CBC News – January 13, 2009
The Transporters DVD features animated trains, trolleys, ferries and cable cars with the faces of real-life actors expressing emotions. (Courtesy Britain’s National Autistic Society) Some children with autism showed significant improvements in recognizing and understanding emotion after viewing an animated series created by British autism researchers, a new study indicates.
In an article published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, researchers describe their study of 20 high-functioning children with autism age 4 to 7.
Over four weeks, the children watched at least three episodes of an animated series created for autistic children called The Transporters. The series, developped by the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University in conjunction with the U.K. government, features computer-animated trains, trolleys, ferries and cable cars with the faces of real-life actors expressing emotions.
“The children with autism who’d watched the DVD not only improved on recognizing [emotion on] faces … they’d seen before but even on new faces,” said study author Prof. Simon Baron Cohen, director of Cambridge centre.
Liam Fenton, left, has a milder form of autism than his younger brother, Rhys. (CBC file photo)“So, this suggested they hadn’t just mimicked. They’d actually learned the concepts and could apply them in novel ways,” added Baron Cohen, who helped to develop the DVD.
Jo-Lynn Fenton of Halifax has been waiting for The Transporters to be released in Canada for the past two years. She hopes the series will help her son, Rhys, who has autism, which makes it difficult for him to recognize and communicate emotion.
“He can identify the emotions, but he can’t always put the emotions in the right context,” she said.
Each short episode focuses on a specific emotion and the facial cues associated with it. After each episode, there is an interactive quiz.
Children with autism who watched the DVD for 15 minutes a day over a one-month period caught up with other children in their ability to recognize emotions, said Baron Cohen, unlike children who did not watch the series.
More research is needed to look at how long the effects may last and whether the benefits apply to all children in the autism spectrum.
The DVD will be ideal for young children with good language skills, but there is a drawback, said Dr. Susan Bryson, an autism expert at IWK Health Centre in Halifax.
“For a lot of children, what’s particularly difficult is picking up emotion in faces when it’s a little more subtle, not so exaggerated,” said Bryson. “But this is probably a good starting point.”
The British research team isn’t making a profit from the DVD — 25 per cent of the proceeds will go to autism charities, and the rest will be used to make more episodes.
The Transporters series sells online for about $60 and is available in North America as of this week.
2 Comments
January 15, 2009 at 8:37 pm
There is also another system you can use for your children.
Introduction to web based CBT for children
I would like to tell you about an innovative and interactive web-based product for children, which enables them to better deal with anxiety and stress. It is useful as a relaxation tool and has many applications. It was first developed as a PhD and medical trials were conducted at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in London.
The individual Animal Agentz characters teach children coping skills which range from breathing to self-esteem techniques in stressful times such as first time flying e.g. “Bubbles” the fish can teach many different breathing techniques to relax prior, during or after a stressful event.
In summary Animal Agentz teaches children a good set of skills to cope with stressful situations. Children are therefore better prepared to face a variety of challenging life events.
We have received full support by Dr Chris Steel MBE at ITV’s Morning Show.
It is successful as a relaxation and coping device and makes it ideal for dealing with children in stressful clinical situations e.g. when they are facing an injection, visit to a dentist, hospital or family doctor. It can also be applied to other conditions such as ADHD and autism.
It is also useful in non-medical situations to help calm child down during school examinations, difficult meal times or when shopping and when the child may have a tantrum/naughty behavior, Animal Agentz can help.
If we teach children positive coping skills while they are young, they will be better equipped as young adults to deal with negative issues in a more positive and informed manner.
How does Animal Agentz website work?
Animal Agentz is composed of five animal characters; a fish called “Bubbles” a cat called “Yo-Yo” a dog called “Stretch” a monkey called “Cheiko” and a lion called “Rory”.
The individual Animal Agentz characters teach children coping skills which range from breathing to self-esteem techniques in stressful times such as first time flying e.g. “Bubbles” the fish can teach many different breathing techniques to relax prior, during or after a stressful event.
One mother said “If you say to a child ‘relax’ it means nothing but if you let your child play with Animal Agentz ‘fish’ (breathing skills) and then say to the child what did the fish do? I then found him acting out the ‘fish skills’ and becoming relaxed!”
A good example was when my child had a tantrum/ naughty in a shop/school and I said “what does the fish do?” and my child started to breath like the fish skill and calmed down”!
When we recently conducted an independent trial of our product, we found parents had many more applications for which they used Animal Agentz.
The Animal Agentz behaviours are as follows:
Breathing skills; taught by a fish
Stretching skills; taught by a dog
Distraction skills; taught by a cat
Guided imagery skills; taught by a monkey
Positive self statements; taught by a lion
The parents applied these behaviours in new ways to help their child.
Responses from independent research:
“This is perfect and what me and my family have been waiting years for. My 9 yr old has A.D.H.D and presents behavioural difficulties. His biological father rejected him a yr ago and this hasn’t helped, his self esteem is very low and finds making new friends very stressful. The local social services tell me he needs therapy like this but are unable to provide it! I am having to pay a private therapist to help my son so when this comes in which I know would benefit many parents that I email, talk to…
Great idea and very user friendly, fab idea and so much needed for the 21st century where many children face daily struggles with little or no help and so they suffer. I am in 100% support of this stimulating and so much needed idea!”
Mrs Garvey, East Yorkshire
“I did these exercises with my daughter; she loved them and wants to play again.”
Mrs Rogers, Plymouth
“This product is excellent and would also be beneficial to children with disorders such as ADHD. It would also be a great intro DVD for children who are about to be admitted to hospital as there was nothing like this about when my son had to go in for a heart op and it would have helped him no end.”
Miss Gooch, Norwich
“I think it’s an extremely good idea.”
Mrs Hirst, Eastbourne
“Whilst doing this survey my son who is 7 and a type 1 diabetic came to watch and listen of his own accord; he really liked it.”
Ms Halden, West Midland
“Great idea as it is.”
Miss Hartley, Lancashire
“I looked at the video with my 6 yr old and she loved it.”
Mrs Reeves, Norfolk
“This would be well received in schools.”
Mrs McFadden, Antrim
“Responses from independent research conducted by Mum’s Views Ltd”
Market Research:
Independent research conducted by Animal Agentz Limited demonstrates parents and their children found our system fun, and easy-to-use for a variety of medical and non-medical issues. Animal Agentz commissioned Mums View Limited who worked with the director of children’s marketing at Leapfrog toys Limited. We found children wanting to play with it over and over
again.
Animal Agentz has a wider application for non-medical use such as stress management and relaxation. It may also help children who are disruptive and “naughty” to become compliant and happy with many issues.
Research has proved that doctors and other hospital professionals in England and America recommend the use of Animal Agentz to help children with ADHD and autism. The main distribution route is web-based via the internet but could be extended to a variety of educational products such as soft toys, books and DVD’s.
The research version of Animal Agentz was seen by medical doctors at the American Academy of Paediatrics with great interest (2005/7).
Animal Agentz was demonstrated at the British Medical Association in London and an integrated complementary medical health event in New York, November 2008.
The research has spanned a total of twelve years and is completely novel in its approach. The product has not been produced before because there is a central worldwide market focus on pharmacological drug-based methods and most research is funded by drug companies.
There is a free trial now at the web site http://www.Animalagentz.com
We are looking for support, funding and awareness.
AnimalAgentz.com
CBT Product for Children
Dr Mark Jones
BA (Hons) MA MBA PhD
NESTA Fellow
United Kingdom
Skype: drjonesaa
Email: m@AnimalAgentz.com
Twitter: drjonesaa
August 3, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Wow! what an idea ! What a concept ! Beautiful .. Amazing …