Scotson technique for ASD?

[oodlesofdoodles]

Has anyone tried this? What did you make of it?

I tried it for my son with CP.

It really helped him for a while. Now we've stopped, but its def worth a go.

sorry typing with one hand, whilst holding baby.

Thanks for replies skewiff and pippinjo. Ds has quite low muscle tone and physical problems in terms of motor planning and fine motor skills. He also can't see for looking iykwim.
What does the oxygen treatment involve? Are you still using it?

I can write properly now - no baby on lap ...

We did Scotson technique for 3 years. DS was 18 months when we started.

He has CP and was delayed with speech. I am sure it was the Scotson that started him talking. We were bringing extra blood flow, through massage, to his lungs and diaphragm. It seemed to make a big difference.

Linda Scotson says that the technique helps to strengthen the trunk and motor planning. I would say my son has amazing motor planning considering that he has very little use of his left side.

BUT we have done tonnes of oxygyen therapy with him too (at the WAlthamstow MS action centre) and that made a enormous difference to DS. Its difficult to say whats done what.

Now we are doing reflex inhibition therapy, and I would say that this would probably be more use to your DS than Scotson. Obviously I don't know him, but I am guessing that he has full use of his body ...? Is he co-operative to a certain degree? My DS needs lots of encouragement and bribes - but now he has greater use of his whole body I think that this is more useful.

Scotson was great because it is a passive therapy and I think when DS was younger (he is now 5) he could not have done anything that involved instructions. However now that we can do active therapy, I believe, that active therapy has more benefits than passive - I hope that makes sense.

I'm watching this thread with interest because DH and I are going to do the training this month. Ds1 is almost 4, has autism, global delay (including motor skills), suspected dyspraxia too. We did some autonomic testing which showed that he was not taking in enough oxygen into his tissues. We tried oxygen therapy at home but it wasn't very practical, so we're trying the scotson technique and after that will try HBOT if it doesn't work. I'm keen to start but am a bit daunted by the time/effort requirement over a long time frame, especially as we're also doing ABA programme, listening programme, dietary restrictions, not to mention all the statementing hassle etc etc. SOrry this became a rant! Just very keen to read of other people's experiences with TST! :)

Skewiff ds sort of has control. He's hypermobile in some joints which I guess is the opposite of cp? He tends to slide off his chair if not actively concentrating. I want to do retained reflex therapy but so far we just have preliminary exercises. He is reasonably compliant, he does the tricky exercises and is then rewarded with massage. who are you doing reflex therapy with?

Jomaman who did the autonomic testing for your ds?
I'm interested in the oxygen therapy. What does it involve? I do think ds is more on the ball when he has lots of exercise. Does oxygen therapy provide long lasting benefits? Ds is 4.10. He was ventilated as a baby and may have been oxygen starved at some point, but nothing has shown up on mri.
I know what you mean about making time for all these therapies. Will be interested to hear how your ds gets on.

hi oodlesofdoodles. We did it at Breakspear medical centre, i'm not exactly clear how or if you can get it unless you go private... PM me if you want more info! the oxygen therapy involved putting an oxygen mask on him at night while he slept. It was a bit of a faff and I was always worried about him getting caught on the cord etc and most nights it came off after less than an hour. hth

Oxygen Therapy, for us, involved sitting in a diving chamber for 1 1/2 almost daily, for 40 sessions. DS had a hood over his head and oxygen was pumped into this for the duration of the session.

Each session cost £10.

oodlesofdoodles: we are doing reflex therapy with hemispheres. It is working well for us because the therapist is an occupational therapist and this is exactly what DS has never got on the NHS, but needs. So the therapist gives us some OT stuff and some reflex therapy stuff.

I get very stressed trying to fit in all the therapies too. But finally have realised I can only really do one therapy at a time, which is why we have finally given up with Scotson.