Children with autism seem to have problems with the perceptions of their own bodies and sensation. These problems may lead to distortions of touch and other sensory experiences, which may be perceived as overwhelming. Children may be hypersensitive to some sounds, and ignore others completely. Balance may be affected because of the inability to locate the body in space. The ability to gesture and point may be limited.

Conclusions:

• there is a lack of a sound theoretical basis for sensory training, and no good evidence that sensory training has any effects on the overall functioning of children with autism spectrum disorders.
• Research has been limited, so it is not possible to draw firm conclusions about the effectiveness of this type of intervention.

• High quality, controlled research is needed to answer questions about what children benefit from this means of treatment, and how the treatment should be delivered to individuals.