Sensory Integration Disorder And Autism

Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) is a a neurological condition in and of itself, but it is most often associated with other neurological conditions, including Autism Spectrum Disorders, Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder, and Tourette’s Syndrome. Unlike blindness or deafness, where a person is unable to sense or receive input from sight or sound, a person with SID is able to perceive sensory stimuli. The deficit lies in the brain’s inability to process the stimuli. If the person with SID is hyposensitive to sensory input such as touch, he or she may be more likely to be injured walking into objects or not realizing an object was too hot. A SID patient who is hypersensitive to input such as noise, will often respond loudly and negatively to surprise noises. They may also be able to hear soft noises, such as the buzz from fluorescent lights which is imperceptible to a typical person. Sensory Integration Therapy is a proven treatment for SID and is typically implemented by occupational therapists who also treat patients with autism.