Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation

Multi Sensory Environments, Sensory Stimulation

“There are no guarantees in life, except that everyone faces struggles. This is how we learn (and grow). Some face struggles from the moment they are born. They are the most special of all people, requiring the most care and compassion and reminding us that love is the sole purpose of life.”– Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
These are our Hidden Angels – teaching all of us life’s most valuable lessons.

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Multisensory room aids students at Latrobe

October 11, 2012 – Owen Wege was getting his dose of sensory stimulation on Wednesday at Baggaley Elementary School, absorbing the sights of the colorful bubble tubes and a waterfall of lighted fiber-optic strands combined with the clashing sounds of cymbals, tambourines and soothing mood music.

The 9-year-old was joined by other youngsters participating in the open house for the Greater Latrobe School District’s new multisensory room that is specially designed to help children with autism deal with their anxieties and struggles during the school day.

“We treat it as part of their ‘sensory diet,’ said Kara Stenger, an autistic support teacher at Baggaley Elementary School in Unity. “For a student who is overstimulated, we can bring them in for calming,”

Autism is a complex developmental disability that causes problems with social interaction and communication, according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Different people with autism can have very different symptoms.

Stenger, who was a driving force behind the development of the room, said the teachers in the school’s autistic support classroom can bring their eight students in for 20-to-30-minute sessions in the multisensory room, which had been converted from a small conference room last month.

While some of her students were initially hesitant about playing in the room, that changed after they started using it, Stenger said.

“The kids are real excited, They’re kind of soaking it all in,” Stenger said.

The students are monitored by their teachers and a log is kept to see what works for each individual child — whether it is using a remote control to change colors of lights, laying on a water-filled pad or wrapping themselves in strands of the fiber optics, said Shelly Stillwagon, an assistant teacher in the autistic support classroom.

In some cases, students who are lethargic on a particular day can use the room to lift their spirits and energy, Stillwagon said.

Wege’s parents, Jen and Chris Wege of Baggaley, said their third-grade son really likes the room.

“It helps him calm down,” said Chris Wege.

The room got the stamp of approval from another student, Mies Chiang, 8, said his mother, Elizabeth Spaar.

“He loves it. He talks about it all the time,” Spaar said.

It cost about $24,000 to equip the room with the features needed to make it an ideal setting for the students with autism. Money was raised through contributions from nonprofit foundations and school fundraising efforts, Stenger said.

“It fills a need for this level of student. We would not be able to offer this room without the contributions,” said Judith Swigart, Greater Latrobe superintendent.

The features of the multisensory environment can help to reduce an autistic child’s anxiety by giving them the sensory input they need, said Kristin Gallagher of Jefferson Hills, the director of family support for the nonprofit Autism Center of Pittsburgh.

Having a room where the children can experience the sensory stimulation is so much better than trying to calm an autistic child by merely walking them down the hall, which won’t work, Gallagher said.

“This is absolutely a beautiful thing that the school district has done. I hope other schools will follow their lead,” said Gallagher, a Greensburg Salem graduate with three children who have the autism disorder.

SOURCE: Trib Total Media, Inc.

The simple pleasures and joys that children experience running, playing and enjoying a sunny day are sometimes not available for children with special needs. Due to limitations, they don’t experience or are unable to interact with their surroundings, limiting their sensory experiences.
Multi-sensory stimulation is as necessary for survival as food and water. Isn’t it our responsibility to help every child feel included and offer them an environment where they can experience simple joys in life?
About CDHAF

Inside a Multi-Sensory Room

PBS Special - The Hidden Angel

Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation

The Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation (CDHAF) was created in honor and recognition of Christopher Douglas Fornes and Joyce Baye. CDHAF enriches the lives, health, and social well-being of people with cognitive, emotional, and physical challenges through the use of our Multi Sensory Environments™ (MSE). Our focus is on the design, development, implementation and education of our Multi Sensory Environments™ with the aim to enable productivity, inclusion, independence, and self-determination. Our approach is based on well-documented studies of neurological cognition and emotional development. We offer advisory and financial support for the establishment of integrated, publicly accessible Multi Sensory facilities and for basic research and … Continue Reading

 
  • MCFI – Milwaukee Center of Independence
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA
    2012

  • TLC – The Treatment and Learning Center
    Rockville, Maryland USA
    2012

  • M.O.R.G.A.N. Project
    Melbourne Beach, FL USA
    2011

  • Baycrest Hospital
    Toronto ON, Canada
    2011

  • Baycrest Apotex
    Toronto ON, Canada
    2011

  • EGF Polk County DAC
    East Grand Forks, MI USA
    2011

  • Colisano Children’s Hospital
    Syracuse, NY USA
    2011

  • Miami Lakes Therapy Center
    Miami Lakes, Florida
    2010

  • Anne Grady Center
    Holland, OH USA
    2009

  • A Society for Treatment of Autism
    Calgary, AB Canada
    2008

  • Southeastern Elementary School
    Rome, GA USA
    2008

  • Portage Collegiate Institute
    Portage La Prairie, MB Canada
    2009

  • Centre de Readaptation
    Montreal, QB Canada
    2009

  • West Montreal
    Centre de Readaptation

    Lachine, QB Canada
    2007

  • Children’s Home RTF
    Chenango Forks, NY USA
    2007

  • Alternative Day Programs – Centre de Readaptation
    Kirkland, QB Canada
    2009

  • Augusta Evans Special School
    Mobile, AL USA
    2007

  • Miami Jewish Home and Hospital
    Miami, FL USA
    2007

  • Central Wisconsin Center
    Madison, WI USA
    2009

  • Miami Jewish Home and Hospital-#2
    Miami, FL USA
    2009

  • St. John’s Nursing Center
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL USA
    2006

  • Extreme Makeover Home Edition
    Austin, TX USA (O’Donnell Family)
    2006

  • Southern Alberta Child and Youth
    Health -FLAMES House

    Calgary, AB Canada
    2009

  • Extreme Makeover Home Edition
    Hondo, TX USA (Craft Family)
    2006

  • Daytime Enrichment Activities
    Recreation

    Portland, OR USA
    2010

  • Cleveland, Tennessee Jr. High
    Cleveland, TN USA
    2010

  • Hondo, Texas Special Education
    Hondo, TX USA
    2006

  • Miami Cerebral Palsy Residential Center
    Miami, FL USA
    2006

  • Scarborough Village Alternative School
    Toronto, Ontario Canada
    2010

  • Anne Grady Center Pediatric
    Toledo, OH USA
    2010

  • AHRC – Seiff Educare
    Boemia, NY USA
    2010

  • Jewel C. Wietzel Education Center
    San Antonio, TX USA
    2006

  • Hospital Rivier-des-Prairies
    Montreal, QB Canada
    2006

  • United Cerabal Palsey – Birmingham
    Birmingham, AL USA
    2010

  • St. Peter’s Academy
    Benoit’s Cover, Bay of Islands, NL Canada
    2010

  • Lake Asbury Jr. High
    Green Cove Springs, FL USA
    2006

  • Allegany ARC
    Wellsville, NY
    2013

 
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Evolution of the Legacy of a Hidden Angel

We are extremely proud of the pioneering role we played many years ago in bringing multi-sensory environments (MSE) to North America and raising their profile since 2005.  Today throughout North America, more and more organizations are implementing multi-sensory stimulating environments for individuals with special needs.  We are excited that this will allow us to be more proactive in providing guidance and training in MSEs.  Thus, we are proud to provide our MSE online training course free of charge for those wishing to learn more about this recreational space that provides therapeutic and educational benefits.  You can access the training at www.msetraining.com

Over the years our namesake, Chris has been the driving force behind the numerous initiatives to enrich the lives of individuals with special needs by providing:

• Design and financial support for over 100 MSE rooms
• Intellectual property for the development of a program for premature babies
• Equipment and expertise for the use of MSE with seniors challenged by dementia / alzheimers
• Online training focused on MSE methodology and best use practices
• Donations to support food for special needs children in impoverished areas
• Formation and co-management of an unprecedented program to train first responders in dealing with individuals with special needs
• Developing companion pets through sensory stimulation and life experiences
• Design and construction of the first MSE environment designed for individuals with special needs that incorporates life without limits and nature as the sensory component
• Ongoing support for a playground designed for individuals with special needs
• Provided Multi Sensory Room on Extreme Makeover Home Edition to the Craft Family (Hondo, TX)

The preceding and the following illustrate the multifaceted legacy of an extraordinary young man who, to quote Kubler-Ross – “taught us love is the true meaning of life”.

As we move on from the funding and installing of multi-sensory rooms (as the support from others grows), the foundation will continue to exist as an open knowledge-based organization providing guidance to facilities wishing to implement a multi-sensory environment (MSE) for children and adults with special needs.

The Foundation website will become an informational and training tool to provide research-based methodology and information, including MSE concepts, MSE designs, equipment uses, MSE benefits, and operational training. Organizations looking for funding will be directed to other charitable organizations that support the use of multi-sensory environments in education, recreation, and therapy.

In addition it will provide a free online training program to provide knowledge on best practices and the overall philosophy of MSE based on decades of hands on experience.


The sister organization to CDHAF, Hidden Angel Companion Pets will also be providing information on the benefits of companion pets for children with special needs and best practices in raising a pet to be a natural companion animal. Pets provide therapeutic benefits such as companionship, love, humor, play, exercise, a sense of power and outlets for displacement, projection and nurturance; Talking to animals and the tactile experience of petting animals reduces stress and enhances physical health (including lowering blood pressure and reducing heart rate) and longevity; Animals enhance psychological development, improve social skills, increase independence, and increase self-esteem; Animals can be a source of comfort and contribute to ego strength among children; The human-animal bond supports empathy development, the ability to form and express attachments, and the reaction to grief and loss; and Dogs help increase activity among those with disabilities, prevent childhood obesity, promote recovery after a heart attack, and encourage walking in the elderly.

Looking ahead, those of us committed to Chris foresee many more initiatives reflecting his life and impacting the lives of others.