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Virtual reality can cure autistic children's phobias in 45% of cases, and scientists say the effects are permanent.
A so-called blue room allows specialists to create a safe environment for patients to safely immerse themselves in stressful situations and to navigate their way through various scenarios to confront and overcome their fears alongside their own. a therapist.
The treatment allowed an 11-year-old schoolboy, Harry Mainwaring, to adopt a popular burrow and become his friend.
A separate study also showed for the first time that the treatment was effective in some adults with autism.
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Virtual reality can cure autistic children's phobias in 45% of cases, and scientists say effects are permanent
A so-called blue room allows specialists to create a safe environment for patients to safely immerse themselves in stressful situations and to navigate their way through various scenarios to confront and overcome their fears alongside their own. a therapist
The team, from Newcastle University, has created virtual environments that do not require goggles.
It attacks specific phobias, including wasps, lifts, darkness, theft, dolls, balloons, public transportation, school and walking parts.
The child uses an iPad controller to move in the scenario and remains perfectly in control of the situation.
The Blue Room is based in Durham County and created with the University by Third Eye NeuroTech technology specialists.
The research, published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, found that 45% of young patients received treatment six months later.
Professor Jeremy Parr, responsible for the study, said, "For many children and their families, anxiety can reign over their lives because they try to avoid situations that can trigger the fear or phobia of their child.
"Being able to offer NHS treatment that works and seeing children cope so well gives hope to families with very few treatment options for anxiety."
Phobias are thought to affect about 25% of children with autism.
The treatment also helped a 26-year-old girl graduate from university after overcoming her paralyzing fear of crossing the doors or into a long corridor.
HOW VR HELPED A BOY TO ADOPT A DOG
Harry Mainwaring, 11 years old (photo) was treated for his paralyzing fear by means of an immersive virtual reality
Harry Mainwaring, 11, had a terrible phobia of dogs.
He was cured of his paralyzing fear using immersive virtual reality technology at Newcastle University.
This technology allows specialists to create a safe environment for patients to gently immerse themselves in stressful situations.
They then navigate the environment by controlling an iPad and pioneering themselves through various scenarios to confront and defeat their fears alongside a therapist.
This allowed Harry to overcome his phobia and his family could get a burrow called Wilfy.
His mother Lizzie said: "As soon as Harry would see a dog, he would become hysterical, screaming and running away.
"It was very dangerous because he would not watch where he was running, even though it was on a road because he just wanted to be nowhere near the animal."
The effect of the Blue Room treatment on the Tyne Valley schoolboy has transformed life, she said.
The treatment allowed an 11-year-old schoolboy, Harry Mainwaring, to adopt a beloved burrow and become his friend. (Photo)
The team, from Newcastle University, has created virtual environments that do not require goggles. It attacks specific phobias, including wasps, lifts, darkness, theft, dolls, balloons, public transportation, school and walking parts.
The University of Newcastle conducted a randomized controlled trial of 32 autistic children aged 8 to 14 years.
The child uses an iPad controller to move in the scenario and remains perfectly in control of the situation. The Blue Room is based in Durham County and created with the University by Third Eye NeuroTech Technology Specialists
HOW VIRTUAL REALITY HELPS A 26-YEAR UNIVERSITY STUDENT ESTABLISH A GRADUATE
Rebecca, 26, was diagnosed with autism four years ago and had a debilitating fear of crossing the gates.
She was put in touch with the team and had four treatment sessions in the blue room.
She said, "The fear of going through a door or in a hallway with doors leading so much was so intense that it caused me to drop out of college for a year. The situation was not good.
"The first time I was in the blue room, I was nervous, even though I had been told what to expect." The scene in front of me was like the one you saw in a typical university corridor with the doors in front of me.
"At the end of the third session at the Blue Room, I was able to open and cross all the doors that are presented to me in the virtual stage. Then I had to do it in real life.
"Before the sessions, when I went out, my badistants had to go through the door before me. After the sessions, I went first. The blue room has made me independent.
"I used what I had learned at the Blue Room and exercised so I could do things I had never done before, like doing the shopping alone, traveling the subway. and even travel alone in Japan.
"More importantly, I was able to return to university with a 2, 1. 1."
Two weeks after treatment, research shows that four of the top 16 (25%) had responded to treatment and were able to cope with a specific phobia.
Professor Jeremy Parr, responsible for the study, said, "For many children and their families, anxiety can reign over their lives because they try to avoid situations that can trigger the fear or phobia of their child.
The University of Newcastle conducted a randomized controlled trial involving 32 autistic children aged 8 to 14 years.
Half immediately received treatment in the blue room and the other half acted as a control group, receiving deferred treatment six months later.
After receiving the treatment and with the support of their parents, the children were introduced to the scenario they feared in the real world.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF AUTISM
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with autism have problems with social, emotional and communication skills that typically develop before the age of three and last a lifetime.
Specific signs of autism include:
- Reactions to smell, taste, appearance, sensation or sound are unusual
- Difficulty of adapting to routine changes
- Unable to repeat or echo what they are told
- Difficulty expressing desires using words or movements
- Unable to discuss their own feelings or those of others
- Difficulty with acts of affection like a hug
- Prefer to be alone and avoid eye contact
- Difficulty related to others
- Can not point to objects or look at objects when others point to them
Two weeks after treatment, research shows that four of the top 16 (25%) had responded to treatment and were able to cope with a specific phobia.
This effect remained, with a total of six showing improvement after six months (38%), however, one reported a worsening of their phobia.
Meanwhile, in the control group, five untreated participants were aggravated within six months.
The control group was then treated in the blue room after this hour. The results showed that, overall, 40% of children treated improved at two weeks and 45% at six months.
Harry Mainwaring, 11, recovered from his dog phobia and his family was able to get a burrow called Wilfy.
His mother Lizzie said: "As soon as Harry would see a dog, he would become hysterical, screaming and running away.
"It was very dangerous because he would not watch where he was running, even though it was on a road because he just wanted to be nowhere near the animal."
The effect of the Blue Room treatment on the Tyne Valley schoolboy has transformed life, she said.
"It's amazing how Harry is now going with dogs," she says.
"He loves our dog and whenever he sees others, he is happy as they approach him and he caresses them.
The university said the NHS treatment was available to British families through the Complex Neurodevelopmental Disorders Service of the NHS Trust Foundation of Northumberland.
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