Outcomes of sensory integration therapy in children with autism spectrum disorder: a non-randomized pre-post intervention study.
- 1Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Okasha Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. [email protected].
- 2Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Okasha Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Abstract
Background
Sensory processing abnormalities have been linked to autism symptoms. Sensory integration therapy (SIT) affects autism symptom severity, sensory profile and related socio-demographic/clinical variables.Methods
Thirty patients, aged 3 to 10 years, meeting autism spectrum disorder (ASD) case definition were recruited from SIT clinic, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Okasha Institute of Psychiatry, Ain Shams University, Cairo, between May 2023 and January 2025, assessed by socio-demographic/clinical questionnaire, Arabic versions of Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children Present and Lifetime Version, Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale Fifth Edition, Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and Sensory Profile Caregiver Questionnaire. Participants received a 12-week SIT program (one 30-minute session weekly), then post-intervention reassessment using CARS and Sensory Profile.Results
The most common age was 3-5 years (46.66%), with males comprising 80%. Most participants (73.33%) IQ scores were 60-64. Mean CARS scores decreased from 33.9 ± 3.42 to 31.95 ± 3.4, mild autism increasing to 76.67%, moderate decreasing to 10% and unchanged severe cases. Mostly affected domains were vestibular processing, emotional/social responses, behavioural outcomes of sensory processing and fine motor/perceptual. Post-intervention, the most improved were vestibular processing, emotional/social response, emotionally reactive, inattention/distractibility (p-value < 0.001), auditory processing, modulation of body position and movement affecting activity level (p-value 0.001). The least were sensory processing related to endurance/tone and low endurance/tone.Conclusion
SIT effectively reduced autism severity and improved key sensory and behavioural domains of sensory processing, particularly in mild to moderate cases.Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06882642, registered March 2025 (retrospectively registered).
Related
- Guideline for intervention and rehabilitation in children with autism spectrum disorder (2026 edition)
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BibTeX
@article{rahman2026outcomes,
title = {{Outcomes of sensory integration therapy in children with autism spectrum disorder: a non-randomized pre-post intervention study.}},
author = {Rahaf Mohamed Abdel Rahman and Maha Mohamed Sayed and Afaf Mohamed Abdel Samei and Mona Mahmoud El Sheikh and Mariam Yehia Mohamed},
journal = {BMC pediatrics},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1186/s12887-026-07568-x},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42972283},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Outcomes of sensory integration therapy in children with autism spectrum disorder: a non-randomized pre-post intervention study.
AU - Rahaf Mohamed Abdel Rahman
AU - Maha Mohamed Sayed
AU - Afaf Mohamed Abdel Samei
AU - Mona Mahmoud El Sheikh
AU - Mariam Yehia Mohamed
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/22
JO - BMC pediatrics
DO - 10.1186/s12887-026-07568-x
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42972283
AB - Background Sensory processing abnormalities have been linked to autism symptoms. Sensory integration therapy (SIT) affects autism symptom severity, sensory profile and related socio-demographic/clinical variables.Methods Thirty patients, aged 3 to 10 years, meeting autism spectrum disorder (ASD) case definition were recruited from SIT clinic, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Okasha Institute of Psychiatry, Ain Shams University, Cairo, between May 2023 and January 2025, assessed by socio-demographic/clinical questionnaire, Arabic versions of Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children Present and Lifetime Version, Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale Fifth Edition, Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and Sensory Profile Caregiver Questionnaire. Participants received a 12-week SIT program (one 30-minute session weekly), then post-intervention reassessment using CARS and Sensory Profile.Results The most common age was 3-5 years (46.66%), with males comprising 80%. Most participants (73.33%) IQ scores were 60-64. Mean CARS scores decreased from 33.9 ± 3.42 to 31.95 ± 3.4, mild autism increasing to 76.67%, moderate decreasing to 10% and unchanged severe cases. Mostly affected domains were vestibular processing, emotional/social responses, behavioural outcomes of sensory processing and fine motor/perceptual. Post-intervention, the most improved were vestibular processing, emotional/social response, emotionally reactive, inattention/distractibility (p-value < 0.001), auditory processing, modulation of body position and movement affecting activity level (p-value 0.001). The least were sensory processing related to endurance/tone and low endurance/tone.Conclusion SIT effectively reduced autism severity and improved key sensory and behavioural domains of sensory processing, particularly in mild to moderate cases.Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06882642, registered March 2025 (retrospectively registered).
SN - 1471-2431
ER -