Early Intervention with a Parent-Delivered Massage Protocol Directed at Tactile Abnormalities Decreases Severity of Autism and Improves Child-to-Parent Interactions: A Replication Study

• Main Authors: Louisa M. T. Silva, Mark Schalock, Kristen R. Gabrielsen, Sarojini S. Budden, Martha Buenrostro, Gretchen Horton
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 2015-01-01
• Series: Autism Research and Treatment
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/904585
• ISSN: 2090-1925; 2090-1933

Tactile abnormalities are severe and universal in preschool children with autism. They respond well to treatment with a daily massage protocol directed at tactile abnormalities (QST massage for autism). Treatment is based on a model for autism proposing that tactile impairment poses a barrier to development. Two previous randomized controlled trials evaluating five months of massage treatment reported improvement of behavior, social/communication skills, and tactile and other sensory symptoms. This is the first report from a two-year replication study evaluating the protocol in 103 preschool children with autism. Parents gave daily treatment; trained staff gave weekly treatment and parent support. Five-month outcomes replicated earlier studies and showed normalization of receptive language (18%, P=.03), autistic behavior (32%, P=.006), total sensory abnormalities (38%, P=.0000005), tactile abnormalities (49%, P=.0002), and decreased autism severity (medium to large effect size, P=.008). In addition, parents reported improved child-to-parent interactions, bonding, and decreased parenting stress (44%, P=.00008). Early childhood special education programs are tasked with addressing sensory abnormalities and engaging parents in effective home programs. Until now, they have lacked research-based methods to do so. This program fulfills the need. It is recommended to parents and ECSE programs (ages 3–5) at autism diagnosis.