Sensory Processing in Children With Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Clinicians’, Parents’, Teachers’ and Children’s Perspectives

Sensory processing disorder (SPD) can be defined as a neurophysiological difficulty in modulating or interpreting sensory stimuli; it is often seen in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We examined sensory processing among children with and without ASD, using an observational tool based on the clinicians’, child’s, parents’, and teachers’ self-reports. The Sensory Processing Measure (SPM) and the Sensory Adventure Measure (SAM) were administered to 57 children aged 6 to 10 years with and without ASD. Significant differences in sensory processing were found between groups, reported by clinicians (SAM), parents, and teachers (SPM). Evaluating SPD by a skilled clinician by observing the child adds further information beyond that collected from parents and teachers.