Helping the brain grow and repair itself through short and gentle sensory experiences

Introductory Autism Programme

Since the beginning of 2010, the University of California, Irvine has been studying the impact of multi-sensory therapy on autism based on the original clinical work of Claudie Gordon-Pomares. It took 6 years to get the funding (in part) from the Nancy Lurie Marks Foundation for what looked like a solution too simple to be effective.

In November, Prof. Michael Leon presented the findings of this study. Below is the abstract for his presentation and publication.

Authors:

*C. C. WOO1, E. HINGCO1, C. HOM2, I. LOTT2, M. LEON1;
1Neurobio. and Behavior, Univ. of California, Irvine, CA; 2Pediatric Neurol., Univ. of California, Irvine, Orange, CA

Abstract:

We attempted to improve cognition, language, and maladaptive behaviors in children with autism by enriching their sensory experience through multi-sensory therapy that emphasized olfactory and tactile stimulation.

We confirmed full autism diagnoses in 3-12 year-olds with the Autism Diagnostic Observational Schedule and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. After matching for age and autism severity, we randomly assigned participants to either an enrichment or a control group.

The enrichment group had daily sensory stimulation, while both groups continued with their standard autism treatments.

The enrichment was administered for six months by the primary caregivers, who presented pleasant odors paired with gentle tactile stimulation to the children four times/day, along with odor exposure throughout the night. In addition, they listened to music once a day, and they participated in 4-7 sensory exercises twice a day.

  • Leiter brief IQ scores revealed a significant improvement in raw scores in the environmental enrichment group only.
  • In addition, a significantly greater difference in IQ score was observed in the enrichment group relative to the controls.
  • Childhood Autism Rating Scale scores also improved significantly only in the enrichment group.
  • On the Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary test, significant improvements were observed in both groups, and corroborating these gains, 85% of parents in the enrichment group and 62% of parents in the control group reported an improvement in language ability.
  • Finally, 69% of parents in the enrichment group reported an improvement in overall autism symptoms, compared to 29% in the control group.

These data raise the possibility of a new strategy for the treatment of autism.

 

We created a full treatment program based on the worksheets developed for Professor Michael Leon’s study.


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