AGXStarseed
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The chair to help children with autism: Invention mimics a hug and helps soothe agitated youngsters with the condition
A chair designed to mimic the sensation of a hug has been created for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
The chair, called the ‘Sensory Lounger’ is made from a long armchair with two airbags which are constantly pumped up, in order to envelop the child inside them.
This should provide children with the sensation of being squeezed tightly or being given a hug, it’s creators said.
A chair designed to mimic the sensation of a hug has been created for children with autism. It was created by Kansas City Businessman Stuart Jackson, whose son Joshua (pictured) has autism spectrum disorder
The chair was invented by Stuart Jackson, a local businessman from Kansas City, whose son Joshua has ASD, the Kansas City Star reports.
The company’s website explains: ‘More than 90 per cent of people with autism also have sensory processing disorder.'
This means sensory signals, such as noise or sight, are not organised into appropriate responses, and can become overwhelming and cause stress.
The website continues: ‘Sensory overload can initiate high levels of anxiety or arousal, leading to self-stimulatory behaviour, self-injurious behaviour, tantrums and meltdowns.’
Studies show that ‘deep touch pressure’ can calm down children coping with sensory processing disorder, it added.
It is known that pressure causes the release of serotonin and dopamine in the brain – ‘happy’ chemical messengers that produce a feelings of calm.
It also lowers the heart rate and blood pressure, which are indicators of stress and anxiety.
This is why being hugged feels so soothing.
Mr Jackson noticed that occupational therapists had some tools to provide deep touch pressure, but few of them gave high enough levels of pressure to benefit the children.
Studies show that ‘deep touch pressure’ can calm down children with autism. They often also have sensory processing disorder - in which they cannot organise sensory signals into actions, causing anxiety
So he develop the Sensory Lounger, which has a sophisticated pump and pressure-sensor system that provides constant compression to all areas of the body.
The website says the pump is so quiet it is ‘barely audible’, a factor which is important for children with ASD, who may have sensitive ears.
The idea came from another machine created by Professor Temple Grandin, of Colorado State University, called the 'squeeze machine'.
She noticed cattle appeared calmer when pressure was applied to their bodies.
Mr Jackson set about making a cheaper version of the 'squeeze machine', which he tested the chair on his own son, and on children at a local primary school.
After finding that it did help children to feel calm, he is now working with students to create new versions, and is in talks with a university over a research trial he hopes will prove its effects.
Ideally, he would like to get the chair to market by the end of the year, he told Kansas City Star journalists.
SOURCE: The chair to help children with autism: Invention mimics a hug and helps soothe agitated youngster with the condition | Daily Mail Online
The chair to help children with autism: Invention mimics a hug and helps soothe agitated youngsters with the condition
- The 'Sensory Lounger' and is made from an armchair with airbags inside
- Has a sophisticated pump and pressure sensor which keeps it
- This provides a 'deep touch pressure' to the body, mimicking a hug
- Studies show such pressure can help calm children with autism
A chair designed to mimic the sensation of a hug has been created for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
The chair, called the ‘Sensory Lounger’ is made from a long armchair with two airbags which are constantly pumped up, in order to envelop the child inside them.
This should provide children with the sensation of being squeezed tightly or being given a hug, it’s creators said.
A chair designed to mimic the sensation of a hug has been created for children with autism. It was created by Kansas City Businessman Stuart Jackson, whose son Joshua (pictured) has autism spectrum disorder
The chair was invented by Stuart Jackson, a local businessman from Kansas City, whose son Joshua has ASD, the Kansas City Star reports.
The company’s website explains: ‘More than 90 per cent of people with autism also have sensory processing disorder.'
This means sensory signals, such as noise or sight, are not organised into appropriate responses, and can become overwhelming and cause stress.
The website continues: ‘Sensory overload can initiate high levels of anxiety or arousal, leading to self-stimulatory behaviour, self-injurious behaviour, tantrums and meltdowns.’
Studies show that ‘deep touch pressure’ can calm down children coping with sensory processing disorder, it added.
It is known that pressure causes the release of serotonin and dopamine in the brain – ‘happy’ chemical messengers that produce a feelings of calm.
It also lowers the heart rate and blood pressure, which are indicators of stress and anxiety.
This is why being hugged feels so soothing.
Mr Jackson noticed that occupational therapists had some tools to provide deep touch pressure, but few of them gave high enough levels of pressure to benefit the children.
Studies show that ‘deep touch pressure’ can calm down children with autism. They often also have sensory processing disorder - in which they cannot organise sensory signals into actions, causing anxiety
So he develop the Sensory Lounger, which has a sophisticated pump and pressure-sensor system that provides constant compression to all areas of the body.
The website says the pump is so quiet it is ‘barely audible’, a factor which is important for children with ASD, who may have sensitive ears.
The idea came from another machine created by Professor Temple Grandin, of Colorado State University, called the 'squeeze machine'.
She noticed cattle appeared calmer when pressure was applied to their bodies.
Mr Jackson set about making a cheaper version of the 'squeeze machine', which he tested the chair on his own son, and on children at a local primary school.
After finding that it did help children to feel calm, he is now working with students to create new versions, and is in talks with a university over a research trial he hopes will prove its effects.
Ideally, he would like to get the chair to market by the end of the year, he told Kansas City Star journalists.
SOURCE: The chair to help children with autism: Invention mimics a hug and helps soothe agitated youngster with the condition | Daily Mail Online
after being in a social situation in a crowded, noisy café, or when dealing with strong emotions.
