Dolman/Delacato methodDolman and Delacato believe that children should learn to crawl or creep before
learning to walk.
Three times a year, the Delacato Centre holds courses, which take place in January, May and September, and last for
one week. Parents make an appointment to learn how to conduct the therapy at home.
In a study by Rimland and Edelson, 445 parents of autistic children who participated in the therapy reported seeing
improvement in their children.
The Dolman/Delacato Method is also known as patterning. Advocates of this method view autism as being the result of
a brain injury. The idea with this therapy is that in children with autism (and other disabilities) the brain can
be taught to accept new experiences through patterns of movement. New pathways in the brain are forged by making
the child crawl or move as children do at earlier developmental stages.
Prior to the therapy beginning, the child is assessed to determine which requirements must be met in his or her
therapy sessions. Then, the child participates in therapy sessions lasting for an average of two hours per day,
during which he or she performs exercises based on physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and education. The parents
may carry out this therapy at home.
Advocates state they’ve seen results ranging from extremely successful to noticeably successful.
Success in the Dolman/Delacato Method rests on the shoulders of the parents. The more work the parents do with the
child, the more success will be noticed. Parents who work extensively with the child will also see results more
rapidly. It is claimed that within eight months from the beginning of the therapy, some children from ages 2-10
years old are re-classified as ‘high functioning.’ For children with more serious forms of ASD, benefits such as
better eye contact, improved attention span, improved behavior, and better language skills are seen.
Dolman/Delacato method
Alternative autism treatments
Autism Treatment and Intervention
Autism Books
Autism Checklist
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