The results of the ATEC (Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist) showed strong improvement in sensory and cognitive awareness and a ‘dramatic improvement in sociability’.

This study leads the way to the future in autism treatment. We are beginning to see the connection between the body and autism and studies are now showing a correlation between high resting heart rate and symptoms of autism like anxiety and low sociability.

The work of Dr. Stephen Porges and his Polyvagal Theory has contributed significantly to the shift in emphasis to autism and high alert body states.

With this new assumption, the doors have opened up to the potential for people with autism to live a much brighter, much less physically debilitating life.

Like the above study, the ART program designed by Holly Bridges works to redefine (reframe) what it means to have autism. It works to progressively teach the student techniques to calm, self-soothe and reconnect the mind and body.

When this happens the social, emotional, cognitive and sensory awareness capacity of the individual improves significantly and spontaneously. See the many examples here.

Berger M. J. (2007) The efficacy of selected biofeedback techniques in mitigating symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorder. Biofeedback. 35 pp. 62-68.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23248075
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26341093
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27491489

There is a developing consensus that supports the link between diet and mood within the wider community and, anecdotally, a large proportion of parents attest to dietary intervention being an effective therapy for their autistic children. For many a casein and gluten free diet for autism is now quite common.

The polyvagal theory can provide a framework for understanding the mechanism by which a dietary intervention can be useful, however autism is a multi-faceted issue and a range of approaches are necessary. Always consult your doctor before adopting any dietary changes.

In the US the FDA has issued a caution against do-it-yourself chelation kits as there is some evidence that it can cause harm if not done properly. It can be distressing for the autistic child as well as dangerous, and is not recommended.

Using state of the art eye tracker technology, lead author Tiffany Hutchins showed that children with autism begin to focus less on the eyes the more a situation becomes emotional and that in an anxiety state they are unable to do so.

The study showed that children with ASD may look at the eyes in a non-confrontational conversation but as soon as the topic moves from what people do, to how they feel, the gaze will shift from the eyes to the mouth.

Talking about emotions can ‘strain the executive functioning’ (organising, planning and connecting) and make accessing information from the eye region ‘particularly difficult’.

When a threshold is surpassed the child has no capacity to hold eye contact and so making the child do this under duress is non-effective and potentially damaging.

This is something many parents intuitively know. That science is now making sense of this is great but it really it comes down to common sense.

So why do we put our kids through this anyway? And why do we study people with autism as if they are from another planet?

Hutchins is right; it does take more energy to engage with people when there is emotional charge, and it is harder for kids with autism; emotions are harder for them to read. But since kids with autism are people just like us, why do we force them to do things that we ourselves would not want to do?

Taken in reverse this article does point to the future where we might just begin to provide therapies that are safe and pleasing for our autistic kids. They need to feel safe – clearly this allows greater eye contact, they need to feel confident – clearly this allows greater eye contact.

The more they can feel safe and confident the more they can choose to make eye contact. The more they do this the more can strengthen the neural pathways that are used to keep eye contact and the more that they do this the more they competent they will be. It is all there, the neural function is there, they can make eye contact – they just find it hard to.

The autist is only ever going to learn to make eye contact efficiently when it feels right and makes sense to them. Maybe soon our everyday therapies will reflect this.

Ayurvedic medicine can gently realign the body and provide greater strength and calm in those with autism. From a polyvagal perspective, the body’s vagal system is being better supported – which in turn allows the client to have a better, more stable connection between the brain and nervous system. The more the autist is able to be conscious of this process and notice and own the progress the more they can integrate the change at a higher level.