Atypical Sensory Behaviours Report

Posted on 28 September 2016 by Pippa McClounan

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A research study found the children with Tourette's and the children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in their study showed a higher prevalence of atypical sensory behaviours and symptoms of visual stress than the typically developing control children. Six out of twelve children with Tourette's syndrome (50%) read more accurately and over 15% more quickly with a coloured overlay.

Certain visual disturbances make it difficult to read text and have been attributed to visual stress, also called “pattern-related visual stress".

12 Children with ASD, 12 children with Tourette syndrome and without ASD and 12 controls, all matched on age and non verbal ability, participated in an experiment exploring sensory behaviours and visual stress. Reading rate and
accuracy were assessed with the Wilkins Rate of Reading test with and without the Intuitive Overlays. Both the children with Tourette's and the children with ASD showed a higher prevalence of atypical sensory behaviours and symptoms of visual stress than the typically developing control children. Six out of twelve children with Tourette's syndrome (50%) read more accurately and over 15% more quickly with a coloured overlay. Four of the 12 children with ASD and none of the control children read over 15% more quickly with an overlay. The findings are discussed in relation to problems in sensory modulation.

Read the full report here.

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