JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Although many autistic children receive massage as a complementary therapy, it is not included in evidence-based practices for autism since evidence of its efficacy is lacking. Further, prior studies have failed to identify objective indicators of core symptoms or elucidate their mechanisms.

Objective:

We developed a parent-delivered traditional Thai massage (TTM) on children intervention with autism, aim is to experimentally determine whether children with autism truly experience positive effects from parent-delivered TTM with autism and determine the possible mechanisms of observed effects.

Methods:

A two-armed, parallel randomized controlled trial study will conduct between February 2022 and June 2022. Forty-eight children with autism (aged 7-12years old) will be recruit from the Hainan Special Education School, they will be randomly assigned to either a parental TTM or control group with a ratio of 1:1 by random numbers through Online Research Randomizer software. The sequences generated will then be concealed in an opaque envelope. Individuals in the parental TTM group will receive 16 parent-delivered TTM sessions over 8 weeks at school`s health room after school, the control group will maintain a normal daily routine. The outcome will be assessed on admission, after 8 weeks, and as well as at 2-month follow-up, including the effect of massage treatment on autism symptom by the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist score (evaluate by parents and blinding teacher), physiological parameter (heart rate variability and gait), and parenting stress index.

Results:

As of June 20th, we have finished all data collection. Data analysis will be started, and expected results to published in 2023.

Conclusions:

This study will provide further evidence for massage treatment of autism and provide support for family-based care. Clinical Trial: The trial was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100051355 )