Mallgoers recently had the opportunity to listen to internationally acclaimed author and lecturer Annabel Steibel’s talk about her daughter recovery from autism. Her daughter Georgina Thomas was also around to tell her inspiring story at SM Mall of Asia’s Cinema 6.

The seminar, Recovering from Autism, tackled Steibel’s personal experience and her search to find a solution for Georgina’s condition. Georgina was diagnosed as severely autistic at the age of three in 1968. She has completely recovered from autism today, and has her own family.

Autism is a complex developmental disability caused by abnormalities in brain structure or function. Characteristics such as uneven motor skills, unresponsiveness, repetition and difficulty in communicating are common.

Like those who had her condition, sounds had a bizarre effect on Georgina. As a child, she refused to blow out the candles on her birthday cake—the sound of air passing through her lips echoed like the sounds of monsters in her head. Insect pounded on her ears, even the methodic pumping of blood through her veins terrified her. Sadly, she was unable to speak and suffered in silence in her own private world.

Searching for a way to help her daughter, Steibel discovered the Auditory Integration Training (AIT) therapy performed by Dr. Guy Beard, a French otolaryngologist. AIT corrects auditory sensitivity and distortions through intensive music therapy played at varying frequencies for 30 minutes twice daily for 10 days. The treatment massages the brain, reducing the painful hearing and allows it to comprehend sounds better.

Sensory distortions, particularly auditory ones, are common to autistic children and reactions to these may account for what is considered as "autistic behavior". Although AIT is primarily used to help those with autism, Dr. Berard’s research found that other disorders can also benefit from it, such as dyslexia, depression and attention deficit disorder.

Not long after undergoing the treatment, Georgina began to change. For the first time, she could tolerate noise and make sense of sounds. Today, she lives in Oregon with her husband and six-year old child. She is also a successful artist, businesswoman, international autism advocate and public speaker and is also fluent in nine languages.

Steibel wrote several best-selling books about their story. These include the following titles: The Sound of Miracle (A Child’s Triumph over Autism), Sound of Falling Snow (Stories of Recovery from Autism and Related Conditions), and Dancing in the Rain (Stories of Exceptional Progress by Parents of Children with Needs.

The seminar was followed by a discussion wherein the audience had a chance to ask Steibel and Georgina questions. Parents, students and other attendees were enlightened as the mother and daughter team gave hope and inspiration about children with special needs.

The Recovering from Autism seminar is one of the many projects of the SM Supermalls to assist the physically and mentally challenged, as well as their families. It is a joint effort of the SM Supermalls, the Autism Society of the Philippines, Autism Pinoy, the Philippine Association of Behavioral Analysis and STLC.