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A feature story written by two QST therapists, JoAnn Kennedy and Orit Tal-Atzili, was published this week in Washington Families magazine, a publication that serves the DC metro area.
The article, A Chinese Medicine Approach to Sensory Processing Disorders in Children with and without Autism, describes sensory processing disorders and how QST massage helps to provide relief and even eliminate symptoms. It explains how to get started with the protocol and some of the benefits. Congratulations to Orit and JoAnn for writing an informative article and seeing it published. Read the article here.
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Study of Qigong Massage on Elementary School Aged Children with Autism Shows Promising Results9/26/2016 Our article investigating the results of QST massage in older children with ASD has been published! The one-year study showed that, as compared with children aged 3-6 yrs, children aged 6-12 yrs had comparable improvements in sensory problems, behavior and severity of autism. So, for those elementary school-aged children whose parents didn’t find out about QST earlier, there is definitely something that can be done!
Read the article on the Western Oregon University website here or go directly to the study here. Rosimery Bergeron, MS, CRC, LPC, will present an overview of QST massage for autism to professionals in Lisbon on September 1, 2016, at noon local time. The event will be held at Centro Hospitalar Barreiro Montijo in sala de reuniões do serviço de pediatria, pólo do Barreiro, edifício principal, piso 4.
For more information about the location, you may visit the hospital website at http://www.chbm.min-saude.pt. To reach Rosimery, you may send an email to Rosi. Our latest research, One and Two-year Outcomes of Treating Preschool Children with Autism with a Qigong Massage Protocol: An Observational Follow-along Study, was published in the Journal of Alternative and Integrative Medicine in July, 2016. [Note: The movement chart referenced in the published study is available here.] Key results of this 2-year study include the following:
We now know that social and behavioral problems in autism are due to a problem with the sense of touch. In this 2-year study, we learned that it is possible to completely normalize touch: Overall, touch improved by an average of 75 percent, with 1/3 of children dropping into the normal range. As before, as touch improved, children were calmer, sought out closeness and affection, made eye contact, and communicated more. In a nutshell, children were able to connect with, enjoy and learn from the people around them. We also learned how much parents’ efforts count! Children of parents who consistently continued the massage 5-7 days a week made the most progress. Progress was slower in children who received the massage less frequently. This is valuable information, and will give parents reason to be consistent with the massage until touch returns to normal. Below are two graphs. The first one shows that as touch problems decrease, severity of autism decreases. The second one shows that as behavioral and sensory problems decrease, social and language skills increase.  Ever since autism was first described in 1943, we have known that children don’t respond normally to affectionate touch; they do not seek it out and, in fact, they usually avoid it. We know that children have difficulty with other kinds of touch, too. For example, avoiding gentle touch on the face and hands, and having unusual responses to pain and injury.
Here is a list of all the news coverage related to QSTI prior to May 15, 2015.
Statesman Journal, May 15, 2015, “Lab Notes: Massages Soothe Autism Symptoms” Developments, April 1, 2015, “Newly-published Breakthrough Study Offers Hope to Families of Children with Autism” Oregonian, March 26, 2015, “Kids with autism see big benefits from massage, study says” KMUZ interview, September 2, 2014, KMUZ 88.5 FM, Salem, Oregon Statesman Journal, August 28, 2014, Winner and Loser column – “Winner: Research on Autism” Oregonian, July 28, 2014, “Can qigong massage help kids with autism? Oregon study seeks families to help find out” SalemNews.com, July 23, 2014, “Western Oregon Autism Study Enrollment Open for Kids Ages 6-11” Television segment on AM Northwest (KATU in Portland), April 2, 2014 KMUZ interview, April 2, 2014, KMUZ 88.5 FM, Salem, Oregon West Linn Tidings, March 13, 2014, “Touch Techniques” Interview by Jackie McMillan, February 26, 2014, Thrive with Autism Radio interview, February 5, 2014, Wake Up Call with Holloway and Lundun, KPNW, Eugene, Oregon Television segment on KEZI (ABC in Eugene), January 21, 2014 Western Edge, Winter 2013, One step backward, two steps forward: Counseling professor traces path to partnership with WOU’s Teaching Research Institute The Rise of the Reluctant Innovator. Dr. Silva wrote a chapter in the book titled, “Treating Autism with Massage.” Purchase at http://is.gd/stwJ31 The Thinking Moms’ Revolution, March 14, 2013, Be Still…Energy Flows where Attention Goes Register Guard, November 12, 2012, Treatments for Autism: The Right Touch Examiner.com, March 29, 2012, Let’s Help Ever Increasing Children Autistic Problems with Qigong Healing Thresholds, September 6, 2011, Chinese Massage Method May Help Sensory Issues in Children with Autism Examiner.com, May 12, 2011, Qigong Massage for Your Child with Autism Kids Health Radio Show, April 17, 2011, Interview with Dr. Silva Radio interview, April 3, 2011, http://paradigms.bz/interviews/louisasilva.mp3 Autism Advocate, Winter 2010-2011, The Qigong Sensory Training Program Kids Health Radio Show, June 20, 2010 – Interview of a Qigong Sensory Training therapist and a mother who has used the qigong massage with her child with autism. Listen to the show The Oregonian, May 19, 2010, A Touch of Calm The Dalles Chronicle, May 9, 2010, A Mother’s Miracle Western Oregon Journal, April 14, 2010, A Homeopathic Approach to Autism Treatment Statesman Journal, April 10, 2010, Massage Training to Target Autism QST documentary premiere, April 10, 2010. View the documentary trailer Itemizer Observer, April 7, 2010, Soothing Autism’s Stress Statesman Journal, April 7, 2010, Documentary,Panel to Focus on Families and Autism AM Northwest television show, April 6, 2010 Statesman Journal, March 5, 2010, WOU Researcher Authors Book for Parents with Autistic Children Massage Magazine, March 2010, Issue 166, “Qigong Massage Reduces Severity of Autism” Cutting-Edge Therapies for Autism by Ken Siri and Tony Lyons, Chapter 50: Qigong Massage for Young Children with Autism Schafer Autism Report, October 26, 2009 Salem Business Journal, October 2009 Statesman Journal newspaper, September 23, 2009 – Page 1, Page 2 Montana Autism Education Project, September 24, 2009 Massage Magazine, August 30, 2009 Schafer Autism Report, January 28, 2009 iCARE4autism, March 2, 2009 El Hispanic News, October 23, 2008, “Dr. Louisa Silva Awarded Autism Research Fellowship” Northwest Health Foundation, October 2008, “Mark O. Hatfield Research Fellowship” Grand Ronde’s Smoke Signals newspaper, February 15, 2008 Parent Sazini Nzula was so impressed by QST massage that she became certified as a therapist. Read her article 5 Top Reasons Qigong May be Right for Your Special Needs Child on the Autism Parenting website.
Dr. Silva was in Barcelona, Spain, last week to present our research at Copedia 2016, a conference of pediatric medical professionals. Her presentations were:
While in Barcelona, she and had the delightful experience of teaching the massage to the family of a five-year old with autism. They practiced on the kitchen table. Both parents were so surprised by how much their son relaxed. They shared our book/DVD with the parents at their son’s school, and they were surprised too! The next day, we had 30 hits on our website from Barcelona! The article in Autism Eye contains the latest information on QST massage. Read it here or by visiting Austism Eye magazine (for a limited time).
To deepen our understanding of the difficulties with touch affecting children with ASD, we examined children's responses to touch on the face, hands and other areas. Touch is the sense that initiates social development in early life. It is touch on the face that stimulates the child to look at the face and listen to the voice of another person. And it is by engaging in face-to-face interaction that children first learn social and nonverbal communication skills. Read the published report.
Radio interview with a QST therapist, Sazini Nzula, October 2015, Barry Morgan Show on CJAD in Montreal, Canada.
Therapist and researcher Kris Gabrielson presented findings at the 2015 Autism Cares conference. Read about it here.
Watch two parents and Dr. Silva on Portland's popular morning TV show, AM Northwest.
Read the story and see the video at wfsb.com.
QST Recent Presentations
International Meeting for Autism Research poster session, Salt Lake City, Utah, May 14, 2015. “Treating Sensory Disability in Autism with QST Massage Decreases Severity of Autism: A Replication Study.” Full text here. Grand Rounds at Bay Area Hospital, Coos Bay, Oregon, May 2, 2014. “Treatment for Sensory and Self-regulatory Symptoms in Young Children with Autism” Dinner Presentation at Bay Area Hospital, Coos Bay, Oregon, May 2, 2014. “Treatment for Sensory and Self-regulatory Symptoms in Young Children with Autism” Autism and Chinese Medicine Conference, Harvard, Dana-Farber Institute, Boston, MA. August 18, 2013. Prevalence, Significance, and Treatment of Abnormal Tactile Responses in Young Children with Autism. 25th Annual Symposium of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. Baltimore, Maryland, May 5, 2013. “Treating Children with Autism with Qigong Massage: Research Summary” and “Treating Children with Autism with Qigong Massage” presented by Dr. Louisa Silva. Early Childhood/Early Intervention Symposium at Western Oregon University, Monmouth, Oregon. March 4, 2013. A decade of research on parent-delivered qigong massage for young children with autism and Down syndrome. Marion County Dental Hygientists Study Club, Early Intervention for Autism with Parent-Delivered Massage. Salem, Oregon, April 3, 2012 International Meeting For Autism Research conference. Parent-delivered qigong massage treatment for autism – a research-driven approach to developmental delay in young children. San Diego, CA, May 12, 2011 International Meeting For Autism Research conference. Preliminary data validating a qualitative assessment of core and co-morbid autism symptoms: The Sense and Self-Regulation Checklist. San Diego, CA, May 13, 2011 World Federation Acupuncture Society, International Acupuncture Conference. A Model and Treatment for Autism at the Convergence of Chinese Medicine and Western Science: First 130 Cases. San Francisco, November 2010 Autism Society of America National Conference. A Model and Treatment for Early Intervention in Autism. Dallas, Texas, July 2010 Autism One Conference. Qigong Sensory Training. Chicago, May 2010 Oregon Therapy in Education Settings (TIES) 2010 conference. Qigong Sensory Training Research Update. Eugene, Oregon, April 2010 Klaipeda University, Lithuania. Fullbright study. June – July 2012. Pilot study of qigong massage application in Lithuanian Kindergartens for autism, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy.
Klaipeda University, Lithuania. Fullbright study. April – May 2012. Pilot study of qigong massage application in Lithuanian Kindergartens. University of California, San Francisco, OSHER Center, January 25, 2012. The relationship of abnormal sensory responses and self-regulatory deficits. New England School of Acupuncture (NESA), November 8, 2011 in Newton, MA Western Oregon University. February 2011. Autism: Issues and Strategies course. A massage treatment for autism from Chinese medicine: Research and implications. Klaipeda University, Lithuania. January 2011. A massage treatment for autism from Chinese medicine: Research and implications. University of California, Los Angeles. February 2011. Alternative Medicine course for first year medical students. A massage treatment for autism from Chinese medicine: Research and implications. |
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