The Dentist’s Chair Will Hug You Now
Researchers at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the University of Southern California found that children with autism spectrum disorder, as well as typically developing children, experience less stress in a sensory-adapted environment than in a regular dental clinic.
A trip to the dentist can produce anxiety in anyone but for children with autism spectrum disorder or sensory issues, even a routine visit can become overwhelming. Dentists are reluctant to treat children who may scream or try bolting from the chair. They often require the child to be sedated or immobilized and parents are reluctant to put their children through the stress.
“We want to find a way to make a visit to the dentist easier for children with autism and their families,” said Jose Polido, DDS, chief of the Division of Dentistry and Orthodontics at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and an investigator on the study.
In the sensory-adapted environment, the dentist’s chair is covered to look like a giant butterfly, with wings that wrap around the child—providing a reassuring hug and eliminating the need for restraints. The bright, pull-down light usually found in the dentist’s office has been replaced with a small spotlight that keeps illumination focused on the mouth and away from the child’s eyes—allowing the young patient to gaze up at slow-moving visual effects projected on the ceiling. Soothing music provides yet one more distraction.
As part of the study, the researchers videotaped two dental visits. In the typical environment, the young patient struggles and cries. At the second visit—this time in the sensory adapted environment—he shows no distress while breathing normally and gazing up at the visual effects. The patient’s mom explained how the butterfly chair and the rest of the adapted environment affected her son—“since that one experience, he’s stopped crying when we go to the dentist.”
This NIH-funded study was done in collaboration with investigators at the USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.
Image: wrapped dentist’s chair
Image credit: John Hobbs, USC
