ON ASD: Auditory Integration Training.

Auditory Integration Training (AIT) was developed to treat individuals with auditory processing difficulties, particularly hypersensitivity to sound. This technique involves the repeated exposure to different sounds in an effort to “retrain” the ear and improve the way the brain processes information.

The research evidence is generally not supportive of either its theoretical basis or its effectiveness in improving the behavior and functioning of individuals with autism and other sensory problems.

AIT is not endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and should be considered as ineffective and cannot be recommended.

ON ASD: Sensory Integration Therapy

The goal of Sensory Integration (SI) therapy is to remediate deficits in neurologic processing and the integration of sensory information to allow the student to interact with the environment in a more adaptive manner. The efficacy of SI therapy has not been demonstrated objectively. At present, there is no reliable and convincing empirical evidence that sensory-based treatments have specific effects.

ON AUTISM SYNDROME DISORDERS (ASD).

Socialization deficits are a major source of impairment, regardless of cognitive or language ability and do not diminish over the course of development.

There is emerging evidence to support traditional and newer naturalistic behavioral strategies and other approaches to social skills programming for young children with ASD. For example, there is some objective research to suggest that groupñ-based social skills training and peer-mediated approaches may be useful interventions.
Social interactive training is an effective and promising technique for promoting communication and social skills when used as a component of an overall educational curriculum for children with ASD.