Autism

The Mission of the Dr. John E. Upledger Foundation is to support the overall therapeutic philosophies and visions of TIME Innovator for the current millennium, Dr. John E. Upledger. He dedicated his career to the research and development of CranioSacral Therapy (CST) and other manual therapies to treat some of the most challenging patient cases, including autism.

Autism and CST

Autism can present a myriad of symptoms, including extreme social withdrawal, language impairments, erratic or repetitive behavior, anxiety, fearfulness or pervasive developmental delays. It is a condition that often responds well to CranioSacral Therapy and related techniques. When Dr. Upledger testified before the 2006 Government Reform Committee meeting of the U.S. House of Representatives on the effectiveness of CST in treating autism, the session also featured testimonies from leaders in autism research, treatment and the parents of autistic children. Using CST as the main modality, therapists work to promote physical, cognitive and social developmental gains in a child with autism.

How CST is Performed

A CST session can last a few minutes to more than an hour. CST can be used alone or integrated with other therapies to enhance well-being. It is performed with the child fully clothed, and seated up on a padded massage table, if possible, or whatever position is most comfortable.

For some children, treatment occurs while they are using sensory integration supports, playing, rocking, or moving about the treatment room. Therapists look to create a soothing therapy environment that is tailored to each child’s needs while involving the family or caregiver. The sessions are generally deeply relaxing and create feelings of warmth and a softening of the tissues that are tight.

How CST Fits Into a Therapy Program

• Helps address the results of the biological reasons that cause autism, attention and sensory processing difficulties.
• Works within the biomedical approach toward recovery of symptoms.
• Helps reduce seizure activity, promotes detox of the body, and assists in healing tissues and organs
• Augments existing multidiscipline therapy programs.

In a recent international research study on the benefits of using CST with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD):

• A majority of participants reported measurable changes begin to emerge within 1-5 sessions after beginning CST.
• The top three areas of evaluated change in behavior following CST were general behavior, sensory reactions, and social.
• Participants also reported improvements in cognitive skills, communication, emotional stability, and biological functions.

Meet Tami Goldstein and her daughter, Heather

Tami's daughter, Heather, was diagnosed a month shy of her 13th birthday with High-Functioning Autism, Asperger's Syndrome and seizure disorder. She watched her daughter spiral out of control medically, behaviorally and educationally until she found an occupational therapist (OT) who explained how Heather's Sensory Processing Disorder impacted the Autism.

Together mother and daughter learned how a Sensory Diet, CranioSacral Therapy, and Bio-Medical Therapies can lead to Functioning Recovery. Tami navigated the public school environment and the medical community to get the right support for Heather, who succeeded in spite of the educational discrimination.

Tami has dedicated her life work to being an advocate, speaker and educator on autism and bodywork for autism. Tami is the award-winning author of the book, Coming Through the Fog and countless articles on autism. Tami unequivocally credits CST with Heather’s path to functioning recovery.

Please consider a donation to the Dr. John E. Upledger Autism Fund. Tami Goldstein and The Dr. John E. Upledger Foundation partnered to provide an Autism Fund whose goal is to provide direct CranioSacral therapy services to individuals on the autism spectrum.

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