August 29 • 2019 69
jn

Doctors at Israel’
s Sheba Medical 
Center, Tel HaShomer, are bringing 
hope to children diagnosed 
with Autism Spectrum 
Disorder (ASD). 
Dr. Lidia Gabis, a Sheba 
pediatric neurologist and 
researcher, discovered that 
a combination of the drug 
donepezil (commonly known 
as Aricept, used to treat 
Alzheimer’
s disease) and 
choline (a food additive that 
Gabis hypothesized could 
enhance the drug) improved 
receptive language skills in children 
ages 5-10 while resulting in minor 
improvement in adolescents. 
Receptive language is the ability 
to understand words and language, 
something that is often difficult for 
children with autism. In this study, 
significant improvement was found 
in receptive language skills even six 
months after the end of treatment as 
compared to placebos.
“We were so thrilled with the 
results in the younger children. 
This is a huge breakthrough 
showing that core symptoms 
of autism can be improved 
with a novel pharmacological 
combination,” Gabis said.

Sixty children and adolescents 
with ASD took part in the 
nine-month study. The 
younger group showed 
significant improvements. 
Adolescents showed minor 
improvements with a side 
effect of irritability. Minor 
gastrointestinal issues 
were also reported in both 
groups.
In another Sheba study, 
it was shown that medical 
clowns participating in 
group therapy had a beneficial 
effect on young children (ages 2-6) 
diagnosed with autism. 
Twenty-four children with ASD, 
enrolled in Sheba’
s special 
education intensive program, were 
examined before and after clown 
intervention. There was significant 
increase in words used by the 
children, play reciprocity and more 
social smiles. 
“These preliminary results 
indicate that medical clowning may 
be beneficial for young children 
with Autism Spectrum Disorder 
because it promotes communication 
and social reciprocity in a fun and 
lively interventional setting,
” Gabis 
said. 

Sheba Researchers Find Hope for Autistic Children

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Dr. Lidia Gabis

The Jewish Community Center 
of Metropolitan Detroit received 
a $10,000 grant to support its 
Opening the Doors (OTD) Mental 
Health Student Empowerment 
project. The grant, from the Teen 
Board of the Jewish Fund, will sup-
port OTD’
s work providing special 
educators, early childhood para 
educators, classroom assistants and 
consultants in Jewish schools, as 
well as a teen leadership program 
and community conferences with 
educational resources. 
This grant will aid work with 
schools and mental health organi-
zations to provide educational and 
consultant services to empower 

youth with special needs, experi-
encing social emotional concerns 
and/or bullying, provide psy-
cho-educational evaluations and 
education classes for teachers.
JCC’
s OTD program annually 
enables 1,200 children and adoles-
cents with a wide range of learning, 
social and behavioral differences 
and abilities to be included and 
engaged with their peers in mean-
ingful Jewish education classrooms. 
OTD works in partnership with 
24 Jewish early childhood, day 
school and congregational religious 
schools, as well as mental health 
organizations. To learn more, visit 
jccdet.org/specialneeds.

JCC & Mental Health Student Empowerment Grant

COURTESY OF OPENING THE DOORS

The JCC received a check from 

the Jewish Fund to help its 

Opening the Doors program.

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