Project

Treating ASD related anxiety, motor and sensory difficulties with massage therapy.

Children and adults living with anxiety, motor difficulties and sensory sensitivities related to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can face significant obstacles in daily life. Massage Therapy treatments for anxiety and neurological issues are already commonplace and have been shown to be effective in several clinical studies. As a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT), mother and sister to individuals on the spectrum, I see a great need for a new approach to Massage Therapy and ASD. I aim to develop treatments tailored to individual needs and sensitivities.

In most cases, appointments take place in the individual's home, with personal support present, if needed. For those who are young or young at heart, sessions begin with an introduction to my "toolkit" which includes sensory diet items such as fidget toys, sensory brushes for the skin, weighted objects and more. Treatment can take place on any surface that makes the individual most comfortable, including floor mats, massage table, couch or a clinic setting if preferred. Massage Therapy is applied once a certain comfort level has been established.

I propose that many individuals with ASD could benefit greatly from massage therapy, neurological techniques, but only under certain circumstances. Maybe a clinic setting is too foreign or noisy, maybe most RMT's would apply too much pressure, or not enough, or in the wrong fashion. Maybe the treatment could have an intergraded sensory activity to induce calm and relaxation. This would increase activity in the parasympathetic nervous system (the calming nerves) and decrease activity in the sympathetic nervous system (the action nerves) by reducing anxiety with a massage treatment. The added sensory activities could reduce hypersensitivities and promote mindfulness, while proprioception techniques could help with motor control and awareness of one's surroundings. This combination could ultimately help with emotional regulation and improve daily functioning.

The long-term goal is to create guidelines for RMT's to follow when treating individuals with ASD. The first step is to collect data with a significant amount of individuals from as many different points of the spectrum as possible and create several different treatments that can be tested in clinical trials. Once the research is complete, I would like to share the resulting guidelines with RMT's in a post graduate certificate course setting so that we can help the Autism community have a better quality of life.