The number of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) cases (aged below six) diagnosed in Hong Kong is on the rise. In addition to core symptoms such as impaired social interaction and communication skills, ASD children often suffer from physical and mental health, as well as behavioural problems, causing difficulties in managing emotions, learning, establishing relationships, and creating tensions between parents and their children. Besides, teachers have concerns about classroom management given the behavioural problems of the students with ASD, which in turn hinder these students’ learning.

This pioneering project aims to reduce the physical and psychological impairments by implementing a 3-month Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) paediatric massage program to children with ASD aged three to six, and training caregivers to provide their children home-based paediatric massage. Chinese paediatric massage can restore the proper receipt of sensory information by improving the flow of their Qi, thereby relieving abnormal brain activities. This is a non-intrusive yet evidence-based alternative solution for reducing physical, psychological and behavioural problems in children with special needs. The team also organises seminars and online education resources to train and assist parents and caregivers delivering home-based therapy.

Child participants demonstrated noteworthy improvements in their social and communication skills, attention, memory, even sleeping and eating patterns, and reduction in autism severity. Improving their overall abilities, physical and psychological well-being before they enter mainstream primary schools would bring positive changes to classroom learning and family interactions.

120 three- to six-year-old children with autism240 caregivers of child participants

2018

Education, Healthcare