Treatments & Therapies – dance therapy – Grantham Autistic Information Network (GAIN)

Dance therapy

Dance movement psychotherapy is a relational process in which clients and therapist engage creatively using body movement and dance, as well as verbal and non-verbal reflection. Click icon for the therapist association description of this approach..

Little lives UK outlines the benefits of this approach for autism. See article.

Options autism use this approach.

Food challenges

The National autistic society (NAS) has an engaging page about supporting autistic people with eating difficulties. It features Rachel’s experience and covers a number of aspects of the topic. Click icon to browse.

Leicester NHS has a page about eating and drinking difficulties for autistic people. Fills in a few gaps in the page above.. There are several weblinks at bottom, including the NAS top tips.

Can autism be cured?

Autism is a life-long condition – it cannot be cured – but there are a range of methods of enabling and assisting learning and development.

The National autistic society has set out valid strategies & interventions

They warn against some specific so called cures pointing instead to sources of support.
The National autistic society has set out valid strategies & interventions but warns against some specific so called cures pointing instead to sources of support.
The NHS offers an overview of autism

They also warn against treatments that are not recommended. They offer tips for spotting fake treatments as well as outlining some specific fakes.
The NHS offers an overview of autism but also warns against treatments that are not recommended. They offer tips for spotting fake treatments as well as outlining some specific fakes.

The Forgotten History of Autism by Steve Silberman takes you through some of the wrong turns along the way from the initial discovery of autism to where we are today. Click play button and find the image with the play button to start the video.^{13 mins}

Responsive communication

Responsive communication combines attention to sensory issues with using body language to interact with autistic adults and children. Phoebe Cauldwell has found some unique paths to achieving deep and meaningful engagement with autistic people. Click icon to find out about a book on the subject. There is a link to a sample of the book. See also:

Amazon for the book and
our Specialist services page under the heading Cauldwell children.

Occupational therapy

Occupational therapists may be able to help children and adults with sensory issues. Where might they be found? Click icon to help find out. See also:

The NHS page about occupational therapy.
SEND service occupational therapy has its own page in the Lincolnshire Family services directory. They require a professional referral.
Specialist occupational therapists within travelling distance of Grantham.

Colouring books

Click icon for a review of The healthy coping colouring book and journal. Have a look at Amazon for this book and others like it. People say that they are more than simple colouring books.

Attention autism

Attention Autism is an approach to getting autistic children to join in with adult led activities. Click icon to find out more.

Visual aids

Visual aids may be helpful for most young children with autism. Click icon to find out more.

Rapid Prompting Method

Establishing the effectiveness of an approach to helping children with autism can be vexing. The Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) is a relatively new communication technique developed for people with severe autism. It is controversial and is, at best, only applicable in a minority of cases. Click icon for more about it.

Here is an intelligent Critique. The author says that the method is similar to a discredited method and that it has no validity.

Asperger Experts

Danny Raede has discovered for himself ways of understanding and coping with the difficulties he experiences as someone on the spectrum. He has formed Asperger Experts to guide and support others in the same boat. See: about us

Click icon for his website and look under the Browse menu option. This part of the website is free to all.

Aroma-therapy & reflexology

To ease symptoms of stress, you might consider aroma-therapy or reflexology.

Sensory rooms

Where funds allow it may be possible to adapt a room in your own home. GAIN cannot recommend any items of equipment or their use. Just to give you an idea of what is available, here is one source of sensory equipment.

Here are some ideas of who might benefit and what could be selected.

Emotional well-being

While autism is about development rather than mental health, people with autism may have mental health issues too. Click icon for GAIN guide.

Trampolines and soft play areas are good to let off steam for many children on the spectrum – as shown in the picture of a GAIN event in 2019.

Counselling

See our item about Kooth on-line support

Key words

Psychology, psychiatry and psychotherapy: The difference