Treatment of Sensory and Self-Regulation Problems in Young Children

with Autism: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Louisa Silva MD, Mark Schalock MA, Robert Ayres PHD, Carol Bunse MA, Sarojini
Budden, MD, FRCP, FAAP. The Teaching Research Institute, Western Oregon
University.

Background: Autism is commonly associated with disturbances of the

sensory/autonomic nervous system, digestion and sleep.

Objectives: To evaluate a treatment for autism based on a model that proposes autism is
a global condition in which the primary impairment is sensory and autonomic, and the
developmental delay and abnormal behavior are secondary. Treatment is directed at
sensory impairment, digestion and sleep, and allows the child to be more comfortable,
more aware, and better able to pay attention and learn. The result of treatment is
movement towards normal on the autism spectrum. Hypothesis: A five-month qigong
massage intervention aimed at improving the function of multiple physiological systems
will significantly improve the severity of autism as measured by standardized tests of
behavior and language/social abilities.

Methods: A randomized, controlled trial design was employed with 46 children assigned
to intervention or wait-list control conditions. Pre/post testing was done by blinded pre-
school teachers and parents. The intervention is two-pronged with parents and trained
staff giving children a parent or trainer version of the protocol directed at selected
acupuncture channels and points.

Setting/Participants: Home and Educational Service District-based training program. A

volunteer sample of children and parents completed the program. Selection criteria were:
1) age under six 2) educational diagnosis of autism 3) no additional medical diagnoses.
Standardized tests were used: Vineland, Pervasive Developmental Disorder Behavioral
Inventory and Autism Behavior Checklist. Changes in sensory impairment, digestion and
sleep were evaluated by parent questionnaire.

Results: Blinded teacher evaluations showed treated children had significant

improvement of language/social skills (p<.01) and reduction in autistic behavior (p<.003)
compared to controls. Parent data confirmed the findings (p<.01) and showed stability of
results at ten months.

Conclusions: this research indicates that children receiving the five-month qigong
massage intervention had significant improvement of measures of autism. Regression
analysis gave support to the autism model proposed.
Table 3. Summary of MANCOVA and ANCOVA Results for Intervention Effects on
Measures of Sensory Impairment, Behavior and Developmental Skillsa

Group
Main Intervention Effect
Variable
Fb p Partial Eta2

Blinded Teacher Data

MANCOVA 3.47 .019 .316

ANCOVA

Autism Behavior Checklist (0-167) 10.25 .003 .237

Teacher PDDBI (M=50, SD=10)

Maladaptive behavior (AWP) 2.38 .133 .067

Language/Social Abilities (REXSCA) 7.64 .010 .182

Autism Composite 4.05 .052 .109

Parent Data

MANCOVA 2.70 .029 .412

ANCOVA

Parent PDDBI (M=50, SD=10)

Sensory Domain 9.10 .005 .216

Maladaptive behavior (AWP) 16.1 .0003 .328

Language/Social Abilities (REXCSA) 8.23 .007 .200

Autism Composite 14.11 .001 .299

Vineland II Adaptive Behavior

Motor Skills 1.92 .175 .055

Personal Living Skills 2.86 .100 .080

QST Sensory & Systems (0-67) 17.49 .0002 .346

a
Pre treatment scores used as covariates to control for individual difference.
b
MANCOVA Fs are the Pillai’s Trace.