Snoezelen

Snoezelen (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈsnuzələ(n)] ⓘ) or controlled multisensory environment (MSE) is a therapy for people with autism and other developmental disabilities, dementia or brain injury.

It can be staged to provide a multi-sensory experience or single sensory focus, simply by adapting the lighting, atmosphere, sounds, and textures to the specific needs of the client at the time of use.

An advantage of Snoezelen therapy is that it does not rely on verbal communication and may be beneficial for people with profound autism, as it may provide stimulation for those who would otherwise be almost impossible to reach.

[1][4] A small research study carried out in Brussels compared the behavior of nine adult clients with profound autism in both classroom and Snoezelen settings.

Though individual results varied, the study claimed a 50% reduction in distress and stereotypical behavior, and 75% less aggression and self-injury in the Snoezelen environment.