Temple Grandin's Hug Machine
I wonder how many Aspys are obscenely fat,constipated,dehydrated,depressed,suicidal or in a mind-numbing stupor - because of the drugs they are taking.
I wonder how many are children.
I wonder how many of us drink ourselves to sleep?
I wonder how many experimental drug trials are being paid for by you,taxpayer?
Do you think they'll stop the trial in time to save you,if someone dies?
I wonder how much money drug companies make off their desparate,distressed,desolate,clutching at straws,customers.
[quote="KimJ"]"I believe there are like 5 commercial hug machines? There have been studies. "
I don't know why they haven't been mass-produced,either,KimJ.
Should I say conspiracy theory here?Will that get a bunch of nuts involved,or will I get written off as a nut?
"They apparently cause instant relaxation but not long-term relief. I believe Dr. Grandin uses hers on a regular (but significantly decreased) basis."
Exactly!Not only is it DRUG FREE (sorry for shouting,but try to GET IT!)
but its also a reducing therapy
This is the 'nutshell',the 'kernal of truth' that piqued my aspyishly inquisitive ,mad,rash,dash for the essence of the subject of my studies.
I should have named this thread 'Temple's Cure'
For an hour's stay,my anxiety could be gone for a couple of days
No more chain-smoking,binge-drinking,can't stop thinking,muscles tremoring,can't sleep at night,dying of fright.
Aspy's,children,please,show this thread to an NT,an adult.
Action is needed & we all know we're useless at that.
I know I am.
It makes me sad that this is the extent of my ability to assist You.I have $3000 in the bank & that'll buy one.I'll try to make it availiable to the autism community on the Gold Coast,maybe donate it to a university.That's not many. I worry about the whole world.You need one.You need the choice.
Say No to drugs.
and Sedaka...Beeee
the Catcher in the Rye,
"do or do not,there is no try"-Yoda
_________________
Be kinder than necessary for everyone is fighting some kind of battle
-Jaleb
Read this:
http://kbs.cs.tu-berlin.de/~jutta/me/notes/hug.html
and this:
http://www.autism.org/hugbox.html
Great News:I've contacted the local Aspergers co-ordinator & Helen was very enthusiastic & positive about my proposal.Its a wonderfull feeling to contribute to the community & to finally acheive something concrete with my life.
I'd like to implore every1 that reads this:have goals,believe in your dreams.
I suffer horribly with depression but now I have a cure:doing this!
JOIN IN!
_________________
Be kinder than necessary for everyone is fighting some kind of battle
-Jaleb
Its a stopgap.Sure its fun,but I want therapy,not games.
I,m an uncle now.Kids used to be invisible,now...the glories of creation...God is love...
But even more,God is change , God loves change,thats why it created time.
Its time for a change.I'm just doing Gods work.
As an atheist,I get a big kick out of believing in God occasionally.
Its not as much fun as contemplating the event horison of a black hole,where particles are reduced to a quantum state & incorporated? into vacuum energy,or the fact that you can look into the universe in one direction & see back in time 14 billion years & then look in the exact opposite direction & see back in time 14 billion years,but the universe isn't 28 billion years old.
That was fun.Sorry, I meant to say,when I babysit the mammals,I like to put a spare mattress on a bed,climb under it,then a 2yo,a 4yo,a 5yo & a 6yo bounce on me,til they're exhausted(& I'm deaf).
The problem is,it doesn't change your life.
If this thing works...well I just turned 40.No wife,no kids,no life.
I don't want to be sitting in a room stimming when I'm 80,wondering what would have happened if I'd ever gone to University or had a girlfriend after 25.
Getting maudlin again.Tried to make this post amusing,less strident.
Anyway,e-mailed the plans to Helen today,hope is my only companion.
Heres the plans,by the way:
http://www.grandin.com/inc/intro-squeeze.html
I want to thank everyaspy that posted with personal suggestions about weights(hmm,its not i before e,also weir & weird),pressure & vests,but I really hope some of you are taking this home & building your own,fine to end with a rhyme.
If you build it,he will come.(couldn't resist)
_________________
Be kinder than necessary for everyone is fighting some kind of battle
-Jaleb
lelia
Veteran
Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Age: 71
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,897
Location: Vancouver not BC, Washington not DC
lelia
Veteran
Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Age: 71
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,897
Location: Vancouver not BC, Washington not DC
Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 2:03 am Post subject:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We made an alternative squeeze machine for our daughter. We put two air mattresses inside a sleeping bag and snaked hoses from an, ah shoot, I lost the word, a motor that pushes air, yes, an air compressor to them with a squeeze bulb (specifically a baby snot bulb with a long neck) as the regulator. Our daughter would crawl into the sleeping bag and hold onto the bulb. As long as she squeezed the bulb air would be pushed into the air mattresses. If she let go the bulb, the air mattresses would deflate instantly. She would hold the bulb until she was bright red in the face. One thing we never found a good solution for was the hideous racket the air compressor made.
When I say we, I mean me and a friend after we went to one of Temple's lectures in Anchorage. We drove back to North Pole problem solving all the way (and what a high that was!) and then told her husband who ran an HVAC business what we wanted. We did the sewing and velcro straps and he did the machinery. That was fifteen years ago. After four or five years of use, she didn't want to use it any more, so we dismantled it and gave away the pieces. I can't recall how the mechanical pieces worked. I'm sorry I can't give you more detail, but maybe you can find an HVAC guy who could make something similar for you.
We had hoped to start a business selling this less costly way to provide pressure for autists, but after we factored in the costs of insurance, shipping from Alaska, etc etc it ended up the same price as Temple's plywood squeeze box (which our daughter tried once and really liked).
We live in another state now, so maybe costs would pencil out, but I am not a businessman. So, if somebody want to make a business making squeeze sacks, you are welcome to do so.
We sent the bag to her school, and when she got upset, she would sometimes use it. Other times she assaulted everyone she could reach. It's so nice to see her relaxed and happy in her own home now. And since we are the landlords, no one will ever make her move.
Lelia,you are utterly,utterly,utterly brilliant!
You win the Syzgyish Award for most usefull post ever!
Thanks for the inspiration.
I'm meeting an engineer next week,through Helen,God knows why,I told her I just wanted to be 'the money',so I'll mention it to him.
Why did your daughter stop using it?Because it worked so well or because it stopped working?
Every1 keeps saying Temple reduced her usage-I'm hoping its because you get permanent physiological changes,cross my fingers.
This has to be my last post today-I'm seeing a kinesiologist.
Come to the Gold Coast for a holiday & pick up your reward!(hehehaha)
_________________
Be kinder than necessary for everyone is fighting some kind of battle
-Jaleb
lelia
Veteran
Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Age: 71
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,897
Location: Vancouver not BC, Washington not DC
I don't know why she quit. She still likes to be massaged. She used to wrap ace bandages tightly around her legs also, but doesn't do it anymore. Maybe she's gotten whatever the deep pressure was for.
I didn't mention we used three velcro straps rather than the zipper to close up the air mattresses sewn into the sleeping bag, again so that we could release her quickly if we had to. We thought a lot about safety. We knew if the pressure got so high she passed out, she would release the bulb and the mattresses would deflate. She never did pass out. And she always wriggled in as deep as she could into the sleeping bag with her arms pinned beside her and only one hand out barely out enough to hold the bulb.
A cheap way to emulate a sense of security I have found is to tightly tuck my topsheet on my futon. I always sleep better and it alway super relaxes me after a lot of social interaction ie job interviews, group learning, party, etc.
_________________
Life is what you see inside and outside, not about words symbolizing the visual.
Hi Matt
I got a phone call from Tech Aids for the Disabled Qld, who said that they would not be able to build such a machine from the ‘workplace health and safety’ aspect…
This was so disappointing to hear…
You mentioned that you had been given another lead through your chat room, I recall. Is that idea achievable?
Hope this finds you in good health and going along well with life.
Regards
Helen
_________________
Be kinder than necessary for everyone is fighting some kind of battle
-Jaleb
Im a student in high school doing a design corse and have chosen to design a rocking chair that will assist with school students needing to control their anxiety whilst at school through a drug free method. My cousins have both been diagnosed within the autistic spectrum and are trying to be intregrated to the general school system. I am hoping to get ideas from people about what they feel a rocking chair based on the hug machine might achieve. I would appreciate it if people might coment on the issues that I would need to consider in designing this chair so that it would be a relevant design
I craved deep pressure as a kid. Hugging didn't help becuase of the "static" I got from other people and people could never squeeze me hard enough. I would have my 80lb dog jump up on my back but he would never stay long enough. Oddly enough, when I triped, messed up by back and had to start seeing a chiropracter, I never had cravings for deep pressure anymore. I just get "sensations" where I want my back and joints cracked. Every chiropracter I have ever been to has always remarked that he wishes all his paitents were as relaxes as I was. I always perfered the chiropracters who were "rough" and could get a kink out all at once. When I crack my knuckles, I like for it to be kinda painful when it cracks. Maybe I'm I sicko, but some pain sensations are actualy pleserable for me or start out a little painful but the pain sensation dosen't last. A lot of things I find pleasureable, most NTs find painful and things most NTs find pleasurable, I find painful. Someone touching me is like being electrocuted because of the "static" that person gives off. Yet, I've cut myself to the point of needing stitches, yet never noticed until the room looked like the set of CSI. I find itching far worse than pain.
_________________
Spell meerkat with a C, and I will bite you.