Autistic children and adults often seek
pressure in a variety of ways to calm themselves and cope with
sensory overload. Oftentimes, hugs and squeezes from other people can
cause more distress because autistic children or adults are often
unable to communicate their needs by indicating a particular amount
or length of pressure. This is both frustrating and ineffective for
both the autistic person and whoever is hugging or squeezing them.
The hug machine was created to help
relive this frustration, putting autistic individuals in control of
their situation. Both children and adults who suffer from autism
sometimes crave pressure to help calm anxiety. Because of this, one
woman with autism developed the hug machine, also known as a hug box
or a squeeze machine. The hug machine has two padded sideboards
connected near the bottom of the boards to form a V-shape. A lever
helps push the sideboards together to create pressure; the lever also
allows the autistic child or adult the ability to control the amount
and length of pressure.
Studies are still being conducted to
find out why those with autism respond to pressure and how it can
produce a calming effect. The hug machine may affect the heightened
sensory perceptions of those with autism who often feels disruptive
or distressing behavior. By applying pressure, perhaps the autistic
child or adult moves his or her focus to a single feeling—the
pressure—which in turn produces a calming effect. For many autistic
children and adults, anxiety can be completely incapacitating. Not
being able to function with the anxiety is frustrating, and so
appropriate social behavior is even more difficult. Sometimes, the
only release from such anxiety is through pressure. To this day, the
hug machine is used by several programs and researchers studying
autism as well as therapy programs.
Remember that hugging or squeezing an
autistic child may not help him or her. You may, in fact, increase
their senses and cause more anxiety. Though you may not be able to
purchase a hug machine, you may be able to create a similar object.
Try wrapping the autistic child or adult in a blanket, where they can
control how much pressure to apply. You can also look into buying
padded boards that more closely simulate the hug machine’s
side-boards and perhaps tie or tape some heavy-duty yarn to each side
to allow the autistic child or adult control over how much pressure
to apply and for how long. Contact your child’s school to see if
there has been any interest in purchasing a community hug-machine.
This may not be a cure to all your child’s problems, but it works
well to help many autistic individuals cope with the world.
Jose Amoros
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