The Effects of a Sensory Integration Programme with Applied Interactive Metronome Training for Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objective To assess the effects of a sensory integration programme involving applied interactive metronome training in a group of children with developmental disabilities. Methods Ten children with various developmental disabilities participated in this study. Participants received sensory integration treatment in a group programme with applied interactive metronome training for 45 minutes a day for 4 weeks, exclusive of Saturday and Sunday. The treatments consisted of stimulations of the vestibular and tactile senses, and proprioceptive applied metronome training. Results The effects of the programme were evaluated via measurements of short sensory profile, Corner's teacher rating scale, and DeGangi-Berk test. The data obtained before and after the treatment were analyzed using Wilcoxon's test. The findings of this study were that there were significantly positive effects on sensory processing, concentration, motor control, bilateral coordination, and reflex integration in the study group. Conclusion Our results indicated that the sensory integration programme with applied interactive metronome training might be useful and improved the performance of the children with developmental disabilities. The results demonstrated the efficacy of this new approach. This pilot study provides new insights into the effective treatment of children with developmental disabilities.