A little helping squeeze
Donella Swan
Times Contributor
Mason Davis was diagnosed with autism when he was just three years old. Now almost 13, he has overcome many challenges in his short years.
“Children with autism have a tendency to have high levels of stress and anxiety,” said Fred Rapple, secretary of the Lions club of Strathmore.
This was the case with Mason.
Things are a little different now. About a month ago, the family received a generous donation from the Lions club of Strathmore to bring up a “squeeze machine,” invented by Temple Grandin in 1965, a veterinarian who is a high-functioning autistic person herself.
“He had huge anxiety issues before getting the squeeze,” said Mason’s mother, Roxanne Davis. “We first learned of the squeeze machine while watching the Templin Grandin movie on HBO.”
The “squeeze machine” is a deep pressure device designed to calm hyper sensitive persons.
“Temple Grandin got the idea from how animals react in a squeeze. You take an animal that has been out on the range for a while and you take them and put them into a squeeze. As you’re working with them in the corral, they will just calm right down and the same principal applies to people who have high levels of stress and anxiety,” said Rapple.
“I first saw it while watching the movie I looked at my husband Roy and said we need to get Mason one of these,” said Davis.
Ever since he was a small child, Mason always liked to be cuddled, hugged, and squeezed tightly, said his mother. It helped calm him down in times of stress. However, he is almost 13 and has hit a huge growth spurt quite normal to boys his age.
“He’s almost as tall as me now. Cuddling him just wasn’t going to cut it,” said Davis.
This was why his parents felt the squeeze machine was the only option. However, these state of the art machines did not come cheap.
“I can’t work because Mason is out of school so much. We live on one income, so things are hard as it is. We did not have a couple extra thousand dollars just lying around,” said Davis.
This was where the Lions club came into play. First Roy Davis had approached Keith Temple, a co-worker of his, to see if he could build a machine such as the “squeeze”.
Temple, the President of the Lions club, then recommended to Roy that he contact the Lions club to see what they would consider doing.
“That’s what the Lions are all about, helping the people of the local community first,” said Rapple.
Following a letter written to the Lions club by Roy and Roxanne, the Lions club decided they wanted to help. They donated approximately $5,000 dollars to pay for the machine, and Keith Temple was able to find a trucking company to donate their time, truck and gas to transport the machine.
Eddie Rei of Triumph Express, headquartered out of Toronto, Ont., was happy to help and transported the squeeze machine all the way from Mokena, Illinois to here in Strathmore. This was a significant donation as the cost of fuel is high these days, and a person’s time does not come without cost.
“The reaction Mason had to the machine the first time he saw it was truly amazing. He asked if it was Christmas time, and he’s never really gotten excited about anything before,” said Davis.
Keith Temple and Fred Rapple were quite rewarded when they delivered the squeeze machine.
“He just knew how to use it instantly,” said Rapple.
It has only been around a month since they have received the squeeze machine, but Mason uses it at least ten times a day said his mother.
“I wish the squeeze was portable because it helps him so much,” said Davis.
This is only the second machine of its kind in Canada. The other one is located in Toronto.
“It is a pretty unique machine” said Rapple.
Mason’s family is very thankful for the help from the Lions club.
“They not only paid for it but they got it to us as well. The help that we have received has really humbled me,” said Davis.