Sensory Issues in Children with Asperger Syndrome and Autism

The purpose of this study was to examine whether children with Asperger Syndrome and children with autism exhibit difference sensory profiles. The Sensory Profile (Dunn, 1999), completed on 86 individuals with Asperger Syndrome and 86 persons with autism matched for age, revealed differences in three of 23 areas evaluated: (a) Emotional/Social Responses, (b) Emotional Reactivity, and (c) Inattention/Distractibility. Implications regarding these similarities and differences in profile are discussed. During the past several years, researchers and practitioners have sought to determine commonalities and differences among characteristics of autism and Asperger Syndrome (AS), collectively referred to as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). To date results have been equivocal at best. For example, studies of general clinical characteristics of individuals with autism and AS (Eisenmajer et.al, 1996; Gilchrist, Green, Cox, Rutter, & Le Couteur, 2001; Kurita, 1997; Szatmari, Archer, Fisman, Streiner, & Wilson, 1995) have revealed no consistent significant differences in attributes between the groups. Further, investigations of cognitive profiles (Ehlers et al., 1997; Szatmari, Tuff, Finlayson, & Bartolucci, 1990), neuropsychological and language profiles (Ozonoff, Rogers, & Pennington, 1991; Rinehart, Bradshaw, Moss, Brereton, & Tonge, 2001; Szatmari et al., 1990), and behavioral and psychiatric problems (Ghaziuddin, 2002; Ghazziudin, Alessi, & Greden, 1995; Kim, Szatmari, Bryson, Streiner, & Wilson, 2000; Tonge, Brereton, Gray, & Einfeld, 1999) have yielded equivocal results in differentiating the two disabilities. Despite its global impact on individuals with ASD one area of functioning that has not been compared across autism and AS, is sensory processing. Since Kanner’s investigation of individuals with autism in 1943, it has been recognized that children and youth with autism manifest sensory integration problems that include (a) low endurance and tone, (b) poor registration, (c) tactile challenges, (d) finemotor/perceptual problems, (e) self-regulation, and (f) oral sensory sensitivity (Ayres & Tickle, 1980; Bagnato & Neisworth, 1999; Ermer & Dunn, 1998; Kientz & Dunn, 1997). Fewer investigations on sensory issues in individuals with AS exist. Asperger (1944) recognized sensory deficits in children with AS in his clinical writings and professionals, parents, and individuals with AS themselves have acknowledged anecdotally that sensory issues are apparent in this disability (Attwood, 1998; Myles, Cook, Miller, Rinner, & Robbins, 2000; Stagnitti, Raison, & Ryan, 1999; Willey, 1999). Despite this discussion, only one empirical article has been published in a peer-refereed journal on sensory issues of persons with AS (Dunn, Myles, & Orr, 2002). In this investigation, Dunn et al. found that children and youth with AS differed from typical peers on 22 of 23 categories identified in the Sensory Profile (Dunn, 1999), a norm-referenced measure that describes responses to sensory events in daily life. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Brenda Smith Myles, University of Kansas, Special Education, 1122 West Campus Road, Room 521, Lawrence, KS 66045-3101. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 2004, 39(4), 283–290 © Division on Developmental Disabilities Sensory Issues in AS and Autism / 283 A small database in autism and an even more meager one in AS suggest that sensory differences are a salient part of the disabilities. However, the question of whether specific sensory processing patterns exist that can differentiate the groups has not been investigated. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify the sensory characteristics of children and youth with autism and AS and further determine whether these characteristics are sufficiently salient to differentiate the two disorders.