Sensory profile of children with autism

Abstract

Međusobna integracija različitih senzornih infomacija omogućava interpretaciju stimulusa iz okoline. Brojni izvori u literaturi upućuju na jasne dokaze o tome da je neadekvatna senzorna obrada prisutna kod dece s poremećajem iz spektra autizma u različitom stepenu. Pojava teškoća senzorne obrade dominantna je u najmlađem uzrastu, te je u rehabilitacionom tretmanu vrlo važno detektovati ova ispoljavanja. Cilj ovog rada je da utvrdi u kojoj se dimenziji senzorne obrade ispoljavaju najčešće poteškoće kod dece s poremećajem iz spektra autizma. Uzorak je činilo 42 ispitanika sa dijagnozom poremećaja iz spektra autizma, uzrasta od četiri do šest godina, oba pola. Isklјučujući kriterijumi u formiranju uzorka odnosili su se na postojanje drugih medicinskih ili psihijatrijskih dijagnoza, neuroloških obolјenja i senzornih oštećenja. Intelektualni status ispitanika, za potrebe ovog istraživanja, nije ispitivan. U prikupljanju podataka za skrining teškoća senzorne obrade ispitanika korišćen je Kratki senzorni profil (The Short Sensory Profile, Dunn, 1999). Ovaj instrument vrši skrining teškoća senzorne obrade kroz sedam oblasti: Taktilna osetljivost, Osetljivost ukusa i mirisa, Osetljivost na pokrete, Protežirajuće senzacije, Auditorno filtriranje, Slabost tela i energije i Vizuelna i auditivna osetljivost U rezultatima istraživanja dat je prikaz procentualne zastupljenosti teškoća u pojedinim aspektima senzorne obrade kod dece sa poremećajem iz spektra autizma i time napravljen svojevrsni senzorni profil. Na svim suptestovima instrumenta ova deca pokazuju veći stepen teškoća senzorne obrade u odnosu na tipične performanse.

The mutual integration of various sensory information enables the interpretation of environmental stimuli. Numerous sources in literature clearly indicate that inadequate sensory treatment is present, in children with autism spectrum disorder, in varying degrees. Difficulties in sensory processing is the occurrence that is dominant at the youngest of age, so it is very important to detect these manifestations in rehabilitation treatment. The aim of this paper is to determine in which part of sensory processing, in children with autism spectrum disorder, difficulties are the most common. The sample consisted of 42 respondents, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, age four to six, both genders. Excluding criteria, for forming the sample, were related to the presence of other medical or psychiatric diagnoses, neurological diseases and sensory impairment. The intellectual status of the respondents, for the purposes of this research, was not examined. For collecting the data for screening of difficulties in sensory processing of the respondents, The Short Sensory Profile (Dunn, 1999) was used. This instrument performs screening of difficulties in sensory processing through seven sections: Tactile sensitivity, Taste and smell sensitivity, Sensitivity to movement, Under responsive sensation, Auditory filtering, Weakness of body and energy and Visual and auditory sensitivity. In research results, percentile representation of difficulties in certain aspects of sensory processing in children with autism spectrum disorder, is shown and thus a unique sensory profile is made. On all instrument subtests, these children show higher degree of difficulty in sensory processing relative to typical performance.