FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Auricula Training Program for autistic children receives first ever ethological approval and implements Webcam service to parents worldwide.

Bern, Switzerland, June 24, 2002 -- After a two year study (1999-2000), conducted by the ethological expert, Dr. A.K. Dixon and his assistant, Dr. Christoph Meier from the Martin Moser Unit for Clinical Ethology and Neurobiology (MMUCEN) in conjunction with the Bern University Hospital, Switzerland; the first study findings have been released to Auricula for distribution in April 2002. The results of the ethological study confirm that the Auricula Training Method is an effective method in treating Autistic children. The Moser Institute selected 41 children from around Europe and followed strict ethological scientific guidelines in the treatment and control of the sample groups. The children ranged in age from 3 to13 years of age and they were divided into two groups, while attending the 2 1/2 week training:
• Group 1: The test group, received the Auricula Auditory training with specially modified music.
• Group 2: The control group, received the Auricula Auditory training without modified music.

All the children did, during both sessions, the Auricula Home Program which is a program of exercises for the stimulation of the five senses (hearing, feeling, sight, touch, smell), individually developed for each child. In order to capture the changes in the behavior of the children, the research team created specific play situations at several periods of the training. These play situations were structured following strict ethological scientific rules and principles and the children were filmed by four strategically placed video cameras as part of the study. This procedure allowed for the accurate translation of the period and frequency of the different behaviors by each child to be placed into statistical values necessary for scientific analysis. The conclusion by Dr. A. K. Dixon was, "Overall, the total Auricula Therapy procedure as examined so far, exerts a significant, positive effect on the social behavior of the children who, after therapy, show an enhanced tendency to focus their attention on the therapist."

The following are quotes from several parents and professionals:
• “During these past two years you have provided us with a new method of treating underprivileged families with a need to help their children who are Autistic and some severely handicapped to a better quality of life.”- Anna Johansson, General Coordinator of Pina Palmera Center, Mexico

• " The Auricula Training Program has benefited our child in ways we never imagined: it was impossible to go to a restaurant or shopping – now we can."

• " Our child learned to hear without suffering from sounds - and it was made possible by Auricula."

• " Ms. Nyffenegger and her staff helped my son out of his isolation."

What makes Auricula a unique autism training program is the vast experience that the team has, working in different countries, (Austria, Germany, Israel, Jordan, Turkey, Poland, Hungary, and Mexico), with over 1,500 children in the past thirteen years. This worldwide experience and Auricula's overall sensory stimulation training, gives our program the quality of a multi-disciplinary approach that parents are looking for when seeking help with their autistic children.

Additionally, Auricula is reaching out to parents in a different manner by initiating what is believed to be the first ever webcam connection for an Autism treatment center in the world. This new and exciting service is meant to help the parents we support throughout the world, financially by reducing the cost in some patient cases on follow-up visits, provide a faster response to their concerns, and also in cases where parents may deam it necessary to have direct contact with Ms. Nyffenegger. The Auricula Training Program is a customized training for each and every child we see in our Auricula Program. As our founder, Ms. Claudia Nyffenegger, is quoted as saying, "We make a difference, one child at a time."

For additional information or brochures about our program please contact us at cellular telephone # :++33 686 274868 or Email us at claudia@auricula.org or by Website: www.auricula.org. 

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