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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