Autism Movement Therapy: alternative approach to improve attentive behavior and language skills

July 3, 3:25 AMLA Special Education ExaminerDr. Kari Miller

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Autism Movement Therapy class

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder often find it difficult to remain focused on academic tasks. Parents frequently seek help from one or more professionals to help their child develop these skills.

A number of treatments are useful in helping to develop essential attention skills, such as occupational therapy, educational therapy and medical interventions.

A relatively new approach called Autism Movement Therapy (AMT) has been developed by Joanne Lara, former LAUSD special day class teacher for individuals with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorders, currently an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Special Education at National University. Her innovative approach combines music with an increasingly complex sequence of movements that stimulate hemispheric integration.

AMT combines music, rhythm and structured sequential movement patterns to activate areas of the brain in both left and right hemispheres, building connections between the hemispheres. The part of the brain that connects left and right hemispheres is called the corpus callosum, a bundle of nerve fibers located in the middle of the brain.

According to Ms. Lara, “Recent studies indicate that bridging the left and right hemispheres of the brain allows information to be exchanged through the corpus callosum via transmitters that otherwise may remain dormant in individuals with autism. AMT literally awakens the brain through a structured and fun form of music, movement and improvisational therapy.”

AMT may also be an effective adjunct treatment to help individuals develop communication skills. Language is processed in both the left and right hemispheres. Each hemisphere is specialized to process unique aspects of language, and strong communication skills are anchored in the brain’s ability to cooperatively send information between hemispheres.

In a 2001 research study conducted by Kristin Hartshorn, et al, reported in the journal Early Child Development and Care, thirty-eight children with autism were given movement therapy in small groups led by a trained movement therapist. After two months of biweekly sessions, the children spent less time wandering, had fewer negative responses to being touched, and showed less resistive behavior. They also demonstrated more on-task behavior than children in the control group.

In AMT, the pacing is slow, and each of the three levels of the program builds upon the previous level. Using this approach, students easily learn the movements.

Ms. Lara has developed an aut-erobics DVD, so that students can practice the sequences at home. She advises that students practice for 15 minutes a day, two to three times a week in order to see results.

Joanne Lara, M.A., is an adjunct faculty at National University in the Department of Special Education, Sherman Oaks, California. In addition to her Autism Movement Therapy (non-profit 501) private practice and Saturday classes in Van Nuys, she is a program supervisor with Inclusive Education and Community Partnership (IECP) in Los Angeles. Her aut-erobics DVDs are available on her website. Ms. Lara is available for lecture demonstrations, conferences, workshops, and private consultations. The next Autism Movement Therapy Training workshop begins July 18, 2009 in Los Angeles. For more info and to contact Ms. Lara, visit her website.
 

If you have an article idea to submit or a comment on this article, please email Dr. Kari Miller at klmiller555@sbcglobal.net.
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