell us if it's as worthy of sharing as Dr. Bob's incredible

info!!

Also kind of in the news now due to recent research is the following finding

which the following also has an article and a video -any thoughts on this? Not

one hundred percent sure what this research means -but I do know that

multisensory approaches have been key in our group for over a decade to being SO

important!

Autistic Children Slower to Integrate Multiple Stimuli

By , North American Correspondent, MedPage Today

Published: August 19, 2010

Reviewed by Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine,

University of California, San Francisco.

Children with autism spectrum disorders are slower at integrating various types

of sensory information than those with a more typical development, researchers

reported.

The finding -- based on recordings of electrical activity in the brain -- is

concrete evidence that children with autism spectrum disorders process

information differently than typical children, according to Sophie Molholm, PhD,

of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues.

As well as occurring later, so-called " multi-sensory integration " was also less

extensive than in typical children, Molholm and colleagues reported online in

Autism Research. The notion that difficulties with multi-sensory integration

lie at the root of autism spectrum disorders has been popular for some time.

" It's a new catch-all term, " Molholm told MedPage Today.

But there has been little verification of the idea and what research has been

done has had equivocal results, she said.

" There is basically absolutely no empirical data to support the idea or to guide

how you would deal with it if it were a problem, " Molholm said.

Despite that, there is a cottage industry on the Internet that offers to treat

deficits in multi-sensory integration in children with autism spectrum

disorders.

To help fill the information gap, she and colleagues measured electrical

activity in the brains of 17 children ages six to 16 with autism spectrum

disorders while they watched a silent movie and were given unrelated auditory

and tactile sensations.

Seventeen typically developing children -- matched for age and intelligence

quotient -- underwent the same testing, in which the auditory and tactile

sensations were given separately and then together.

The researchers summed the responses to the single sensations, as measured by

high-density electrophysiology, and compared them with responses to the combined

stimuli.

The combined responses of all the children exceeded the sum of the single

responses -- an indication of multi-sensory integration. But the autistic

children had less pronounced differences, the researchers said, suggesting their

integration was less effective.

As well, the multi-sensory integration took place within about 100 to 200

milliseconds of the stimuli in the typical children, the researchers found, but

only occurred after about 300 milliseconds in the autistic children.

The finding doesn't mean the autistic children can't integrate different types

of stimuli, but it does show that they do it differently, Molholm said. The

research also says nothing about how such differences affect behavior.

" That's the ultimate quest, but we aren't there yet, " she told MedPage Today.

" This is straight brain measurement, which we don't yet correlate with

behavior. "

It's also a highly artificial experiment, she said, and she and colleagues are

now trying to see what happens in more real-life situations.

For instance, it's known that typically, people hear speech better if they can

see the lips of the person speaking. What's not known is if people with autism

spectrum disorder get the " same boost in perception " from the multiple sensory

inputs, she said.

The study had support from the National Institutes of Health, the Wallace

Research Foundation, Cure Autism Now, the Fondation du Québec de Recherche sur

la Société et la Culture, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. No

other disclosure information was given.

Primary source: Autism Research

Source reference:

Russo N et al. " Multisensory processing in children with autism: High-density

electrical mapping of auditory-somatosensory integration " Autism Research 2010;

DOI: 10.1002/aur.152.

Action Points

* Explain to interested parents that children with autism spectrum disorders

are slower and less effective at integrating various types of sensory

information ( " multi-sensory integration " ) than those with a more typical

development.

* Explain further that it is unclear how such changes in multi-sensory

integration affect specific types of behaviors found in children with autism

spectrum disorders.

Watch video here too http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Autism/21789

=====

[Guest guest]

No prob!  I'm always happy to talk about Josh!

 

The PNES stands for psychogenic non-epileptic seizures - they are

behavioral/psychologically based seizures in which there are no abnormal brain

waves (as there are in epileptic seizures, which Josh also has but are under

control with meds and NV??).   In appearance, they look very much like grand

mal epileptic seizures with a couple of important distinctions - PNES are

characterized by arm jerking, body and neck arching, leg jerking and,

importantly (for the distinction), the person usually cries sometimes quite

loudly and eyes are closed pretty much for the entire time and resistent to

being opened during the seizure - an epileptic seizure will have open eyes (most

of the time) and usually there is little crying (although some types of

epileptic seizures can have different vocalizations).  Can't tell you how many

times he's gone into a PNES in a parking lot and people approach to see if I'm

beating him or something!  When I explain it's a seizure,

people are much more helpful and sympathetic.  We are seeing the behavioral

psychologist to help with these.  And, yes, they are the result of post

traumatic stress, anxiety, the abuse he suffered at his previous school, the

trauma he went through with the broken femur last Fall, etc.  It's going to be

a long haul to get him over those but we're on the way, they are lessening in

amount and intensity.  (I think I did explain the PNES early on in the blog,

but you're right, I should occasionally toss in what exactly that is!)  There

is a neurologist in Tampa at U of F that is apparently the " guru " on PNES - I

contacted him early in the diagnosis during the Spring and he said you really

have to be careful about diagnosing PNES as PNES - but Josh seems to fit the

bill!  (Sadly...)

 

As for the Sensory Learning Center - we went, I think it was, three summers

ago.  It's an everyday affair, twice a day with at least 4-6 hours in between

treatments.  We went early in the a.m. and again after summer school/work.  I

think we went to the Center for the treatment for 4 weeks (again, can't

remember) and then we did a vision light box at home for another couple of weeks

(maybe 4?) in a completely blackened room (I put blankets over his windows in

his bedroom and we would do the vision box before getting up for the day and

again before bedtime).  The treatments at the Center involved Josh laying on a

bed that lifted and rotated in a circular, gentle, slow motion.  The room was

completely blackened out and there was a vision light box directly above his

head at eye level.  He also used a listening therapy (with the modulated music)

during each of the sessions.  So, the senses are being bombarded with very

intense input for about 45

minutes each session (the vision box at home was about a half hour each if I

recall).  The results - Josh's balance was much improved (vestibular issues),

he was much less sensitive to touch, was more focused and attentive, and his

wandering eye (his left eye would turn out especially when even a little tired)

was pretty much non-existent (except when extremely, extremely tired) and his

eyes were much clearer, looking straight ahead, and you could see he was seeing

differently.  Was it worth the cost?  That I'm actually still wondering about

- don't know if there are other therapies that could have accomplished as much

in as short a period of time but it is quite costly.  And, insurance can cover

this is the therapist administering the therapy codes it correctly as physical

therapy (sorry, never did get the codes).  Would I recommend it?  If you can

afford it or get the insurance to pay, and if you can give it the time

commitment required, yes,

since I think any therapy that helps our kiddoes as much as it did Josh in that

short a time, yes.

 

Sherry and Josh

[Guest guest]

I do not have experience with the Sensory Learning Center however as a child I

was diagnosed with 'Convergence Insufficiency' and unerwent 'Vision Therapy'.

The therapy was once a week for an extended perior of time (maybe 6 mo to a

year). The therapy was very low-tech at the time (we are talking 30+ years

ago). We did simple expercises like drawing huge circles on a full size chalk

boards side by side at the same time with the goal of them being on top of each

other. And continuly looking at pictures of two images and bringing them closer

until they became one. In anycase very basic. I am sure today they therapy is

much more technical. The results were increased stability and better attention

span in school. I was about 8 y.o. at the time. I think the therapy was well

worth it. It helped work out some issues that created a stronger base for long

life of learning. Of course you may be able to find another proven provider

with a lower cost?

>

> Even though this group has a focus on speech and/or language communication

impairments -today's neurologically based communication impairment typically

presents as a spectrum with other diagnosis co existing such as sensory issues

-so translate that to sensory issues are ON TOPIC here. And Sherry I've never

seen such an incredible well detailed blog as the one you started to document

Josh's journey from day one -I again think it is going to make a great blog for

research as it's so well documented!! http://budsnvblog.blogspot.com/ Just one

teeny little suggestion -you mention PINES lots...it's probably a good idea to

explain what that is as I'm guessing it's some sort of post traumatic stress

from the abuse he went through in the school???

>

> But main point being anyone who can document as well as you in your NV blog

can (probably due to you being an attorney!) is the perfect person to fill us

all in here about the Sensory Learning Center. So I agree with Bek and please

do share here!! And do tell us if it's as worthy of sharing as Dr. Bob's

incredible info!!

>

> Also kind of in the news now due to recent research is the following finding

which the following also has an article and a video -any thoughts on this? Not

one hundred percent sure what this research means -but I do know that

multisensory approaches have been key in our group for over a decade to being SO

important!

>

> Autistic Children Slower to Integrate Multiple Stimuli

> By , North American Correspondent, MedPage Today

> Published: August 19, 2010

> Reviewed by Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine,

University of California, San Francisco.

>

> Children with autism spectrum disorders are slower at integrating various

types of sensory information than those with a more typical development,

researchers reported.

>

> The finding -- based on recordings of electrical activity in the brain -- is

concrete evidence that children with autism spectrum disorders process

information differently than typical children, according to Sophie Molholm, PhD,

of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues.

>

> As well as occurring later, so-called " multi-sensory integration " was also

less extensive than in typical children, Molholm and colleagues reported online

in Autism Research. The notion that difficulties with multi-sensory integration

lie at the root of autism spectrum disorders has been popular for some time.

" It's a new catch-all term, " Molholm told MedPage Today.

>

> But there has been little verification of the idea and what research has been

done has had equivocal results, she said.

>

> " There is basically absolutely no empirical data to support the idea or to

guide how you would deal with it if it were a problem, " Molholm said.

>

> Despite that, there is a cottage industry on the Internet that offers to treat

deficits in multi-sensory integration in children with autism spectrum

disorders.

>

> To help fill the information gap, she and colleagues measured electrical

activity in the brains of 17 children ages six to 16 with autism spectrum

disorders while they watched a silent movie and were given unrelated auditory

and tactile sensations.

>

> Seventeen typically developing children -- matched for age and intelligence

quotient -- underwent the same testing, in which the auditory and tactile

sensations were given separately and then together.

>

> The researchers summed the responses to the single sensations, as measured by

high-density electrophysiology, and compared them with responses to the combined

stimuli.

>

> The combined responses of all the children exceeded the sum of the single

responses -- an indication of multi-sensory integration. But the autistic

children had less pronounced differences, the researchers said, suggesting their

integration was less effective.

>

> As well, the multi-sensory integration took place within about 100 to 200

milliseconds of the stimuli in the typical children, the researchers found, but

only occurred after about 300 milliseconds in the autistic children.

>

> The finding doesn't mean the autistic children can't integrate different types

of stimuli, but it does show that they do it differently, Molholm said. The

research also says nothing about how such differences affect behavior.

>

> " That's the ultimate quest, but we aren't there yet, " she told MedPage Today.

" This is straight brain measurement, which we don't yet correlate with

behavior. "

>

> It's also a highly artificial experiment, she said, and she and colleagues are

now trying to see what happens in more real-life situations.

>

> For instance, it's known that typically, people hear speech better if they can

see the lips of the person speaking. What's not known is if people with autism

spectrum disorder get the " same boost in perception " from the multiple sensory

inputs, she said.

>

> The study had support from the National Institutes of Health, the Wallace

Research Foundation, Cure Autism Now, the Fondation du Québec de Recherche sur

la Société et la Culture, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. No

other disclosure information was given.

>

> Primary source: Autism Research

> Source reference:

> Russo N et al. " Multisensory processing in children with autism: High-density

electrical mapping of auditory-somatosensory integration " Autism Research 2010;

DOI: 10.1002/aur.152.

>

> Action Points

>

> * Explain to interested parents that children with autism spectrum

disorders are slower and less effective at integrating various types of sensory

information ( " multi-sensory integration " ) than those with a more typical

development.

>

>

> * Explain further that it is unclear how such changes in multi-sensory

integration affect specific types of behaviors found in children with autism

spectrum disorders.

> Watch video here too http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Autism/21789

>

>

> =====

>

[Guest guest]

My 10 year old son has " Convergence Insufficiency " . It took a long time to get

that diagnosis. Problem is that kids who have it believe that it is the normal

way everyone else sees and they start getting upset/disruptive when everything

seems to come easy to other kids. We learned about ours when our son was 7 and

they were going to suspend him for disruptive behavior in school. We took him

to a behavioral specialist who put him on antidepressants and bipolar medicine.

We saw a very dark change in him and we decided that was not a positive

solution. We took him to Children's Hospital in Columbus and they tested him

and found out his eyes were turning out. He could not focus on distant objects

and the words on his reading pages were moving so he would have to reread the

same sentence over and over again. They referred us to " The Solution Center "

and we had him tested and the diagnosis was confirmed. As stated before, the

insurance companies will not pay for therapy. We could not afford the therapy

at that time because they wanted the money up front. Two sessions a week at $70

for six weeks and then the extra money for the computer programs and then they

would evaluate again and we would have to pay for more sessions at that time.

I came across a study that was done at Ohio State University the previous

summer. I contacted the people who gave them the grant and they connected me

with OSU's Optometry Department. They told us the University would provide him

with the therapy once a week at $80 a session. One session a month was covered

by insurance because it was billed as medical. My son was at OSU once a week

for a year, then he went to every two weeks to once a month. He has completed

the computer program and is finally done with the reading comprehension program

which has brought him up to grade level. Reading comprehension has been the

only thing keeping him out of the gifted program.

We were sent by OSU to an eye surgeon to see if possibly he needed to have is

eye muscles tightened (like they do with lazy eye) and we went to my daughter's

surgeon who did her lazy eye surgery and she is totally against the therapy.

She says the kids will outgrow the condition and put him in bifocals. I asked

my son what he thought and he said he wanted to return to OSU because it worked

and he can now see without getting migraines.

We also have a " 504 plan " for our son with the school. This is considered a

fixable disorder so they do not need a permanent IEP which follows them through

school. The school, after fighting for about 3 months with them for a disorder

they knew nothing about, supplied him with a reading guide which is like a ruler

with a line in the middle and a yellow line above and below it so they can move

it with their reading so they can keep track of what line they are on. He has

glasses which are prisms (he has 20/20 vision) which take the strain off his

eyes. He has more confidence in himself and his attitude has improved so much.

He still has the normal 10-year-old back talk but he is no longer hitting

himself in the head, calling himself stupid, or being violent towards his

siblings.

Look around and see if there is a university in your area who teaches this. The

fourth year students are the therapists with the professors overseeing them.

That is why they can do it for less money.

Your county services might have someone who may be able to help you find

something. I actually have educated the county's early intervention speech

therapist who was my 3-year-old's speech therapist before the county put him in

Head Start (he is the one with Apraxia) about the situation and she has called

me to ask about information because she has had other parents whose children

sonding so much like my son and we were able to refer her to who to call at OSU.

OSU calls the department " Binocular Vision " which is the layman terms of this

disorder.

Please keep your hopes up, it does work and it does make a difference.

Depending on how bad it is, it may not take that much office therapy and more

home therapy on the computer. Make sure you check out who you are going to so

you know that they are not out to make more money. I do also know that one of

our eye doctors in town does the therapy for children who are not that bad. He

prescribes the computer program only -- not the actual exercises done at the

therapy centers.

You can contact me privately if you want more information or if you need me to

email my son's doctor at OSU to see if she might know someone in your area who

does the same work.

Good luck.

Angi

> >

> > Even though this group has a focus on speech and/or language communication

impairments -today's neurologically based communication impairment typically

presents as a spectrum with other diagnosis co existing such as sensory issues

-so translate that to sensory issues are ON TOPIC here. And Sherry I've never

seen such an incredible well detailed blog as the one you started to document

Josh's journey from day one -I again think it is going to make a great blog for

research as it's so well documented!! http://budsnvblog.blogspot.com/ Just one

teeny little suggestion -you mention PINES lots...it's probably a good idea to

explain what that is as I'm guessing it's some sort of post traumatic stress

from the abuse he went through in the school???

> >

> > But main point being anyone who can document as well as you in your NV blog

can (probably due to you being an attorney!) is the perfect person to fill us

all in here about the Sensory Learning Center. So I agree with Bek and please

do share here!! And do tell us if it's as worthy of sharing as Dr. Bob's

incredible info!!

> >

> > Also kind of in the news now due to recent research is the following finding

which the following also has an article and a video -any thoughts on this? Not

one hundred percent sure what this research means -but I do know that

multisensory approaches have been key in our group for over a decade to being SO

important!

> >

> > Autistic Children Slower to Integrate Multiple Stimuli

> > By , North American Correspondent, MedPage Today

> > Published: August 19, 2010

> > Reviewed by Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine,

University of California, San Francisco.

> >

> > Children with autism spectrum disorders are slower at integrating various

types of sensory information than those with a more typical development,

researchers reported.

> >

> > The finding -- based on recordings of electrical activity in the brain -- is

concrete evidence that children with autism spectrum disorders process

information differently than typical children, according to Sophie Molholm, PhD,

of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues.

> >

> > As well as occurring later, so-called " multi-sensory integration " was also

less extensive than in typical children, Molholm and colleagues reported online

in Autism Research. The notion that difficulties with multi-sensory integration

lie at the root of autism spectrum disorders has been popular for some time.

" It's a new catch-all term, " Molholm told MedPage Today.

> >

> > But there has been little verification of the idea and what research has

been done has had equivocal results, she said.

> >

> > " There is basically absolutely no empirical data to support the idea or to

guide how you would deal with it if it were a problem, " Molholm said.

> >

> > Despite that, there is a cottage industry on the Internet that offers to

treat deficits in multi-sensory integration in children with autism spectrum

disorders.

> >

> > To help fill the information gap, she and colleagues measured electrical

activity in the brains of 17 children ages six to 16 with autism spectrum

disorders while they watched a silent movie and were given unrelated auditory

and tactile sensations.

> >

> > Seventeen typically developing children -- matched for age and intelligence

quotient -- underwent the same testing, in which the auditory and tactile

sensations were given separately and then together.

> >

> > The researchers summed the responses to the single sensations, as measured

by high-density electrophysiology, and compared them with responses to the

combined stimuli.

> >

> > The combined responses of all the children exceeded the sum of the single

responses -- an indication of multi-sensory integration. But the autistic

children had less pronounced differences, the researchers said, suggesting their

integration was less effective.

> >

> > As well, the multi-sensory integration took place within about 100 to 200

milliseconds of the stimuli in the typical children, the researchers found, but

only occurred after about 300 milliseconds in the autistic children.

> >

> > The finding doesn't mean the autistic children can't integrate different

types of stimuli, but it does show that they do it differently, Molholm said.

The research also says nothing about how such differences affect behavior.

> >

> > " That's the ultimate quest, but we aren't there yet, " she told MedPage

Today. " This is straight brain measurement, which we don't yet correlate with

behavior. "

> >

> > It's also a highly artificial experiment, she said, and she and colleagues

are now trying to see what happens in more real-life situations.

> >

> > For instance, it's known that typically, people hear speech better if they

can see the lips of the person speaking. What's not known is if people with

autism spectrum disorder get the " same boost in perception " from the multiple

sensory inputs, she said.

> >

> > The study had support from the National Institutes of Health, the Wallace

Research Foundation, Cure Autism Now, the Fondation du Québec de Recherche sur

la Société et la Culture, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. No

other disclosure information was given.

> >

> > Primary source: Autism Research

> > Source reference:

> > Russo N et al. " Multisensory processing in children with autism:

High-density electrical mapping of auditory-somatosensory integration " Autism

Research 2010; DOI: 10.1002/aur.152.

> >

> > Action Points

> >

> > * Explain to interested parents that children with autism spectrum

disorders are slower and less effective at integrating various types of sensory

information ( " multi-sensory integration " ) than those with a more typical

development.

> >

> >

> > * Explain further that it is unclear how such changes in multi-sensory

integration affect specific types of behaviors found in children with autism

spectrum disorders.

> > Watch video here too http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Autism/21789

> >

> >

> > =====

> >