Clinical Experiences |
Type of Facility: Public School - Special Education Center Patient Population using the Somatron: Children and Young Adults with Severe Disabilities or Autism Date of Reported Experiences: March, 1996 Primary Findings: Calming agitation and reducing mouthing behavior Music Used: Not reported Contact Information: Ava Geozy Dowdy, Music Therapist at the Kilmer Center in Vienna, Virginia discussed some of her clinical experiences with an Olympia table model Somatron. Students at the Kilmer Center between the ages of 5 and 22 years with severe disabilities or autism were given opportunities to try the Somatron. Ms. Dowdy reported that she was using the Somatron with several goals in mind. She was looking to see whether vibrotactile stimulation was successful in encouraging deeper breathing, reducing self stimulatory behavior and replacing agitation with calmness and relaxation in her students. Ms. Dowdy reported that one particular student responded very positively to the Somatron, he was able to “calm down on it when he is very agitated”. Another student who mouthed his hands kept them out of his mouth for 10 minutes during a Somatron session. Some of the behaviors that Ms. Dowdy reported to be observing during Somatron sessions were students’ physical and vocal responses, positioning, and any other attempts at communication. |