scholarly journals Sensory Integration Therapy Versus Usual Care for Sensory Processing Difficulties in Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children: Study Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomised Controlled Trial

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Randell ◽  
Rachel McNamara ◽  
Sue Delport ◽  
Monica Busse ◽  
Richard Hastings ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a common lifelong condition affecting 1 in 100 people. ASD affects how a person relates to others and the world around them. Difficulty responding to sensory information (noise, touch, movement, taste, sight) is common, and might include feeling overwhelmed or distressed by loud or constant low-level noise (e.g. in the classroom). Affected children may also show little or no response to these sensory cues. These ‘sensory processing difficulties’ are associated with behaviour and socialisation problems, and affect education, relationships, and participation in daily life. Sensory Integration Therapy (SIT) is a face-to-face therapy or treatment, provided by trained occupational therapists who use play -based sensory-motor activities and the just-right challenge to influence the way the child responds to sensation, reducing distress, and improving motor skills, adaptive responses, concentration and interaction with others. With limited research into SIT, this protocol describes in detail how the intervention will be defined and evaluated. Methods: Two-arm pragmatic individually 1:1 Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) with internal pilot of SIT versus Usual Care (UC) for primary school aged children (4 to 11 years) with ASD and Sensory Processing (SP) difficulties. 216 children will be recruited from multiple sources. Therapy will be delivered in clinics meeting full fidelity criteria for manualised SIT over 26 weeks (face-to-face sessions: 2 per week for 10 weeks, 2 per month for 2 months; Telephone call: 1 per month for 2 months). Follow up assessments will be completed at 6 and 12 months post randomisation. Prior to recruitment: therapists will be invited to participate in focus groups/interviews to explore what is delivered as usual care in trial regions; carers will be invited to complete an online survey to map out their experience of services. Following recruitment: carers will be given diaries to record their contact with services. Following intervention, carer and therapist interviews will be completed. Discussion: Results of this trial will provide high quality evidence on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of SIT aimed at improving behavioural, functional, social, educational and well-being outcomes for children and well-being outcomes for carers and families.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Randell ◽  
Rachel McNamara ◽  
Sue Delport ◽  
Monica Busse ◽  
Richard Hastings ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a common lifelong condition affecting 1 in 100 people. ASD affects how a person relates to others and the world around them. Difficulty responding to sensory information (noise, touch, movement, taste, sight) is common, and might include feeling overwhelmed or distressed by loud or constant low-level noise (e.g. in the classroom). Affected children may also show little or no response to these sensory cues. These ‘sensory processing difficulties’ are associated with behaviour and socialisation problems, and affect education, relationships, and participation in daily life. Sensory Integration Therapy (SIT) is a face-to-face therapy or treatment, provided by trained occupational therapists who use play -based sensory-motor activities and the just-right challenge to influence the way the child responds to sensation, reducing distress, and improving motor skills, adaptive responses, concentration and interaction with others. With limited research into SIT, this protocol describes in detail how the intervention will be defined and evaluated. Methods: Two-arm pragmatic individually 1:1 Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) with internal pilot of SIT versus Usual Care (UC) for primary school aged children (4 to 11 years) with ASD and Sensory Processing (SP) difficulties. 216 children will be recruited from multiple sources. Therapy will be delivered in clinics meeting full fidelity criteria for manualised SIT over 26 weeks (face-to-face sessions: 2 per week for 10 weeks, 2 per month for 2 months; Telephone call: 1 per month for 2 months). Follow up assessments will be completed at 6 and 12 months post randomisation. Prior to recruitment: therapists will be invited to participate in focus groups/interviews to explore what is delivered as usual care in trial regions; carers will be invited to complete an online survey to map out their experience of services. Following recruitment: carers will be given diaries to record their contact with services. Following intervention, carer and therapist interviews will be completed. Discussion: Results of this trial will provide high quality evidence on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of SIT aimed at improving behavioural, functional, social, educational and well-being outcomes for children and well-being outcomes for carers and families. Trial registration: ISRCTN14716440. Registered 08/11/2016. http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN14716440


2020 ◽  
pp. bjophthalmol-2019-315620
Author(s):  
Ryan Eyn Kidd Man ◽  
Alfred Tau Liang Gan ◽  
Marios Constantinou ◽  
Eva K Fenwick ◽  
Edith Holloway ◽  
...  

BackgroundTo assess the clinical and patient-centred effectiveness of a novel residential ocular care (ROC) model in Australian individuals residing in residential care.MethodsIn this prospective, multicentred, randomised controlled trial conducted in 38 Australian aged-care facilities (2015–2017), 178 visually impaired individuals living in residential care facilities (mean age ±SD: 83.9±8.6 years; 65.7% women) were cluster randomised to ROC (n=95) or usual care (n=83) pathways. The ROC arm comprised a tailored and comprehensive within-site eye examination and care rehabilitation pathway, while usual care participants were given a referral to an external eyecare provider. Outcomes included presenting distance and near visual acuity (PNVA); Rasch-transformed Reading, Emotional and Mobility scores from the Impact of Vision Impairment questionnaire; quality of vision (QoV comprising Rasch-transformed Frequency, Severity and Bother domains) scores; Euroqol-5-Dimensions (raw scores); Cornell Scale for Depression (raw scores) and 6-month falls frequency, assessed at baseline and 6 months post intervention. Within-group and between-group comparisons were conducted using linear mixed models, adjusted for baseline differences in characteristics between the two arms.ResultsAt 6 months, intention-to-treat analyses showed significant between-group improvements in ROC residents compared with usual care for PNVA, Emotional and QoV scores (all p<0.05) These significant findings were retained in per-protocol analyses. No other between-group changes were observed.ConclusionOur ROC model was effective in improving near vision, emotional well-being and perceived burden of vision-related symptoms in residential care dwellers in Australia with vision impairment. Future studies to evaluate the cost effectiveness and implementation of ROC in Australia are warranted.


2017 ◽  
Vol 58 (9) ◽  
pp. 1042-1052 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J.O. Whitehouse ◽  
Joanna Granich ◽  
Gail Alvares ◽  
Margherita Busacca ◽  
Matthew N. Cooper ◽  
...  

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