15/11/2014
(FPT) Family Blog- Fiesta Pediatric Therapy is excited to announce that they will be collaborating with Arizona State University (ASU) Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Northern Arizona University (NAU), and Alberto Frias (creator of the pod) in a research project involving the pod bed and children with autism. Research has shown that full body vibration and controlled multisensory environments (MSE or Snoezelen Room) helps children with autism relax and regulate.
What is the pod?
This pod, similar to the design of a Skittle or M&M, will provide a multi-sensory environment that uses color changing lights, sound and vibration for a variety of purposes. This pod will provide as a rest area for kids who need a break from their day or therapy session. The pod can change colors, play music, and vibrate to simulate a calming environment. A similar large pod bed is in use at Children's National Medical Center- Sheikh Zayed Institute's Pain Medicine Care Complex to help kids with chronic pain through the use of multisensory and biofeedback.
http://fiestapediatrictherapy.blogspot.com/
Fun fact: The movie "Men in Black III" features some of Alberto's pods in the MIB headquarters. Aliens can be seen sitting on top of the white three seater pods.
What is Snoezelen or controlled multisensory environments?
Snoezelen or controlled multisensory environment (MSE) is a therapy for people with autism and other developmental disabilities, dementia or brain injury. It consists of placing the person in a soothing and stimulating environment, called the "Snoezelen room". These rooms are specially designed to deliver stimuli to various senses, using lighting effects, color, sounds, music, scents, etc. The combination of different materials on a wall may be explored using tactile senses.
The term "Snoezelen" (pronounced /ˈsnuzələ(n)/) is a neologism formed from a blend of the Dutch "snuffelen" (to seek out, to explore) and "doezelen" (to doze, to snooze). "SNOEZELEN" is a registered trademark of the English company Rompa which sells equipment for Snoezelen rooms, even though the term was coined and the concept developed by Jan Hulsegge and Ad Verheul from their work at De Hartenberg Institute in the Netherlands. Originally developed in the Netherlands in the 1970s, Snoezelen rooms have been established in institutions all over the world and are especially common in Germany, where more than 1,200 exist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snoezelen
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by:
- Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts;
- Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities;
- Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (typically recognized in the first two years of life); and,
- Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.
The term “spectrum” refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of impairment or disability that children with ASD can have. Some children are mildly impaired by their symptoms, while others are severely disabled. The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) no longer includes Asperger’s syndrome; the characteristics of Asperger’s syndrome are included within the broader category of ASD.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/index.shtml
