Sensory Enriched Environment Has Impact on Children with Autism

Sensory-enriched environment shows ‘significant’ impact on children with autism — UC-Irvine Scientific groundbreaking study:

A “sensory-enriched treatment” of children with autism has shown “significant improvement in their autism symptoms”–approximately six times greater than those children on the autism spectrum in a control group who received only “standard” autism treatment — according to University of California Irvine scientists in a groundbreaking study.

The sensory-enriched environment also produced scientifically significant increases in the children’s cognitive abilities (understanding and knowledge) over those who received standard treatment.

Sensory enrichment therapy involves the use of
products that are typically available in the home
… so it provides a low-cost option for parents
who can spend a half-hour twice a day enhancing
their child’s progress.

Important revelations in the study: the cost of treatment for children with autism is less than many other programs because it uses commonly found items and it can be managed by family members instead of certified professionals. It also positively impacted older children on the spectrum in the study, who generally don’t respond well in standard autism treatments without early intervention.

The critical components in the study included multiple sensory experiences – rather than one – purposely layered and frequently changed to introduce novelty into the program.  The researchers concluded that it’s the compilation of sensory enriched experiences that affect the children, reducing their autistic behaviors and increasing their cognitive abilities.

The research indicates that an enriched
sensorimotor experience ameliorates genetically
based neurological disorders, such as autism,
Down syndrome, Alzheimer disease, Huntington
disease, Parkinson disease, and schizophrenia.

Read about it in the just-released spring issue of Sensory Focus magazine, online at the Apple newsstand or in print at www.sensoryworld.com http://www.sensoryworld.com/Portals/6/SensoryEnrichmentTherapyArticle2014.pdf

Lyn Dunsavage Young, National Media Coordinator; Marketing/Distributors for Future Horizons

• AADigest on Apple Newsstand 

• AADigest link: www.autismdigest.com

• Future Horizons’ site: www.fhautism.com

• Future Horizons’ catalog online

• Temple Grandin site: www.templegrandin.com

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Sensory Focus Magazine: Understanding the Issues Behind the Behavior – Winter 2014