Researchers are trying to help children with autism become better communicators with teaching strategies based on Shakespeare texts.
The research took place at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center's Nisonger Center.
Study Says No Link Between Autism, Many Vaccines
A recent study conducted by scientists dispelled the fears of about one third of American parents that giving a series of vaccines to kids may be associated with autism.
Advertisement
Children with autism often struggle to communicate. Many avoid eye contact, don't understand the context of conversation and may miss visual cues from others around them.
But by allowing children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to study with Ohio State University student actors who are engaging students in Shakespeare-based activities, the hope is that they will improve their socializing and communicating skills, Dr. Marc J. Tasse, director of the Nisonger Center and principal investigator on the waitlist control trial studying the unique intervention, said.
![Researchers: Delay in Shifting Gaze Linked to Early Brain Development in Autism]( "Researchers: Delay in Shifting Gaze Linked to Early Brain Development in Autism")
According to researchers, at 7 months of age, children who are later diagnosed with autism take a split second longer to shift their gaze during a task measuring eye movements.
"In this intervention with middle school children with autism, we're using Shakespeare's play, The Tempest," Tasse, who is also a clinical psychologist, said.
"It's quite amazing to see how a Shakespeare play can be transformed into a therapeutic intervention that encourages students to express themselves and communicate," he said.
The research project is a collaborative effort with the Nisonger Center, the Ohio State University Department of Theatre, Columbus City Schools and the Ohio State University/Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) partnership.
The Nisonger Center is the only place in the United States testing this idea, said Tasse.
The idea originated about 20 years ago in Great Britain with Kelly Hunter, an actress in the Royal Shakespeare Company in London, who developed the "Hunter Heartbeat Method." Her signature approach pairs the recitation of Shakespeare's rhythmic language with physical gesture.
Hunter reached out to Ohio State asking researchers here to develop the study protocol.
Now, students in the Department of Theatre are teaming up with researchers at the Nisonger Center to try and figure out exactly what it is about Shakespeare that reaches these children with autism, when many other approaches may not.
"The distinctive methodology I have created uses Shakespeare to release the communicative blocks within children with autism," Hunter, who is visiting Columbus now and working with some of the children in the intervention sessions said.
Source: ANI
Researchers: Delay in Shifting Gaze Linked to Early Brain Development in Autism
According to researchers, at 7 months of age, children who are later diagnosed with autism take a split second longer to shift their gaze during a task measuring eye movements.
Advertisement
"In this intervention with middle school children with autism, we're using Shakespeare's play, The Tempest," Tasse, who is also a clinical psychologist, said.
"It's quite amazing to see how a Shakespeare play can be transformed into a therapeutic intervention that encourages students to express themselves and communicate," he said.
The research project is a collaborative effort with the Nisonger Center, the Ohio State University Department of Theatre, Columbus City Schools and the Ohio State University/Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) partnership.
The Nisonger Center is the only place in the United States testing this idea, said Tasse.
The idea originated about 20 years ago in Great Britain with Kelly Hunter, an actress in the Royal Shakespeare Company in London, who developed the "Hunter Heartbeat Method." Her signature approach pairs the recitation of Shakespeare's rhythmic language with physical gesture.
Hunter reached out to Ohio State asking researchers here to develop the study protocol.
Now, students in the Department of Theatre are teaming up with researchers at the Nisonger Center to try and figure out exactly what it is about Shakespeare that reaches these children with autism, when many other approaches may not.
"The distinctive methodology I have created uses Shakespeare to release the communicative blocks within children with autism," Hunter, who is visiting Columbus now and working with some of the children in the intervention sessions said.
Source: ANI
Atypical Brain Circuits may Cause Slower Gaze Shifting in Infants Who Later Develop Autism: Study
In comparison to 7-month-olds who do not develop autism, infants at 7 months of age who go on to develop autism are slower to reorient their gaze and attention from one object to another.
Advertisement
Autism Linked to Old Grandfathers and Abuse in WomenTwo new studies have found that having an older grandfather or being a mother who was abused in her youth are linked to having a child with autism. | Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Readings
Latest Research News
The optogenetic activation of hippocampal astrocytes can be viewed as a novel therapeutic avenue for addressing Alzheimer's disease.
In Alzheimer's disease condition, the control and adjustment of ABCA7 levels in response to inflammation and the decrease in the availability of cholesterol.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can lead to alterations in the microbiome, and disruptions in the skin and gut barrier.
Gaining insights into mortality risks among vitiligo patients will enhance patient counseling, healthcare monitoring, and overall patient management strategies.
Antimicrobial peptide SP1V3_1, from snake venom can eliminate antibiotic-resistant bacteria like E. coli, P. aeruginosa and among others.
