Chair

Locked in his own little world, six-year-old Tom Sun sits quietly in a small hospital chair, wearing a very peculiar traditional Chinese medicine "hat" that is intended to treat his autism.A few needles are placed in acupuncture points on his closely shaved head.He seems quite oblivious to it all, including the moxibustion, or burning of mugwort herb inside the small (10cm x 5cm) hollow cylindrical bamboo tube "hat" with holes to release the smoke.Sun has been receiving this therapy, and other treatment, for four months at home.His mom, Diana Liu, says it seems to help because during recent thunderstorms the boy was not terrified and screaming.Sun's mother has placed a picture book on his lap and squats beside him, showing him pictures and trying to get him to read the characters.Though he looks normal, Sun does not speak or reach out for his mother and seek her hugs and kisses.When he was three years old, Sun was diagnosed with autistic-spectrum disorder, a pervasive developmental disorder. There are different types and severities of autism and in all of them the patient withdraws to a greater or lesser degree and lacks communication and emotional connection skills.His mother quit her job and has…