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Therapeutic Healing Vest for Children With Autism, ADHD, Anxiety 7-8-08
by Mike Adams
Children with autism and ADHD may soon get anxiety relief from a novel
"deep-pressure" vest developed by Brian Mullen at the University of
Massachusetts Amherst. The vest, which can also be used for adults with mental
illness, delivers a "portable hug" called deep pressure touch stimulation (DPTS).
"People with developmental disorders and mental illness are often overwhelmed in
everyday environments such as school and the workplace, and solutions available
to families and mental health professionals are limited," says Mullen, a
doctoral student of mechanical engineering. "This is an alternative therapy that
can safely and discreetly provide the treatment they need to function in
mainstream society."
To market the vest, Mullen has created a concept business called Therapeutic
Systems, which recently won the $50,000 grand prize in the UMass Amherst
Technology Innovation Challenge, a competition for the best entrepreneurial
technology business plan produced by students, recent alumni and faculty
advisors on campus.
Occupational therapists working with children suffering from autism, ADHD and
sensory processing disorders have observed that DPTS can increase attention to
tasks and reduce anxiety and harmful behaviors by providing different sensory
stimuli. DPTS is also part of a growing trend to improve the lives of adults
with mental illness by using touch, sound and aroma to influence alertness,
attention and their ability to adapt to their surroundings.
Eight clinical studies of the effectiveness and safety of existing weighted
blankets and vests that deliver DPTS were conducted by Mullen and his advisor
Sundar Krishnamurty, a professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at
UMass Amherst. Mullen used that data to design a prototype system for applying
DPTS that can be inserted into any commercial vest or jacket with a lining.
Initial results of a study with students at UMass Amherst who did not have
autism or ADHD showed that participants preferred Mullen's prototype vest, which
applies pressure that feels like a firm hug or swaddling, over the current gold
standard weighted vest.
Mullen's prototype has several advantages over weighted or elastic garments and
toys currently used to apply DPTS in hospitals and schools. "Existing methods
provide limited control over the amount of pressure applied and require some
oversight by a caregiver," says Mullen. "Their use is also limited because of
the lack of literature documenting their safety, and their tendency to make the
user stand out in a crowd."
Therapeutic Systems is also starting the initial phase of designing a DPTS
blanket to aid with resting and falling asleep. "Falling asleep has been found
to be a major problem for many people with mental illness," says Mullen, who
adds that an estimated 65 percent of Americans are losing sleep due to stress."
This novel vest, developed by Brian Mullen, is an ingenious idea. Much safer
than taking anxiety and sleep medications