Longitudinal assessment of stability of sensory features in children with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disabilities.
Grace T Baranek, Mike Carlson, John Sideris and 4 others
PMID 30194913WHAT IT FOUND
Some sensory problems eased over time, but children with more severe problems at the first visit usually stayed relatively worse.
More occupational, speech-language, or total therapy hours were linked to worse later sensory problems, not better.
Key findings
01A child's relative level of sensory problems at the first visit usually predicted a similar relative level at follow-up.
02Group averages decreased for reduced reactions to stimuli in the ASD group and for sensory seeking/repetitive behaviors in both groups.
03After adjustment, more hours of occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, or total therapy were associated with more later sensory problems, not fewer.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Only 48% of children who received an initial assessment were reassessed, and attrition was 55% in the ASD group and 46% in the DD group. Sensory problems were measured by parent report only, not direct observation. Therapy hours came from a study-specific parent interview, and the study could not tell whether therapy was delivered optimally or what specific methods were used. Therapy hours were reported by families, not assigned by the study, so the association between therapy hours and later sensory scores cannot show cause. Therapy categories mixed different treatments, including sensory-based and non-sensory-based services.
Declared interests
The supplied text does not report author conflicts of interest. The article is listed as supported by NIH extramural research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the link between more occupational, speech-language, or total therapy hours and worse later sensory scores as evidence that therapy made sensory problems worse. Therapy hours were reported by families, not assigned by the study, and more severe sensory problems may have led to more services.