Sensory Perceptual Issues in Autism and Asperger Syndrome Different Sensory Experiences Different Perceptual Worlds.

Bogdashina presents a very convincing argument that many of the behavioral patterns seen in people with Autism and Asperger Syndrome have a different sensory perceptual experience than people without these conditions. The experiences may involve hyper- or hyposensitivity, fluctuation between different “volumes” of perception or difficulty interpreting a sense. Any, and frequently several, sensory modalities are affected in an individual. The book starts with many clinical examples of unusual sensory perceptual experiences of people with these conditions. The book then provides one approach to assess sensory integration problems and establish interventions to eliminate problems and enhance the individuals’ strengths. In my clinical experience, understanding the child’s sensory experience and directing interventions to assist the child become more comfortable in his or her world, is a major part of treatment. The majority of the book describes the issues on “Possible Sensory Experiences in Autism”, “Perceptual Styles”, “Cognitive Styles” and “Other Sensory Conditions”. There is only limited information about interventions. It would have been preferable to have a larger chapter to describe interventions that follow post identification of child’s difficulties with sensory experiences. The key point that the interventions must be individualized for the specific child could have been better emphasized. The information from the chapters devoted to “Treatment” and “Recommendations” would then balance more convincingly. This book is easily understood by both parents and professionals. It is well referenced. The Table of Contents and the Subject and Author Indexes are easy to use. This book may be a good place to start learning about the altered sensory experience of people with Autism or Asperger Syndrome.