When it comes to diagnosing autism, there are many different factors that need to be taken into account. This is because autism spectrum disorders have a wide range of potential symptoms and no two cases are the same. Therefore, it is very easy to confuse autism with another condition. Among the most common mistakes when diagnosing autism is not understanding the difference between being on the spectrum and sensory integration disorder.

This leads to the question of whether autism spectrum disorder and sensory integration disorder (also known as sensory processing disorder) are the same condition, or at least if they are related. Does one exclude the other? They are considered completely separate disorders to begin with, but to better understand them, Dr. Lucy Jane Miller conducted a study “Quantitative Psychophysiological Assessment of Sensory Processing in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders,” involving 40 children with high-functioning autism. or Asperger syndrome. who were evaluated for sensory integration disorder.

Dr. Miller’s results showed that 78 percent of participating children also showed noticeable signs of sensory integration disorder. While, 22 percent of the participants showed no signs. However, a secondary study by the same researchers, “Relationships Between Subtypes of Sensory Modulation Dysfunction,” looked at children diagnosed with sensory integration disorder and tested them to see how many also had autism. Within that experiment, zero percent of the participants had autism. The reason this is interesting is that while children with autism can exist without having sensory integration disorder, most show signs of the condition. On the other hand, there is no bias towards autism in children who only have sensory integration disorder.

Children with both disorders demonstrate challenges with high-level tasks that involve the integration of different areas of the brain. This can include emotional regulation as well as complex sensory functions. However, the key to diagnosing autism versus sensory integration disorder often lies in the fact that autistic children experience greater problems in the areas of language, empathy, and social skills. Children with sensory integration disorder do not experience the same connective failures to control emotional empathy and social interaction.

In both disorders, children experience difficulties with tasks that require their brain to establish long-distance connections, for example, between the frontal lobes (which coordinate brain activities) and with the cerebellum (which regulates perceptions and responses within the brain). ). ).

If you think your child may have one or both of these disorders, it’s important to talk to your child’s pediatrician to diagnose autism or identify sensory integration disorder on its own or in combination with autism. If autism or autism along with sensory integration disorder is the diagnosis, then she can begin to discuss possible treatments available. These treatments may include various medications as well as alternative therapies and may overlap in terms of addressing aspects of both conditions simultaneously. For example, many children with autism benefit from sensory integration therapies that also work well for children with sensory integration disorder.