What Exactly Is Sensory Integration Dysfunction?
as having universal and persistent features that are distinct from other established disorders. One can make some suggestions. Instead of trying to embrace all sensory and information processing disorders under one umbrella term, wouldn't it better to distinguish specific patterns of sensory perceptual problems in different 'established disorders'? For instance, though sensory perceptual problems have not been incorporated into diagnostic classifications, very specific and easy-to-describe unusual responses to sensory stimuli have been reported in most autistic children when they are observed prior to 6 years of age or when their parents are questioned about specific behaviors (Ornitz). It would be useful to compile specific patterns of sensory perceptual problems for different developmental disorders in order to find out whether there are differences in their manifestations.
To make the process easier, one could clearly specify and define separate sensory and information processing phenomena. For example, sensory integration dysfunction can be defined as difficulty processing and interpreting information from more than one sensory channel a time; sensory modulation disturbances - as the difficulties to modulate optimal arousal, that is manifested as both under- and overreactivity (hyper- and hyposensitivities) to sensory stimuli, or fluctuation between the two; etc.
Probably, then SID, sensory modulation problems, as well as CAPD, SS/IS and similar conditions will fit perfectly into the theory of sensory perceptual disorders/problems/difficulties.
References:
Ayres, A. J. (1979). Sensory Integration and the Child. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.
Kranowitz, C. (1998). The Out of Sync Child. New York: The Berkley Publishing Group.
Myles et al. (2001). Asperger Syndrome and Sensory Issues. Autism Asperger Publishing.
Latest Articles