Interventions to facilitate auditory, visual, and motor integration in autism: A review of the evidence

Evidence is reviewed on the prevalence of sensory and motor abnormalities i n autism and the effectiveness of three interventions designed to address s uch abnormalities-sensory integration therapy, traditional occupational the rapy, and auditory integration training. Although sensory processing and mo tor abnormalities are neither universal nor specific to autism, the prevale nce of such abnormalities in autism is relatively high. There is, however, little controlled research on the effectiveness of interventions designed t o address these abnormalities. Four objective outcome studies of sensory in tegration therapy were identified. These were of such small scale that no f irm conclusions regarding efficacy could be made. No empirical studies of t raditional occupational therapy in autism were found. Five studies of audit ory integration training were found. Results of these studies provided no, or at best equivocal, support for the use of auditory integration training in autism.