Oculomotor deficits in children with sensory processing difficulties.

Background: Atypically developing children often present with a variety of sensory processing difficulties which have been proposed to reflect abnormal development of pathways integrating sensation and action. A brain system in which the process of sensorimotor integration is particularly well understood is the oculomotor system, but no studies to date have used computerised eye tracking to assess eye movements in children with sensory processing difficulties. Method: Ten children with sensory processing difficulties completed a battery of oculomotor tasks comprising pro-saccades, anti-saccades, smooth pursuit tracking and sustained fixation. Eye movements were recorded using a high-resolution eye tracker. Results: Compared to age-matched controls, children with sensory processing difficulties were found to make more directional errors in the anti-saccade task and less-accurate smooth pursuit and sustained fixation. Conclusion: Consistent differences were found in oculomotor ability in children with sensory processing difficulties which are likely to impact children's ability to process and respond to visual information within home and school contexts. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between oculomotor deficits in children with sensory processing difficulties and the presence/absence of neurodevelopmental diagnoses. Eye tracking may be of value in the future for assessment and objective evaluation of interventions for sensory processing difficulties such as sensory integration therapy.