Doctor carpet / Muna Kameelah Sauid … [et al.]

Incorporating animals in the occupational therapy session for autistic children was unique in that it allows the children to interpret and respond to the less complex social and behavioral cues of animals, which may provide a bridge to learning to interpret the subtler behaviour of human beings. According to past research, when a friendly therapy dog was brought into a therapy session, the autistic children demonstrated fewer stereotyped behaviours such as hand-posturing and humming, and increased socially an appropriate behaviour such as joining therapist in simple games. This carpet is created to be included in the therapy session as a means of controlling their emotion and reduce their meltdown. This carpet is created in 3D concepts in which the animals is slightly pop out from the surface of the carpet. This carpet allows music to be displayed when the children press the pop out image on the carpet. The reason to incorporate music and animal on a carpet is that animal will attract the children to it and music is believed to have calm power in reducing the meltdown of autistic children. Thus, this carpet will allow the children to be able to relax and at the same time enjoying their therapy session.