Where Healing Begins with Connection
Denver-based Occupational Therapy Services for Kids with Autism
What is Qigong Sensory Therapy?
Touch-Based Sensory Treatment
Qigong Sensory Therapy (QST) is a touch-based program for kids with autism that parents are trained to perform. The protocol takes 15-20 minutes and is given daily by the parent within their child’s routine. The protocol has 12 movements that follow the channels down the front and back of the body. Attention is also given to specific points within each movement. Both patting and pressure are used according to the child’s responses. Families are trained over 20 sessions and will typically provide the treatment to their child for 1-2 years to experience profound, lasting benefits. Your QST Certified Trainer at Little Buddies Therapy provides hands-on support and coaching throughout this process.
Proven Results
QST is unique among approaches to autism care. Research shows the vast majority of children with autism have challenges receiving sensory information. Areas of the skin are often numb or painful in response to touch that would feel neutral or positive to a non-autistic person. QST helps a child’s sensory system to be more comfortable and more engaged, therefore the child is able to develop their self-regulation skills. This treatment has been proven to significantly improve each child’s ability to take in and process sensory information in their own way. QST uses a parent-coaching model which empowers parents to be a part of their child’s healing.
Explore the Research & Resources page to review the exciting research related to QST!
Is QST Right for my Child?
Safe and Effective Autism Therapy
Research studies show that QST is a safe and effective therapy for autism in children under the age of 12. QST is the only autism therapy that is effective for all components of autism – behavioral, sensory, social and language – and it is the only autism therapy that is effective for all children with autism, no matter how severe. As long as you/your child do not have any of the contraindications listed below, QST is a good fit for your child.
Contraindications:
Uncontrolled Seizures
Additional neurological disorders
Caregivers who are on the autism spectrum themselves
Child will begin another intensive therapy program during the initial QST training sessions
Child takes medications that may impede progress (certain sedatives). Please discuss all medications your child takes with your QST Certified Trainer.
QST benefits may include:
Improves sleep
Improves digestion (relief of constipation or diarrhea)
Improves language and understanding (receptive and expressive communication)
Promotes eye contact and social connections
Restores normal sensation to the skin (reduces tactile defensiveness)
Promotes self-soothing and emotional regulation
Increases tolerance for frustration and reduces aggressive behavior
Increases attention/focus
Decreases parenting stress
Promotes parent-child bonding
What to Expect
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Evaluation
Caregiver and child will participate in an evaluation to gather areas of strengths and needs.
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Plan of Care
An individualized plan will be created to set goals based upon evaluation results and caregiver input.
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20 Training Sessions
The caregiver is trained how to give QST and will learn to adjust their technique based upon their child's responses over 20 sessions with Little Buddies Therapy.
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Daily QST
During training, Caregiver provides QST to child on a daily basis in the comfort of their own home.
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Final Evaluation
Following the training, child and caregiver will be evaluated to review progress and provide recommendations for continued progress.
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Follow Up
If follow up sessions are needed after the initial training sessions, these can be scheduled on an as needed basis with Little Buddies Therapy.
