COMPLETED STUDIES:

Physiological and Behavioral Characterization of Sensory Dysfunction funded by the Wallace Foundation

This study evaluated children ages 5 to 12 with sensory modulation dysfunction and compared them to children who were typically developing. Our research sought to describe the relationship between physiology (the body’s physical, biological responses) and behavior (what the parent, teacher, or researcher sees the child doing).

The aims of this study were to:

• Evaluate autonomic nervous system (ANS) reactivity and sypmathetic nervous system activity by measuring heart rate and sweat response using sticker-like electrodes placed on the child’s chest and hand;
• Evaluate behavioral responses to sensation and adaptive behaviors for participation in daily life activities for children with sensory processing in comparison to other groups using standardized assessments completed by the parent;
• Determine any relations between ANS activity, sensory dysfunction and functional behaviors needed for participation in activities for each group for children with sensory processing difficulities in comparison to the other groups; and
• Lay the foundation for future research studies that will develop and test therapeutic intervention strategies to reduce sensory dysfunction and improve participation in daily life activities. 

Participants were asked to:

• Participate in a non-invasive laboratory procedure called the Sensory Challenge Protocol, which measured heart rate and sweat gland responses to sensory stimulation of sound, touch, light, and movement
• Wear “sticker-like” electrodes to measure heart rate (3 stickers on chest) and sweat response (2 stickers on right hand)
• Sit quietly for approximately 35 minutes during the Sensory Challenge Protocol

In addition to a demographics questionnaire, parents/caregivers were asked to fill out the following assessments while at our lab in order to gain a deeper understanding of how your child’s nervous system works:

• The Short Sensory Profile
• The Vineland II Adaptive Behavioral Scales Parent Report Form
• The Sensory Processing Measure

Findings:

• The data continues to support previous findings of significant differences between children with and without sensory modulation dysfunction. 
• As a group, children with sensory modulation dysfunction demonstrate significantly lower vagal tone, suggesting poor or different physiological regulation during sensory challenge. 
• When sensory modulation dysfunction children are examined based on their individual behavioral sensory patterns, several patterns emerged. 
• The children with sensory overresponsivity demonstrate a trend for low baseline vagal tone, with the most severe overresponders having the lowest cardiac vagal tone. 
• Underresponsive children with sensory modulation dysfunction did not display significantly different cardiac vagal tone, but did display higher average vagal tone on all domains than other sensory modulation dysfunction children and typical children.

To download a copy of our Executive Summary to the Wallace Foundation, click here.