Stimulating Senses for Autism

PITTSBURGH (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- The statistics are alarming -- one out of every 150 children will be diagnosed with some form of autism, which affects a child's ability to communicate. Many autistic children become overwhelmed or overstimulated very quickly. Some schools are equipping themselves to meet the sensory needs of their special students.

Six-year old Jerome Shanaway is a happy kid with a sweet face. His mom, Gale, says that more than makes up for the times when his emotions take over.

"He just kind of takes off like the Tasmanian devil," Gale says. "He takes off and whirls through the house. You can see sometimes, when he loses control on his face, he's not sure what's going on."

That is the mystery of autism. No one is sure what causes it. No one knows why some with the disorder are overwhelmed by touch, sound or light.

Michelle Stein is an occupational therapist at The Children's Institute in Pittsburgh. She works with multi-sensory room, which gives therapists like her the tools they need to reach their autistic students by appealing to their senses.

For 18-year-old Ali Utz, a vibrating mat and weighted lights provide the perfect combination of repetitive motion and pressure. Just a few minutes can have a calming effect.

"She's able to tolerate periods of waiting. Not great. But better than she did before," says Tina Utz, Ali's mother.

The room was built inside a school for special needs children. But with autism on the rise, some say even mainstream educators may soon need these tools at their disposal.

"Your kids are not alone, and they are not abnormal. They just need a little more help," Gale says.

Occupational therapists also use the same equipment in the multi-sensory room to engage children with other neurological disorders, like cerebral palsy.

This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, which offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, click on: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.

If you would like more information, please contact:

Michelle Stein
The Children's Institute
Pittsburgh, PA
(415) 420-2553
[email protected]