Packing therapy may be helpful for people with autism who also have catatonia.

Catatonia is a condition that may include rigid muscles, and little or no response to other people. Packing therapy is a type of therapy that is usually provided by occupational therapists. The occupational therapist wraps the entire body of the child in damp cloths, leaving the head and face unwrapped. The therapist encourages the client to talk about what they are feeling while wrapped. This study tested 6 patients (13-17 years old) with catatonia who did not improve when treated with drug therapy. One patient also had autism, and another Asperger's syndrome. The authors said that packing therapy helped 4 out of the 6 patients, including the 2 with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The authors encourage therapists to consider packing therapy as an option.