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4808 A Model and Treatment for Early Intervention in Autism

Saturday, July 10, 2010: 10:45 AM-12:00 PM

Reunion G (Hyatt Regency Dallas)

A 10-year research stream from Teaching Research Institute, Western Oregon University, has documented the efficacy of a parent-directed Chinese massage methodology in improving measures of autism and sensory impairment. A review of the theory and research will be presented.

Objective: To present a model for early intervention in autism and demonstrate the efficacy of a treatment based on Chinese medicine on measures of autism. In Chinese medical terms, the model explains autism as a partial closure of the sensory orifices due to toxicity or block. Translated into Western medical terms, an impairment of sensory regulation underlies the abnormal behaviors and developmental delays seen in autism. Treatment is a qigong massage methodology.

Methods: Children with autism under six years of age were assigned to treatment or wait-list conditions. One hundred thirty children were treated, and the results compared with 45 wait-list controls. The treatment is a five-month qigong massage protocol that was implemented by trained parents via trained support staff. The effects of treatment on the main symptoms, autistic behavior, social/language delay, sensory and self-regulatory impairment, as well as on parenting stress, were observed and compared.

Results: Treatment had a large effect size (p<.0001) on measures of sensory and self-regulation. Evaluations done by preschool teachers demonstrated improvement in measures of autism [small effect size (p<.003)] and were confirmed by evaluations done by parents [large effect size (p<.0001)]. There was a large decrease (p<.0001) in parenting stress. A second RCT of the same parent-delivered massage methodology with a less- intensive parent support component will also be presented. Treatment outcomes are statistically similar with both levels of support.

Conclusion: Sensory impairment is an important factor in the development and severity of autism. A parent-delivered treatment of young children with autism with a qigong massage methodology results in a decrease in sensory and self-regulatory impairment, and a reduction in severity of measures of autism.

Learning Objectives:

To review research data and audio-visual materials documenting the response of sensory and self-regulatory impairment to a Chinese massage methodology (Qigong Sensory Training (QST)).
To review two randomised controlled trials showing treatment outcomes from two intensities of the methodology (QST home program, and QST dual program), one being delivered by the parent with 7 hours of trained staff support, and the second being delivered by the parent with 11 hours of trained staff support.
To understand the effect of QST treatment of multi-sensory impairment on developmental delay in young children with disabilities under six.
To learn about the various healing processes engendered by the QST intervention (e.g. the most common being that children move from sensory hypo-reactivity to sensory hyper-reactivity, to normal sensory reactivity.)
To review a model for autism that proposes that the abnormality underlying the developmental delays and abnormal behaviors seen in autism is one of sensory and self-regulatory impairment.

Content Area: Applied Research

Presenter:

Louisa M. Silva, M.D., MPH
Professor, Teaching Research Institute, Director, Qigong Sensory Training Institute
Western Oregon University, Teaching Research Institute

Dr. Silva received her M.D. from UCLA, her MPH from the Medical College of Wisconsin, and has integrated Chinese and Western Medicine with public health for 20 years. Since joining Teaching Research Institute, Western Oregon University, she is the lead researcher and trainer on the Qigong Sensory Training protocol.

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