Eric Courchesne of the University of California at San Diego has found significant impairments in auditory processing in autistic individuals using P300 brain wave technology (see Courchesne, 1987 for a review). The P300 brain wave occurs 300 milli-seconds after the presentation of a stimulus. (The ‘P’ refers to the positive polarity of the brain wave.) The P300 is associated with cognitive processing, and this brain wave is considered an indication of long-term memory retrieval (Donchin, Ritter, & McCallum, 1978). Edelson et al. (1999) examined auditory P300 activity prior to and three months following auditory integration training (AIT). Three autistic individuals participated in the

Socially avoidant. These individuals avoid virtually all forms of social interaction. The most common response is tantrumming and/or 'running away' when someone tries to interact with him/her. As infants, some are described as 'arching their back' from a caregiver to avoid contact.

Social. A treatment strategy to improve social behavior is using 'social stories,' developed by Carol Gray. This involves presenting short stories to teach socially appropriate behaviors. These stories are used to teach the individual to understand the behavior of themselves and others better. For information about social stories, contact Carol Gray at: Consultant to Students with Autism, Jenison Public Schools, 8375 20th, Jenison, MI 49428, U.S.A.

Sensory. If the problem appears to be due to hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli, sensory-based interventions may be helpful, such as auditory integration training, sensory integration, visual training, and Irlen lenses. Another strategy would be to remove these sensory intrusions from the person's environment.

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