Autism is a severe problem in children. The disease’s core deficits include sensory impairment, impaired socialization, behavioral disturbances, and bowel and sleep problems. Researchers studied the effects of the Cignolini methodology on autism (Silva et al., 2007). This is a Qigong massage methodology.
In the study, a total of 13 children with autism (ages 3-6) received daily treatment of the Qigong methodology for 5 months. The study found that children received the Qigong treatment had significant improvement of their sensory impairment. Using standardized measurements, the study showed that treated children also had increased social skills and basic living skills. Furthermore, those children with bowel and sleep abnormalities had significant improvement after the treatment.
These findings suggest that Qigong massage may be a useful treatment method for relieving problems of autism in young children. Further studies with larger scales are still needed to confirm such effects.
Reference:
Silva, L. M., Cignolini, A., et al. (2007) Improvement in sensory impairment and social interaction in young children with autism following treatment with an original Qigong massage methodology. Am J Chin Med 35, 393-406.
