Darryl Strawberry shares a special moment with a child with autism

The Darryl Strawberry Foundation

Darryl Strawberry garnered a lot of attention over the years, on the baseball field for his homeruns and in the public eye for his sometimes-tumultuous personal life. Now, Strawberry is dedicated to being remembered in the public eye for a new reason: getting people with autism the services that they require.  Strawberry founded The Darryl Strawberry Foundation with his wife after watching countless families struggle to get their children the services they needed to progress.  Currently, the foundation is working to begin an adult day program as well as help adults with autism find new opportunities in life.

The Dan Marino Foundation

Dan Marino is as much of a force in the autism field as he was on the football field.  Marino opened The Dan Marino Foundation in 1992, alongside his wife Claire.  They seek to provide children, teenagers, and adults with the programs and treatments they need.  Since its inception, the foundation has raised over $28 million dollars.  The money has gone to supporting the daily operations of their programs, funding medical research, and constructing the Dan Marino Center at Miami Children’s Hospital.

L/R: Laurie, Doug Jr., Doug and Alexa Flutie (Photo by: Derek Wilmot)

The Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation

Former NFL all-star Doug Flutie and his wife Laurie noticed a change in their son’s behavior when he was two and a half.  Their son Doug Jr. was later diagnosed with autism.  While the Flutie’s are fortunate enough to be able to provide their son with whatever resources he may need, they acknowledged that this was not the case for thousands of other families out there.  The Doug Flutie, Jr Foundation was established to provide a light at the end of the tunnel for families with autistic children.  The foundation has to date, given over $5 million dollars in grants to research based organizations and organizations providing services to children with autism.

Ernie Els (Photo by: billypoon photos)

The Els for Autism Foundation

Professional Golfer Ernie Els and his wife Liezl were first personally touched by autism when their now seven-year-old son was diagnosed with autism at age of four.  After feeling the plight of what a family with an child with autism goes through, they decided to found the Els for Autism Foundation in the spring of 2009.  The foundation’s first order of business is to erect a Center of Excellence for children with autism.  They have since embarked on a $30 million dollar capital campaign to build the school and research facility which will serve 300 children.

NHL Legend, Ted Lindsay

The Ted Lindsay Foundation

NHL legend “Terrible Ted” Lindsay formed The Ted Lindsay Foundation in 2001 with his friend John Czarnecki, who is the father to a son with autism.  The Board of Directors, work (at no cost), with a research team to conduct various research projects, which are in turn funded by the foundation. The Ted Lindsay Foundation operates entirely on volunteer efforts, and as a result, 100% of the money that they raise goes directly to autism research. The foundation has raised over $1.5 million dollars and has put it all towards finding a cure for autism.

Photo by: Benjamin Earwicker/Flickr

In a TIME magazine article “Growing Old With Autism,” published in May of 2009, Author Karl Taro Greenfeld describes the impact of his brother Noah’s care as he and his siblings are involved in their adult lives today.  Karl writes, “I toured those state hospital systems with my parents when we started looking for a place for a growing-up Noah. Those were terrifying visits: adult patients wearing helmets and restraints, howling and hitting themselves.”

After aging out the well established Board of Education IEP process, “for the profoundly autistic, graduation is perhaps the saddest day in their lives. For those who cannot enter the work force, continue on to more education or find some sheltered workshop environment with adequate staffing, there are few options. Far too few programs and resources are allocated for adults with autism.”

By age 35, Noah had been living in institutions since he was 18. Greenfeld says “My parents are now in their 70s. My father underwent open-heart surgery a few years ago. Eventually, the responsibility for Noah will fall solely upon me. My travels, from Los Angeles to New York City to Paris to Tokyo to Hong Kong, will always bring me back to him. I don’t know any other life. I have no other brother.”

Aside from more general concerns such as residential and financial status, there is little known about how to cope with the daily struggles and complications that individuals with autism face as they grow older, with this disability. Considering that not all of those with autism, or a similar disability, will be living in a managed care situation, analysis and data collection into the most basic themes of aging and autism are necessary.

Across the globe, in Israel, the services for adults with Autism have been sprouting up all across the country at an astonishing pace. The number of state-of-the art institutions and in home care services are based on new millennium planning and well researched models, which is worth duplicating globally.  For example, Aleh’s network cares for Israel’s most severely disabled children, offering the best rehabilitation, the economical and social future of people with autism in Israel.  Aleh has built a village in Israel called Aleh Negev for seriously disabled children for when they become adults, a rehabilitative village for individuals who need around-the-clock therapeutic care.  Funds are raised in the United States with the American Friends of Aleh Foundation,  to keep this costly project alive.

In July, the International Center for Autism Research and Education, Inc., (Icare4autism) held their first annual International Autism Conference in Jerusalem. Over 600 attendees filled the Ramada-Renaissance for the grand scale event that featured over 30 speakers from around the globe. This conference featured medical and educational information pertaining to autism and also features lectures on ” The Aging with Autism Process.”

In America, employment rates haven’t changed since Americans with Disabilities Act passed.  A recent survey from the National Organization on Disability reported, “Of all working-age people with disabilities, only 21% say that they are employed, compared to 59% of people without disabilities.”

Liz Bell, the mother of Tyler, who has autism, is a very forward thinking person who has appeared on ABC news “Parents of Boy With Autism Map Out His Future as an Adult”.  Very few resources exist for adults with autism, leading many of them to live life in isolation. The Bells want to avoid that fate for their son, but they worry what his future will be like when they’re no longer there to offer support.

Photo by: MJorge/Flickr

There is a reoccurring theme that shows itself time and time again in children with autism, that theme is allergies. Although some parents have children with autism who show little or no adverse reactions to environmental factors, many parents comment on the severe physical and emotional reactions their children have to things like foods, fabrics, and pollen.

Though allergies can be a battle for any child, food allergies seem to be the most common in children with autism. But, what does this really mean? How are allergies and autism related? Is there a strong connection between the two that could give us more insight into the causes of autism? Doctors at the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at Tufts University School of Medicine seem to think so. Researchers there hypothesize that autism starts when the protective gut-blood and blood-brain barriers breakdown during pregnancy or early in life.

Such a barrier disruption allows neuro-toxic molecules to reach the brain ultimately resulting in inflammation and defective nerve processing. This premise is supported by the fact that many autistic patients have antibodies against brain proteins, which implies that immune cells reached the brain through a leaky blood-brain barrier.        -  (Dr. Theoharis Theoharides; Director of Molecular Immunopharmacology and Drug Discovery Lab, Tufts University School of Medicine)

In recent studies there has been much talk regarding immune cells and children with autism. It has been observed that young children with autism show high levels of neurotensin, an immune cell trigger that can cause immune cells to have allergic reactions.

Photo by: Martin Walls/SXC

Dr. Theoharis Theoharides a pioneer in this niche field of autism therapy has patented a unique dietary formulation known as NeuroProtek. NeuroProtek uses an exclusive combination of flavanoids (1), selected to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation both in the gut and brain.

Initial trials have been done using NeuroProtek, and the results seem very positive so far.  Subjects that were given NeuroProtek orally showed significant improvement of core autism symptoms such as poor communication and social interaction (Theoharides, T., 2010). Perhaps if more research is done on the correlation of Immunology and autism, we can continue to find answers to help the many people that suffer daily due to this disorder.

Dr. Theoharis Theoharides is the Director of the Molecular Immunopharmacology and Drug Discovery Laboratory, as well as a Professor of Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Internal Medicine at Tufts University, Boston, MA.  You can learn more about him and his research at: www.Mastcellmaster.com

References:

1. Flavanoids are natural molecules found mostly in green plants and seeds (Theoharides, T., 2010)

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Becoming an autism advocate has never been easier. Thanks to the availability of modern technology, we can not only shop from the comfort of our home, we can contribute to a noble cause, while shopping from the comfort of our own home.

Use the following code and help Icare4autism, by shopping at Major retailers. These retailers include Target, Sears, Staples, Barnes and Noble, Fannie May Candies, Figi Water, Avon, Bealls Department Stores, Bloomingdale’s, Finger Hut, JcPenny and more!

To help Icare4autism, while shopping for your daily must-have’s please use the following code.

http://www.causes.com/shopping?cause_id=208996

Q. How do I use the code?

A. Copy the code and place it in your URL. A page will come up that says “Shop for a Cause.” There will be a list of different retailers and places that will give a percentage of the money that you spend shopping ONLINE to Icare4autism.

Q. How do they know I support and want them to donate a percentage to Icare4autism?

A. Within the link is a “cause i.d.” code. This number for Icare4autism is 208996. So, as long as you are shopping by use of that “Shop for a Cause” website, as your first stop on your ONLINE shopping trip, then your purchase will register.

Related Links: DONATE to ICARE4AUTISM, Online

Photo by: George Eastman House/Flickr

How many times do parents ask for small truths to be told from their child, or students (for the teachers out there). For a child without autism, it can be a very hard task to admit that they are the ones who took the cookie from the cookie jar.

Anecdotal evidence and observational studies suggest that children as young as 2 years begin to tell lies (1).   A new study was published June 17, 2010, titled “Lie-Telling, Theory of Mind, and Verbal Ability in Children with ASD” (2).

Parents of young, typically developing children, oftentimes may find it frustrating when their child begins to demonstrate deceptive behaviors and the ability to tell increasingly convincing and sophisticated lies. Nevertheless lie-telling is an important developmental milestone in a young child’s life. The goal of telling a lie is to try to make someone else believe something that the lie-teller does not believe is true.

This milestone consists of two developmental stages which are important for this study, described as Early Deception and Theory of Mind.  The researchers conclude that while 2- and 3-year-olds can be encouraged to engage in deceptive ploys, only 4-year-olds clearly demonstrate that they have a ToM (3).

Early Deception and Theory of Mind

Early deceptive acts are learned strategies used only to manipulate the behaviors of others, such as lying to avoid punishment. Theory of Mind (ToM) is the two-part ability to understand that other people have knowledge and beliefs, and their own knowledge and beliefs may differ from the lie recipient’s knowledge and beliefs. The second ability with ToM is an understanding that the person you lie to does not know what your knowlefge of beliefs are.  If you have ToM, you will instinctively understand that just because you know something, it doesn’t mean that I know it too. If you have ToM, you are not just manipulating the behaviors of others, but you are also manipulating the behaviors of others by virtue of changing others’ beliefs.

For example, when a child, who ate a cookie that he was forbidden to eat until after dinner, is asked whether he ate the missing cookie, he says, “No, I didn’t,” to avoid reprimand from his mother.  This is early deception, found in children as young as age 2.  However, if the child would say “the dog ate the cookie”, or hiding the cookie behind his back, that would reflect on the child’s ability to have presence of ToM, which is usually found in typically developing child as young as four years of age.

Without the presence of ToM, a child will not attempt to manipulate the beliefs of another person. Lie-telling can be seen as a real-world application of an understanding of others’ minds (4) and the emergence of lie-telling in young children can be taken as an indicator for the presence of at least a rudimentary ToM.

The Sally-Ann test is a famous test used to judge whether a person has ToM or not.  A child lacking in Theory of Mind will only see the situation from her own point of view. Most people of low intelligence will not be able to do the test, even though they may be otherwise very sociable, such as people with Down’s Syndrome. People with another disability, William’s Syndrome are exceptional in their ability to do this test, despite apparently low, functional intelligence.  However, most children with ASDs will not be able to complete the test, as is true for ASD adults.

Many researchers have demonstrated that children with ASD have a deficit in ToM and parents of children with ASD report that unlike their typically developing children, their autistic children do not tell lies. However, there are no published empirical research studies on this population and their ability to produce or generate their own lies. This study aims to bridge this gap in the literature, and provide therapeutic recommendations to promote ToM for children and adults on the Autistic Spectrum.

Some findings of this study explains why children with ASD would not tell prosocial lies because children with ASD have impairments in recognizing and understanding other people’s affective states (5).

This interpretation suggests the possibility that the lies told by children with ASD may be learned strategies used to manipulate others’ behaviors and consequently avoid punishment. These strategies may be scripted and not involve manipulating the beliefs of another person. For example, a child with ASD may have learned that when he commits a transgression, the adult who had previously warned him against committing the transgression will be angry and may punish him. However, if he denies having committed the transgression, he is usually able to avoid punishment.  Such deceptive acts may simply demonstrate that children can manipulate others’ behaviors but do not necessarily reflect the presence of a ToM.

In summary, two possible interpretations of the results from the present study are: (A) the lie-telling abilities of children with ASD are merely learned behaviors and are not indicative of a ToM, and (B) lies told by children with ASD are only manifestations of a rudimentary ToM.

References:

(1) Bussey, 1992; Darwin, 1877; Leekam, 1992; Newton, Reddy, & Bull, 2000; Wilson, Smith, & Ross, 2003

(2) “Lie-Telling, Theory of Mind, and Verbal Ability in Children with ASD” by Annie S. Li1, Elizabeth A. Kelley, Angela D. Evans, Kang Lee, of the Department of Psychology, Queen’s University, Canada and the Institute of Child Study, University of Toronto, Canada.

(3) Sodian, Taylor, Harris, & Perner, 1991

(4) Talwar & Lee, 2008b

(5) Brent, Rios, Happé, & Charman, 2004;Hobson, 1986; Tager-Flusberg, 1992

Photo by: US Army Africa/Flickr

New research studies have pointed to the synapse, an intercellular junction that is responsible for transferring information between neurons, as possibly being a cause of autism.  Neuroscientists from Tufts University’s School of Medicine recently finished conducting research that revealed that the synapse cannot perform correctly if it’s isn’t supplied with enough of a certain protein.  If the synapse cannot function properly, then a child’s learning and memory skills can be hindered.  The protein is called adenomatous polyposis coli (APC).

Michele H. Jacob, senior author of the study, said: “Both sides of the synapse are finely tuned for efficient transmission; an imbalance on either side can negatively impact function, resulting in cognitive deficits.  Our study reveals that APC forms a key protein complex in the postsynaptic neuron that also provides signals to direct synapse maturation in the presynaptic neuron, ensuring that the two sides of the synapse mature in concert to provide optimal function.”

Photo by: Afonso Lima/SXC

While researchers are already aware that mutations in the genes for neuroligin and neurexin have links to autism, they hadn’t known what was behind the mutations.  In their study, they blocked the APC protein, and the synaptic levels for neuroligin and neurexin decreased.

Madelaine Rosenberg, first author of the study and an affiliate of Tufts University’s School of Medicine said: “Our study also sheds light on a poorly-understood but essential process, the cross-talk that occurs between presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons. When we perturbed APC function on the postsynaptic side, we saw changes on both sides of the synapse, indicating that APC organizes a protein complex that communicates against the normal flow of traffic.”

Source: Tufts University, Health Sciences. “Autism and Mental Retardation Connected With APC Protein.” ScienceDaily 24 August 2010. 25 August 2010 <http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2010/08/100823113426.htm>.

Photo by: UK in Italy/Flickr

On November 3-5, the Geneva Centre for Autism will be hosting its Autism 2010 Geneva Centre for Autism International Symposium.  The symposium has been held every year since 1986 to provide a medium where autism experts and those affected by autism can communicate and learn from each other.  Over 1,800 participants are expected in 2010.  This year it will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, in Toronto.

The conference is broken down by sessions, with each session outfitted with an array of luminaries.  Some examples of the types of sessions include: Asperger, Challenging Needs, Early Intervention, Current Research, Treatment Approaches, Family Issues, Education, and more.

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Among the stellar list of speakers, is Temple Grandin, Ph. D.  Outside of her work within the autism community, Dr. Grandin has written a New York Times bestseller (“Animals in Translation”), and is renowned expert in the livestock industry.  A film based after her life, starring Claire Danes, was released in 2010 by HBO.

Besides original lectures, attendees can also see and learn about cutting-edge products at the Symposium’s exhibition.  The exhibition will be presenting research and products from developmental centers and schools, to speech and hearing devices, to games and toys.

Last but not least is one of the most unique facets of the conference; the art gallery.  This will host artwork created by individuals with autism.  The artists hail from England, Canada, USA, France, Scotland, and Japan.  Attendees will be able to view original watercolor paintings, pottery, photographs, and listen to music.

For those interested in learning more about the conference, or registering for it, Click on link: Geneva Center for Autism: International Symposium 2010

Photo by Ron Uriel

On July 5-6, 2010, thirty speakers connected at one conference to educate attendees from around the globe on autism. This grand conference was held in Jerusalem at the Ramada- Renaissance and kept the autism community a buzz. Check out photos, bios and more info from the event, in the following article.

Speakers for the event, in alphabetical order, included: Kenneth J. Aitken, PhD. (Scotland), Dafna Ben Bashat, Ph.D. (Canada), Esther Ben Yitzchak, Ph.D. (Israel), Doreen Ben Shalom, Ph.D. (Israel), Agantino Battaglia, M.D, DNeurol (Italy), Yoram Bonneh, Ph.D. (Israel), W. Ted Brown, M.D, Ph.D. (USA), Eitan Eldar, Ph.D., BCBA-D (Israel), Kenneth D. Gadow, Ph.D (USA), Eynat Gal, Ph.D. (Israel), Doreen Granspeesheh, Ph.D., BCBA, Lior Greenbaum, MD (Israel), Tal Kenet, Ph.D. (USA), Yoav Kohn, M.D. (Israel), Dhavendra Kumar, M.D. (Wales, UK), Amos Rolidor, Ph.D., BCBA (Israel), Lauren Schreibman, Ph.D. (USA), Stephen von Tetzchner, Ph.D (Israel), Sigal Tidhar Paz, MA, BCBA (Israel), Tamar Weiss, Ph.D. (Israel), Ditza Zachor, M.D. (Israel), Gil Zalsman, M.D. (Israel), Ofer Zeevy (Israel), and Lonnie Zwaigenbaum, M.D. (Canada).

Eric Hollander, M.D. - USA

Eric Hollander, M.D. – USA

Eric Hollander, M.D., is an internationally recognized psychiatrist and former Esther and Joseph Klingenstein Professor and Chair of Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Director of the Seaver and Greater New York Autism Center of Excellence. He is the Chairman of The International Center for Autism Research and Education’s Advisory Board. He is also the Chair of Psychiatry at Montefiore Medical Center.

Dr. Hollander is known for his work with oxytocin. To read about him and his comments in the news, click on the following links: Daily News, Newsweek, Washington Post, The Epoch Times.

Presentation Title: Neuropsychopharmacology of Autism Symptom Domains.

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Eli Hatchwell, M.D., PhD

Dr. Eli Hatchwell records a message for online conference viewers.

Dr. Eli Hatchwell is a Medical Geneticist and Molecular Genetics scientist who studies a variety of childhood disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorders, Congenital Heart Disease and a number of lesser known but important conditions. Dr. Hatchwell was among the first to discover the phenomenon of copy number variation in normal human beings, and specializes in the use of copy number variation for his study of human genetic disorders. He is a member of The International Center for Autism Research and Education’s Advisory Board.

View his bio: Click here, Watch him on CNN: Click here

Presentation Title: Modern Approaches to the Study of the Genetics of Autism.

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Ken Aitken M.A., MPhil, PhD – Scotland

Ken Aitken M.A., MPhil, PhD – Scotland

Dr. Aitken is a clinical neuropsychologist and researcher with a particular interest in neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly in those conditions that result in differences in social interaction and development such as the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and the Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders. He has been a Trustee and a Director of the Association for Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and has contributed to a number of UK best practice guidelines in this area.

Read more about him: Click here

Presentation Title: Intersubjectivity, Affective Neuroscience, and the Neurobiology of Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

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Agatino Battaglia, M.D., DPed, DNeurol – Italy

Agatino Battaglia

Agatino Battaglia, M.D., DPed, DNeurol is a contract professor of Child Neuropsychiatry at the Post-Graduate Medical School in Child Neuropsychiatry, at the University of Pisa.

Presentation Title: Genetics: Inverted Dup 15/idic(15).

Abstract: Chromosome region 15q11q13, known for its instability, is highly susceptible to clinically relevant genomic rearrangements, such as supernumerary marker chromosomes formed by the inverted duplication of proximal chromosome 15. Inv dup(15) results in tetrasomy 15p and partial tetrasomy 15q. Those containing the Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome critical region (PWS/ASCR), are responsible for the inv dup(15) or idic(15) syndrome. The syndrome displays distinctive clinical findings represented by early central hypotonia, developmental delay and intellectual disability, epilepsy, and autistic behaviour. Incidence at birth is estimated to be 1 in 30,000 with a sex ratio of almost 1. Developmental delay and intellectual disability affect all individuals and are usually moderate to profound. Expressive language is absent or very poor; and often echolalic. Comprehension is very... CLICK HERE to read in Full

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TO VIEW the Entire collection of Speaker Bio’s,

please CLICK HERE to go to the Speaker Page

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Yuri Geiron, President of Israel bar Assoc., receives award from Joshua Weinstein. Photo by Wallace Karabee

Joshua Weinstein (Founder/President, Icare4autism) speaks with Ruth Amber Gristak (Chief of Staff, Icare4autism). Photo RON URIEL

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TO VIEW the Entire set of CONFERENCE PHOTOS,

please CLICK HERE to go to our FLICKR photo gallery

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Photo by: Simona Balint

The vaccine schedule that most pediatricians follow, recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, takes a one-size-fits-all approach since that’s what’s best for protecting the population at large. Many parents, though, are searching for a schedule that allays their safety concerns, says pediatrician Robert Sears, author of The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child. The CDC recommendations aren’t set in stone; the agency advises doctors to “explore acceptable options,” if that’s what parents prefer, such as immunizing on an “alternative schedule” or delaying vaccinations until a child is closer to school age.

Federal law requires doctors to discuss the benefits and risks of any immunization before administering it, so your doctor should be willing to address your questions. After all, says Arthur Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, “the doctor-patient relationship isn’t a dictatorship; it’s a negotiation.”

Here are some options to consider:

Space out shots. Parents can choose to add office visits so their child doesn’t get vaccines against eight different diseases at once, say, as is now the case at the two-month visit.

Sears says he’s particularly concerned about giving two vaccines with live viruses at once—like the MMR and chicken pox vaccines—since these tend to cause stronger immune responses. “In nature,” he says, “kids don’t catch all these diseases at the same time.”

Sears also delays the shots for polio until a child is 9 months old and sexually transmitted hepatitis B until just before grade school, since neither disease poses any immediate threat to babies in the United States. These vaccines are normally given in early infancy to guard against the risk of kids missing vaccinations as they get older. (See chart for Sears’s alternate vaccine schedule.)

Choose flu vaccines without thimerosal. Although this mercury preservative was removed from childhood vaccines several years ago, the flu vaccine, now recommended for kids, usually contains it. The amount of mercury in one shot is very small, but scientists don’t know how long it stays in a child’s brain or whether it can accumulate over time, according to thimerosal researcher Tom Burbacher, a professor at the University of Washington-Seattle. No one’s worried that one flu shot will cause toxic brain effects, but thimerosal-free flu vaccines are made by several manufacturers. Parents may need to press their pediatricians to stock these vaccines, since many currently don’t.

Be cautious about new vaccines. Since manufacturer trials include thousands rather than millions of children, it may take a few years for rare side effects to come to light. That’s one reason that many parents object to mandatory Gardasil vaccination, which some states are now considering. In the absence of a dangerous epidemic, Sears says, parents may want to wait until a vaccine has been used for three or four years before giving it to their child.

Avoid shots if your child is sick. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against vaccinating a child with moderate to severe illness; the definition of “moderate to severe” depends on the doctor but usually includes a fever, hacking cough, diarrhea, or other acute symptoms. It may be wise, though, to also delay if your child has a minor cold or stomach bug, says Robert Naviaux, an associate professor of medicine and pediatrics at the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine. Rashes and other allergic reactions can be the result when an immune system already primed to fight an infection kicks into overdrive after a shot.

(Photo by: Mike Baird/Flickr)

Alternative therapies for autism often provide an outlet for children to express themselves and tap into a world that they rarely feel connected to. Such is the case with dance/movement therapy (DMT), a strategy  used to help children suffering with ASD.  Dance/movement therapy, which uses movement as a “universal means of communication,” is a valuable form of communication for children with autism- particularly those with underdeveloped speech skills (LeFeber, 2010).  It allows for a medium of communication with clients that may have otherwise found it difficult to relate to the world around them. Participants can engage fully using nonverbal communication. This takes away from the stress of trying to formulate and express things verbally, something many individuals with autism struggle with.

How does DMT benefit children with autism exactly? The idea is that behavior is communicative and personality can be reflected through movement. As a result, changes in movement can also influence personality, and broaden social ability. This allows the individual to cope better with his/her surrounding and also be more comfortable with space and environment (Kestenberg et. al., 1999; Meekums, 2002).

Photo by: EMR1991/SXC

Speech can be encouraged through teaching of basic commands, as well as movements and commands being paired. This divergence of visual and audio cues often make concepts more comfortable for children to grasp. In addition to speech, socialization goals can also be met through group therapy and building foundational relationships between instructors and students.

There is much that can be gained by exploring the world of dance/movement therapy, many children have found confidence, comfort and flourished on a number of cognitive levels through this process.

For more information on DMT, you can contact the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) at: www.adta.org or call them to find a dance therapy center near you at: (410) 997-4040.

References / Sources

1. Kestenberg, J.A., Loman, S., Lewis, P., & Sossin, K.M. (1999). The meaning of movement: Developmental and clinical perspectives of the Kestenberg Movement Profile. New York: Brunner-Routledge.
2. LeFeber, M.M., (2010) Dance/Movement Therapy. “Cutting-Edge Therapies in Autism”. New York: Skyhorse Publications.
3. Meekums, B. (2002) Dance Movement Therapy: A Creative Psychotherapeutic Approach. London: Sage Publications