Peer-reviewed research, summarised in plain language — with the sample size, the method, and the limitations kept in rather than edited out. Every summary carries a visible trust tier, so you always know how solid the ground is.
4 results
SensorySystematic reviewTier 1 · Strong research evidence
Somewhere between half and three-quarters of autistic people find everyday sounds harder to bear than most, and it often gets worse around the school years. There is no cure, but the research is clear about two things: the expensive listening programmes sold to parents do not work, and what does help is a mix of a hearing check, ear defenders used for specific noisy moments rather than all day, changes to the environment, and slow, gentle practice at the child's own pace.
CBT does have the strongest evidence of anything offered for sound sensitivity — it is the only approach that has been through a proper trial, and it worked. But 'best' claims more than the research can back. No trial has ever tested it in autistic children, nothing has compared it head-to-head with the alternatives, and for many children the things that help first are not therapy at all.
Sensory overload — when the brain receives more input than it can process — affects the majority of autistic children and is now recognised as a core feature of autism. Multiple systematic reviews confirm that sensory integration therapy can help, though evidence for specific techniques varies, and the most effective approach combines environmental adjustments with knowing your child's individual sensory profile.
