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About the Provider
Name: Marie Nicolette Ereñeta-Escalona
Disciplines/credentials: Yoga Therapist
Modalities: Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)
Client Background
Name: Four pediatric clients
Ages: 6 to 10
Program Delivered: Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) Core and Connect (Hours 1-5)
This group includes:*
- Adrian, age 10
- Eeva, age 6
- Riley, age 5
- Pope, age 6
*All clients and caregivers have consented to the use of their given names to support this case study and further recognition to enhance accessibility of the SSP.
Each of the clients’ respective parents and caregivers sought alternative treatment due to limited progress with conventional therapies. Each presented with autism and had unique challenges they wanted to address in therapy, including echolalia, speech, developmental delay, and sensory processing differences.
Their provider, Marie Nicolette Ereñeta-Escalona, placed Adrian, Eeva, Riley and Pope into a group structured around listening to the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP). The children also participated in occupational, speech, yoga and ABA therapies concurrently.
Implementation of the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)
SSP delivery took place remotely following an in-person group orientation, with each client listening at home for 2 to 20 minutes over a 12-week period. Every month, the children and their caregivers participated in virtual check-ins and discussions together, sharing progress and fostering community through their collective SSP experience.
Response
Each client was evaluated before and after with a series of tests tailored to their individual needs. These assessments included the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) and additional scales to measure psychosocial functioning and sensory sensitivities.
Adrian (Age 10)
Adrian wanted to improve his socialization capacity. His score on the Speech/Language Communication portion of the ATEC showed an improvement from 14 to 13 (7% reduction) after one round of the SSP. Additionally, his score on the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) indicated a 5-point improvement (27 to 22) in support of better psychosocial functioning, moving from the “psychological impairment” to the “not impaired” range.
Eeva (Age 6)
Working to improve her attention span, Eeva achieved a 44% improvement on the ATEC Sensory/Cognitive Awareness subscale (decreasing from 9 to 5) and demonstrated sustained attention for 30 minutes. On the BBCSS Auditory Sensitivity subscale, she showed a 13% improvement, decreasing from 3 to 2.6. Her parents reported increased independence and focus with additional SSP rounds.
Riley (Age 5)
Riley achieved near independence in typical social settings by the end of the 12-week period, improving his score from 28 to 12 on the ATEC scale. His results on the PSC corroborated these results, with a score decrease from 20 to 3 and minimal experience of symptoms. He demonstrated increased vocalization, louder voice modulation and word imitation.
Pope (Age 6)
Pope’s score on the Speech/Language Communication subscale of the ATEC improved from 16 to 9, or a 43% reduction in impairment. His improved social capacity was also displayed on the Health/Physical/Behavior subscale, where his score dropped from 16 to 12, showing a 25% reduction. His parents reported a subjective observation of better group participation, less hyperactivity and improved sociability. On the Sensory/Cognitive Awareness subscale, his score reflected a 58% reduction in impairment, decreasing from 17 to 7, thus showing improved focus and attention span. On the BBCSS related to auditory, visual and tactile sensitivities, Pope’s scores reflected a total score decrease from 94 to 74, and his parents noted that he seemed to be more sociable and less hyperactive.
Discussion
While individual responses varied significantly, the intervention consistently improved nervous system regulation, focus, social engagement, and reduced sensory-related challenges. This case highlights that multi-modal, individualized pacing and robust caregiver support are beneficial for maximizing SSP efficacy in complex developmental presentations. The SSP group delivery program fostered a community support system, enhancing parental engagement and reducing isolation to aid in each client’s unique needs.
— Marie Nicolette Ereñeta-Escalona
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