Abstract

The ability to perceive accurately stimuli in the environment is basic to many areas of academic, communicative and social functioning. Although people with autism live in the same physical world and deal with the same `raw material' their perceptual world turns out strikingly different from that of non-autistic people. It is widely reported that autistic people have `unusual' sensory perceptual experiences that may involve hypo- and hypersensitivity, fluctuation between different `volumes' of perception and difficulty interpreting a sense. In this book, Olga Bogdashina attempts to define the role of sensory perceptual problems in autism identified by autistic individuals themselves. Often ignored by many professionals, this is one of the main problems highlighted by autistic individuals. This book singles out possible patterns of sensory experiences in autism and the cognitive differences caused by them. The final chapters are devoted to assessment and intervention issues with practical recommendations for selecting appropriate methods and techniques to eliminate the problems and enhance the strengths. Sensory Perceptual Issues in Autism and Asperger Syndrome is vital to teachers and other professionals working with autistic individuals to fully comprehend sensory perceptual differences in autism. This book will help readers select appropriate methods for dealing with autistic individuals. In addition, parents of autistic individuals and autistic individual themselves will find the information will enable them to initiate relevant strategies and environmental changes to facilitate more effective learning.
Sensory Perceptual Issues in Autism and Asperger Syndrome enables teachers and other professionals, parents and people with autism themselves to fully comprehend sensory perceptual differences in autism.
Adolescence
It is refreshing to read a book that focuses on the wider aspects of autism rather than just the language, social and communication needs of the child/adult.
Bulletin
What's great about her 2003 book Sensory Perceptual Issues in Autism and Asperger Syndrome is that as well as summing up the psysiology of sensory problems, she helps parents and professionals to decipher the exact nature of perceptual difficulties through observing a child's behaviour. This is practical, helpful, clear and concise, if you suspect sensory issues are a factor in your child's condition, I'd recommend a read.
Aukids Magazine
This would be useful in a multidisciplinary team approach to autism spectrum disorder provision.
Speech & Language Therapy in Practice
Olga Bogdashina PhD has worked extensively in the field of autism as a teacher, lecturer and researcher, with a particular interest in sensory-perceptual and communication problems in autism. She has been the director of the first Day Centre for autistic children in Ukraine since 1994. Olga has an autistic son aged 15. She is also the president of the Autism Society of Ukraine and teaches and lectures around the world. She is currently a Visiting Lecturer at Birmingham University.
Bogdashina presents a very convincing argument that many of the behavioural 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. 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.
The Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Examples of experiences from autistic people provide a useful insight into the range and variability of these experiences and a stark reminder of the pervasive nature of autism. As a clinician, this book has helped to reinforce the need to look at behaviours from an 'autistic perspective' and pick up on 'the clues' with reference to sensory perceptual difficulties and has been extremely valuable to me for my role within an autism diagnostic team. I would recommend this book to all occupational therapists working within the field of autism.
Napot Journal
This is a great book. There are so many books on the market where experts presume to know better than autistic people themselves and disregard autistic peoples own accounts of what it feels like to be autistic, but this one breaks that mould. It is not only packed with factual information about how the brain and the senses work, it explores the autistic experience with an open and enquiring mind, while still tying all this in with conventional explanations of autism and results from existing studies. This book has a great potential to be useful, not just to parents and autistic people themselves who are looking for information and understanding, but to educators and service providers, whom it could inspire and advise. Interesting and accessible, I sat down today and read it the whole way through. Highly recommended.
Asperger Information.net