SODA SPRINGS — Nathan Bollar is 18 years old, a senior at Soda Springs High School, and anticipates receiving his Eagle Scout status soon as a result of a very unusual project: he built a hug machine.
Bollar works as a developmental therapist, working with autistic children at Grace Educational Opportunities, a Developmental Disabilities Agency in Soda Springs. His interest in helping autistic children and his need to fulfill an Eagle Scout project came together, and the result was a machine that produces a calming effect on those suffering from sensory disorders, which is typical in autism.
“I asked my boss what I could do to help the agency, and she suggested I build the machine,” he said.
Bollar’s boss, Developmental Specialist Lorrie’L Jensen, has two autistic children. After hearing about the machine she wanted her children to be able to try it, but she never thought they would have the opportunity. So using the design specifications from the website of Temple Grandin, noted autistic educator and author who recently spoke at Idaho State University, Bollar set about building the machine.
After several weekends of work, and a lot of help from a woodworking neighbor, Bollar succeeding in building the machine known as a squeeze machine, or a hug machine. The machine is basically a large booth with padded panels that gently move in to swaddle the torso as the patient lies inside it. The “deep touch therapy” that the machine provides results in a calming effect, relaxing the patient, and even temporarily relieving aggressive tendencies.
Bollar explained how the machine helps kids with autism. “All the kids I work with have sensory disorders. They perceive sensation differently than others, so even a gentle touch may feel like a hit to them. So this machine helps to calm down their sensory nervous system. The unanimous response from people who have tried it, is that it relaxes them, and they want to fall asleep.”
Bollar says the effect on the children who have used his machine has been gratifying. “It makes me really happy to know that I have helped them,” he said. Bollar works with about a dozen children with autistic spectrum disorder. “Some have autism, some have Asperger’s syndrome, and some are more severely affected than others. When I see I’m getting somewhere with the kids it’s really impressive.”
“I absolutely love my job,” Bollar said. “I’ve gained a lot of knowledge from working with these kids. I have a lot of respect for parents that deal with the issues of raising autistic children 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You really don’t have a break when you’re the parent of an autistic child.”
Bollar’s experiences of working with autistic children have had an influence on his own future plans. After graduation, he will study in the pre-med program at Carroll College in Helena, Mont.
“I want to be a doctor, and after working with these kids, I’m thinking about specializing in neurology,” he said
In the meantime, Bollar’s favorite subjects are math and science, and he enjoys outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, skiing and snow machining.
Jensen’s two autistic children have both tried the machine. “We’ve already seen a benefit,” she said. “It calms them down, and we have seen fewer aggressive outbursts.” Jensen is very impressed with Bollar’s work at the agency, and grateful for his contribution of the machine to the community in Soda Springs.
“He’s an incredible young man,” she said. “He has patience and the willingness to learn. Now we have one of these machines in the community that can be tried by others to see if it’s of benefit to them.”
As a parent of two children with autism, and one child unaffected by autism, Jensen has experienced the difficulties that such families face. “There are two really important things to know about the difficulties families face in dealing with autism. The first thing is that autism is a communication disorder, so it’s very hard when you have kids that you love and you can’t communicate with them. The second thing is that it is almost impossible to have quality time as a couple, or with the other kids in your family.”
Jensen said the community could help families struggling with autism by understanding that these are normal families facing enormous challenges. “Autism takes a great toll on families, ” Jensen said. “We have to learn to embrace the joy of each individual.”