TACPAC is an intervention I owe a lot to. First, it helped me build a trusting relationship with my son. Based on this, he allowed me to support him. Second, it was a lifesaver during lockdown.
Adam was a very controlling little boy—and no wonder. The neurotypical world can be a chaotic and unpredictable place for a young autistic person. He didn’t communicate, and his only occupation was exploring the environment using his senses and flicking whatever he found and was able to flick. Hyper-focusing on flicking helped him self-regulate but also cut him off from everything around him. He wouldn’t allow me to read a book to him. As soon as I picked up a book, he would grab it and throw it away. As I was already working in a special needs school, I tried implementing some interventions I used at work, but nothing worked. He wasn’t interested in anything and got angry whenever I disturbed him while flicking his chosen object. Until I introduced TACPAC.
Adam was obviously suspicious at the beginning, but he had always loved music, and TACPAC is based on music. He tried to take all the equipment from me, so I prepared two sets—one for me and another for him to explore. Initially, he wandered around the house, flicking the sponge I gave him, while I followed him with my TACPAC massages. Gradually, he started to settle down more and more. Finally, he found his spot in my big armchair, and from then on, he allowed me to give him TACPAC. Soon, it started to work, and the communication between us began. Adam loved TACPAC. As soon as I said “TACPAC” (later, when he started to say his first words, he would repeat after me, saying “pacpac, pacpac”), he would run to his armchair, all ready and happy for the session. But the most important thing was the side effect: Adam realized that I had something interesting and pleasurable to offer. He began to trust me. Something opened in him. He started to become curious and to try everything his mum had to offer. This allowed me to start working with him and helping him develop his communication skills, attention, and overall development.
Things were going well. I introduced PECS, and he began to exchange pictures. Adam was learning more and more. Then one day, the world stopped. Lockdown was a horrible, traumatizing experience for Adam. His extraordinarily high energy levels had no outlet. His world ended, and he didn’t understand why. He began having massive mood swings, looping between overstimulation and meltdowns. He stopped sleeping. He screamed, hit, and kicked me. He ripped and broke everything he could. I was exhausted and terrified that the trauma he was experiencing might have a severe, irreversible effect on his mental health—and ours. So, I decided to act. I organized the day into two big sensory circuits: alerting-organizing-calming. One in the morning, followed by a nap, and one in the afternoon, followed by sleep. Both circuits started with a two-hour walk (Adam never walked—he ran), then various school-like activities, followed by TACPAC, and finally sleep. The same routine happened twice a day. Within a few days, Adam returned to his normal self. TACPAC had an incredible calming effect on him. After the tough physical exercise and tiring mental work, it was the best thing I could offer to help him relax.
TACPAC is an intervention that supports the development of early communication, as well as sensory and emotional regulation. It helps build trust between an adult and a child. TACPAC consists of six sets of structured massages, accompanied by specially composed music. We massage children, applying deep pressure to their large muscles in time with the beat of the music, using different household items. The music provides a structure for the massage, with its beat corresponding to the patterns we make on the child’s body, using various textures. I know that touching an autistic child’s body with different textures might sound risky, but it is the predictability of the activity that makes it safe and deep pressure that makes it pleasurable and relaxing. Obviously, we never force children to do anything; it is entirely child-led. Very quickly, children learn to communicate through their gestures, showing us where and when they want to be touched. For some children, communication on the sensory level can be their first experience of interacting in a way other than through their behaviour.
It is a very pleasurable and relaxing experience for both the child and the giver. Most children love TACPAC and look forward to it. Music and touch create an amazing connection between the child and the adult, fostering early communication. Children learn that you have something attractive and pleasurable to offer them, which makes them happy to accept interaction. TACPAC develops trust and cognitive curiosity, both of which are vital for teaching children. After TACPAC, all other interventions are easier to deliver, as children are more willing to engage in the other pleasurable experiences you can offer. TACPAC is also very relaxing, and many parents find it beneficial at bedtime, helping their children fall asleep.
Official website: www.TACPAC.co.uk