(version 0.23)
Inflatable trance suit of rubber can be an effective remedy for autism. They function similar like Temple Grandin's hug machine, but on a more subtle level with additional complex sensory interactions. My nonmedical practitioner recommended one for my autistic son and had great success. (Unfortunately my son later got a phobia from a TV show in that such a suit was burst. See here.)
Because there is not much info available, I compiled this little FAQ.
overview:
The trance suits I describe here are dual layered rubber overalls made from a thicker membrane outside and a thinner membrane inside; the space between them can be inflated with air. This way the inner membrane encloses the body and gently squeezes it everywhere with equal pressure that can be adjusted by inflation. The sensation inside is somewhat like a full body hug by a soft, warm and very supple material that gives the wearer a tender feeling of security. Particular to these suits (unlike other autist squeeze equipment) is that they additionally intensify the perception of bodily vibrations (e.g. pulse and heart beat), reduce the sensation of touch and partly transform it into acoustic vibration, which supports meditation and helps to relax and calm by synchronizing the brain waves of different brain areas to a common lower frequency by coupled perception of vibrations at different skin areas. The wearer or a helper can also tenderly drum or rub with his fingers on the outer membrane to produce sounds and vibrations. Generally these suits are a great and versatile therapeutical tool for meditation, bodily awareness training, sensuality and a visualization aid for body dysmorphic disorder.
Regard that a trance suit is an expensive and vulnerable device that is certainly not suited for all kinds of autists. E.g. he should not romp around in it in uncontrolled ways or do other stupid things with it (it may easily burst by contact with sharp or pointed objects or dissolve by fats or oils), and he should not be allergic against natural latex rubber or have other aversions against it. Thus where possible, the patient should first try it out elsewhere before ordering one. Also regard that someone has to learn to care for the delicate material after each use to prevent decomposition.
However my hyperactive autistic son was like exchanged once he wore the suit; it calmed him very much and he obviously felt safe and loved it. Especially he enjoyed to indulge himself totally into the low purring sound of slowly rubbing his fingers against it. My practitioner said that for an autist this experience appears to be sensually similar like a dolphin therapy - regarding how expensive such therapies are, the suit price is certainly not too high. Before buying one, also myself tried out such a suit for 10 minutes in his surgery. There is definitely something special with the way it feels. I didn't find it that spectacular, but I did not meditate, and he explained that an autist realizes all this 100 times more intense, and the many small and subtle sensory effects of the suit are exactly what the autist needs.
To permit the front side to expand, the vertical zipper is placed on the back. But this is not a restraint device! The material is soft and very flexible and restricts the wearer's motion only little, even when tightly inflated. (A front zipper would make it uncomfortable to lie on the back.)
Trance suits are manufactured by several small and many tiny companies. The most well known quality brand is Cocoon. Their inflatable suits are handcrafted of glued latex sheeting and can be also ordered in custom sizes. The model PS1 has a single air chamber, while PS2 has 2 chambers (top and trouser part separately inflatable). Don't be confused about their other latex products; they also sell equipment to domina supply etc., those partly feature stronger restraint components. Click on "Inflatables" to order a trance suit.
Also other manufacturers (including many tiny garage companies) make inflatable latex suits; sometimes they are even offered on eBay for a much cheaper final price than Cocoon, and I don't want to discourage people from saving money. But the quality of these may vary; weak spots or bad glue joints can make the suit leak or even burst in worst case. If you dare to buy one of these, before fist use at least thoroughly check it with a flashlight in inflated state for faulty spots and re-glue them (only while deflated) before a catastrophic fault can happen. Good suits should be made from glued latex sheeting. Suits of dipped/moulded latex (e.g. by Reactor Rubberwear) can not be made to measure, and they are also reported to be less durable and may build up less pressure due to unequal membrane thickness that can make them bulge out to one side.
For autism therapy it is crucial that the uninflated suit must be loose fitting (for stepless squeeze control from zero on), which urgently has to be mentioned when ordering a suit, because other kinds of customers (actors etc.) often want very tight fitting suits those visually completely fuse with the body like a second skin. (These suits would squeeze already in uninflated state and can be even complicated to put on without damage, which is not practicable as a therapy suit.) For an autism therapy suit "overthick" latex ("45 latex" at Cocoon =>.040 to .045 inch = 1 to 1.17mm) is recommended for the outer membrane - not just because it is more robust, but to increase the available maximum squeeze. (Regard: This is not a restraint device! The maximum squeeze is already rather low by the soft material, and would become barely noticeable when the latex is chosen even thinner.) Do not order a suit with integrated latex feet, gloves or socks; these parts tend to wear through much faster than the rest of the suit and make it more complicated to dry after washing the unit. They also can be in the way when the autist gets panic and seeks direct skin contact, thus they always should stay separate.
Cocoon offers these suits also with a optional longer special zipper (option P9 = "Thru crotch zip with 3 sliders") that goes from the back further down through the front of the crotch and has 3 separate runners, which permits to open it at any position in between while the rest of the zipper stays closed. This enables the wearer to go to toilet without taking off the suit. But regard that spilled urine and especially excrement is harmful to latex, thus it should be avoided when possible. (Spilled urine on latex should be immediately washed off with a damp rag; for excrement additionally use water with detergent, followed by plain water.) The through crotch zipper makes the suit less supple and thus should be only ordered when needed. (My son's suit has none.) But we all know how stubborn autists can be, and the restriction not to be able to use a toilet at any time may prevent some from accepting the suit at all. (The sudden sensation of cold air on the sweaty body can get really unpleasant, when the wearer is urged to get out of the suit in between every time he needs to pee.) Thus the through crotch zipper can be a useful solution. It can also become useful when the autist seeks direct skin contact, or to route cables or hoses of medical equipment (e.g. monitoring electrodes of ECG or biofeedback devices) into the suit. (Use silicone ones; plasticizer from PVC cables or hoses may damage the latex.)
Before closing the zipper, watch out that the hair guard strip of the suit is correctly aligned to prevent it from catching and getting damaged in the zipper. When the patient needs to close the zipper by himself and has trouble to reach or move it, pull a long shoe lace with a knot at one end through the zipper's eye. When necessary, also a drop of silicone oil (never other oil!) on the runner can make it move easier.
inflation:
The actual squeeze intensity is controlled by inflation pressure, thus lower squeeze can be always obtained by less inflation. Do not overinflate it; although latex rubber is very stretchable, it will damage it and make it permanently loose its strength. When higher pressure is demanded, a regular rigid cloth overall should be worn over it instead. (Do not use overgarments with any rough, pointed or sharp edged parts! E.g. metal zippers should be avoided.) For inflation a manual piston air pump of large diameter is recommended, which responds sensitive enough to feel the pressure at the handle. To control the amount of squeeze by himself, the patient should operate the pump so far he has learned to use it responsibly. If he tends to overinflate the unit, let him use it only under supervision and switch an external control valve between pump and suit when necessary.
Also the zipper should not be opened in tightly inflated state, because this may break its teeth or make it jam in the hair guard strip. With the optional 3 runner zipper a small section can be safely opened while the suit stays inflated.
Never mouth-inflate a trance suit. Trapped breathe moisture in the air chamber can make the latex rot.
Do not install a tyre valve; it would make quick deflation difficult in the case of panic. The inflation nozzle of the suit should be only closed with a screw cap or rubber plug. To deflate the suit completely for storage, roll the already deflated suit up to push the remaining air towards its open nozzle.
can the pressure become dangerous?
No, the pressure inside a trance suit is very equally distributed and only some 10 mbar. (When you e.g. stand upright in a swimming pool with only the head out of the water, the lower parts of your body will be exposed to much higher pressure than what the suit can do!) Thus the direct effect on blood pressure is marginal.
The main effect of the pressure is to squeeze the inner membrane snugly against the body. It also presses on your chest, which can slow down and modify your breathe rhythm, but this only helps to relax and is not remotely strong enough to prevent breathing or risky things like this. Only when a rigid cloth overall is worn over a trance suit to prevent its outer membrane from expanding, it may be possible to inflate it tightly enough that breathing becomes difficult. But this is no condition in that a trance suit should be operated.
Without rigid overgarment the squeeze of overinflation generally can not cause real injury; it would be mainly harmful to the suit, but not the wearer. (The outer membrane would finally start to expand like a weather balloon without further increase of pressure.) It also can not immobilize the wearer in dangerous ways, since the stretched latex material soon turns much softer and very squishy. I am not sure if under very extreme overinflation condition the wearer's head might slide down into the expanded suit and cause a risk of suffocation, thus I still recommend to supervise mentally disordered or very young patients those may try to overinflate it and can not estimate the consequences. But this would be really a freak accident; I expect the vulnerable material to burst much earlier (especially as soon the wearer panically moves around and collides with furniture or stings it with his fingernails). Thus this risk is rather hypothetical, and supervision mainly a measure to prevent damage to the expensive suit. I consider trance suits a quite safe technology; the risk of getting stuck in a rigid diving drysuit is much higher.
latex care:
Latex rubber dissolves by any fats and oils (except silicone oil); oils are also part of body fluids (including sweat), thus the suit must be immediately washed after each wear to prevent decomposition. Wash it with a hand warm shower (never hotter than bath water) and a small amount of regular dishwashing detergent or dedicated latex cleaning soap. Never use body soaps (or anything labelled "remoisturizing") - these contain oils those damage latex. Natural latex is not fully water proof; long contact with humidity turns it brown, sticky and makes it rot; thus don't soak it too long and urgently keep the inflation nozzle shut to keep water out of the air chamber(s). (Accidental water in it can be removed by repeated in- and deflation, which is very awkward.) Carefully towel it dry from inside and outside. Let it dry in a room for some hours (e.g. on a bed). To prevent latex from sticking together, wipe it with a small amount of thick silicone oil (sold as latex care lotion also in sex shops) on a piece of PE/PP plastic foil or such a foil glove. (Never use silicone oil spray; it attacks lungs, and cheap aerosol silicone lubricant in worst case even might be contaminated with other oils those destroy latex.) Some people recommend talc powder instead, but it turns by sweat into smeary white goo that drips everywhere out of the suit, and the inorganic powder clouds irritate lungs and are the main cause of latex allergies, because the immune system detects only the protein particles in it and considers them villains. Thus if you don't like silicone oil (it increases static electricity), use corn starch as a less irritating alternative.
Room air pollutants like ozone (e.g. by summer smog, laser printers or electric motors) or the combination of UV (sunlight) and oxygen damages latex; they make it smell like rancid fat, turn rough, grey and finally crack. Ozone attacks it especially at stretched or sharply folded areas, thus store the suit rolled up (not folded; especially do not crossfold) in a dark place when not in use. So far it is completely dry, use an airtight container or PE/PP plastic bag against ozone. Keep it away from plasticized plastic (e.g. soft PVC foil); plasticizers can weaken and dissolve it - same with leather; it contains fats. Also contact with copper, brass and silver can harm and discolour latex (especially in humid state). Smoke attacks the material too.
The wearer should generally stay away from open fire; latex burns easily and can cause severe burn injury.
Especially black latex rubber can turn stiff and leathery when exposed to cold (e.g. after transport in winter) and remain in this hibernation state until it reaches a some 10°C higher temperature. To prevent cracking, do not inflate or unfold it by force, but warm it up by a warm shower or hair dryer at low heat until it wakes up by itself.
Because the material gets destroyed by oils, the patient must avoid oily skin care lotion or ointments before donning the suit. The wearer anyway sweats like in a sauna suit, thus textile underwear can be unpleasant, and too much cloth also disturbs the perception of vibrations and gentle skin touch sensations. But he at least should wear underpants, because urine and genital secrete harms the rubber much more than sweat. People often recommend to use powder to get easier into the suit, but I can not recommend this (reason see above); when the suit is sufficiently loose fitting, it is easy to put on anyway - else a water based lube gel or silicone oil can be used.
Watch out that rubber can easily wear through by friction. Thus the user should avoid to sit or lie on rough or hard surfaces while wearing the trance suit. But the vulnerable material can also wear through over time from inside by friction between the outer and inner membrane. To make the expensive device last as long as possible, you can add some silicone oil (latex care fluid) into the air chamber to reduce this friction. Although the idea looks obvious, absolutely NEVER use an ordinary aerosol can of silicone oil to spray it in; the highly flammable propellant of it (butane) may cause a fatal gas explosion(!) by static electricity sparks when it mixes with air inside the suit. Instead you may use an air operated sprayer, or as the simplest (although awkward) method make a thin and long pipette from a robust plastic drinking straw; use the rubber part of a pacifier as a squeeze bulb and connect both parts with a rubber plug (e.g. piece of natural rubber pencil eraser) in that you drill a fitting hole for the straw. Use a cable tie to hold the bulb in place. Watch out that the straw must not have sharp edges. Slide it through the inflation nozzle and move the suit around to reach all important spots. The silicone oil especially should be applied to crotch and armpits, where the friction between both membranes is highest; also shoulders, knees and elbows are stressed much by friction, and of course the zones where you sit and lie on.
repair:
As repair glue use Copydex non-toxic rubber cement. (Technically also innertube glue can be used, but it is severely poisonous and thus should be avoided.) Treat the glue surfaces with isopropanol on a cotton swab. Apply the glue very thin(!) on both sides, let it dry about 15 minutes (until it turns transparent) and firmly press the surface together. Let it dry at least 1 day. Regard that you can not correct the joint once both sides come in contact (it tears off the glue layer when moved) and that a too thick glue layer will extremely increase the cure time (e.g. some weeks instead of hours). As patch material household rubber gloves, latex balloons or latex swimcaps can be used. Watch out that when in inflated state weak spots get visible as transparent pattern on the latex membrane, it can increase the risk of bursting. To prevent this, treat the spots on the deflated suit with gentle hair dryer heat to make it fully contract. Treat them with isopropanol and coat them with a layer of Copydex for reinforcement. Curing of the rubber cement can be speeded up by hair dryer at medium heat. Coat the spot with silicone oil to remove stickiness.
If by any reasons (e.g. long exposure to moisture) latex very firmly sticks together, do not use raw force to separate; it may easily tear. Instead soak it in water with detergent to weaken the bond, and if this doesn't help, use a cotton swab with isopropanol to soften it while you slowly(!) pull it apart. (Pull close at the bond to avoid overstretching it elsewhere.) Apply silicone oil or corn starch to prevent it from adhering again.
smell removal:
Latex rubber is a natural plant material that always has an own scent. Like wine, the smell can vary a lot among sorts but normally should not be unpleasant when properly made. However it can become unpleasant when new (e.g. by ammonia residues) or by contact with ozone or foreign odours those it picks up easily. To remove that smell, first wash and dry it (see latex care). Then spray the suit from outside with unscented Febreze textile deodorizer and let the solution dry naturally on it (you may speed it up with a hair dryer at low heat). Turn the suit inside out and repeat the procedure. Do not use perfumes; essential oils in it can decompose the rubber. I also read that some people soak latex clothing in warm water with baking soda to deodorize, but I am not sure how harmful this is for it.
skin care:
Some people get a dry skin from contact with rubber. This is not a latex allergy, but caused by the tendency of rubber to wipe away the natural oil film of the skin (which is not good for the latex either), which can make the skin dry out after taking off the trance suit. Washing the body (which also removes possible rubber chemical residues) and applying a remoisturizing skin care lotion on the still humid skin helps to prevent this. But to avoid decomposition, never let the oily lotion come in contact with the rubber, thus do not apply it before the suit is worn, but only afterward. The skin will not dry out within the suit anyway, because the moist atmosphere inside prevents this. Some people also apply a drop of silicone oil (latex care fluid) on their skin before entering the suit.
Generally it is not harmful to wear a loose fitting rubber suit for a long time (several hours to a day). The old claim that the skin needs to "breathe" to stay alive and thus must not be completely covered is a false urban legend. But no patient should ever be urged by force to wear latex rubber in a situation in that he has a strong aversion against it; this may even trigger a latex allergy. Also regard that the rubber will wear through and decompose the faster, the longer it is worn (and the more sweat and friction is present); thus an expensive device like a trance suit should not be worn without reason. It e.g. should not be abused as regular sleepwear even when the autist yearns to do so. (Sleeping in inflated state may also cause sore spots by local squeeze and friction at protruding body parts.)
how does it feel?
The feeling inside a trance suit is hard to describe, because it is so special. But the best (although very coarse) description to unknowing people is like being in a warm bath tub. It's a little warm, a little humid, but pleasant and relaxing. And like with the water in a full tub, there is the sense of pressure on the body, but this is adjustable by inflation.
There are many other small, but unique sensations inside, those seem to be more important than just squeeze - especially bodily vibrations get intensified by resonance effects when inflated (did you ever feel the gentle air vibrations of a large gong during music therapy? - that's similar), and the rubber of the inner membrane tenderly massages your body by every tiny motion (do not imagine this like pencil erasers chafing your skin wound - this sensation is very subtle and more like being caressed). A trance suit is a sensory comfort device that is designed for creating a safe feeling of harmony - it is a bit like being back in the womb.
These suits can reach the autist on a much deeper level than where words can go. The response of the latex is complex and ethereal, but also very direct. It is immediate - nonverbal; it is vibration, touch and energy, and it just seems to touch their soul.
People those meditate in trance suits report about energies and an intense feeling of becoming one with the universe. They often describe it as life force, flow, healing spirit or cosmic love. I am no expert for this, but it obviously can be deeply moving.
trance hoods:
Many trance suit users also wear inflatable latex hoods those cover the whole head and face (with or without eye holes) for a kind of partial sensory deprivation; like with the suits, also here the perception of touch, sound and vibrations is modified to reach altered states of mind. Some types additionally modify breathing by re-inhaling CO2 enriched air from an attached bag etc. But these hoods are often difficult to don properly and many models have a risk of suffocation when anything goes wrong (especially in case of panic). Hoods without back zipper (for quick emergency removal) I therefore consider unsuited for therapy. Autists those like them should wear trance hoods generally only under supervision. (My son doesn't use such hoods. He just closes his eyes and smiles.)
The most damaging factor to trance hoods is the natural fat of fatty hairs and scalp. To avoid preliminary decomposition, it is thus recommended for the wearer to get a hair wash with oil-free shampoo before wearing the hood.
neoprene wetsuits:
It is well known that many autists like surf suits. Like trance suits, also these tight fitting wetsuits of neoprene (sort of strong foam rubber) firmly squeeze the body, feel warm and humid inside and gently massage the skin of the wearer with every motion. Thus dolphin therapy sceptics sometimes mock that it was rather the wetsuit than the dolphin that causes the positive effect. (I doubt that it is so simple.) But in opposite to the smooth and lightweight trance suit, the squeeze of a wetsuit is not adjustable and the fabric lined material is rather rough on the skin, and of course there are none of the complex vibration interactions that the trance suit function is based on, thus wetsuits are basically only yet another conventional autist squeeze device. Never the less, used wetsuits can be bought very cheaply on eBay, thus if you want to test one, be welcome to give it a try.
The neuro-psychiatrist Dr. Martin Grunwald from the Haptic and EEG-Research Laboratory of the University of Leipzig (Germany, click "EN" for English language) even successfully applied such neoprene wetsuits (basically custom fit dive shorties) as a treatment for anorexia nervosa. He found out that the squeeze heals these patients disturbances of mental body image (body dysmorphic disorder) when worn 3 times per day for an hour, by giving continuous sensory input to tactile nerves to the brain those had not been properly configured during embryonic body grow and childhood. Dr. Grunwald considers tactile input one of the most important factors for correct brain development; he calls his therapeutic tool the "hapticsuit". Although I am not aware that he treated autism with them, the measurably positive research results clearly indicate that already these simple suits can have strong positive effect on conditions of disturbed sensory processing of the brain.
There are differently flexible types of neoprene, but as a rule of thumb, the thicker the material is, the more squeeze and warmth (by heat insulation) it will produce. Dive suits exist in thicker neoprene than surf suits. Also a slightly too small suit will increase squeeze. (But a too short suit will also compress the spinal discs, which is not good for them when worn for too long.) For sensuality, the skin-like feeling smooth neoprene is recommended, although fabric lined neoprene is more robust. (The inside is always fabric lined.) Brand new neoprene can badly stink of chlorine and solvents (depends on the brand); store it inside out in a well ventilated room (away from direct sunlight) for a month to vent out. Also Febreze may help. Well treated used neoprene usually smells less because it already was vented out well. Unlike with natural latex, allergies against the neoprene itself are very uncommon.
-neoprene care
neoprene is easier to care for than latex, although the general precautions are the same. It takes half a day to dry after wash (hang inside out on a coat hanger), but it has less tendency to decompose by sweat; thus you won't need to wash it after each use. It also needs no silicone oil or starch against stickiness. Never store it folded (it causes permanent wrinkles, especially in smooth neoprene) and it can wear through when hung on a coat hanger for too long, thus store it rolled up in a PE/PP bag.
-how to get out of it (caterpillar technique)
Unlike a loose fitting trance suit, it can be difficult to get out of tight fitting neoprene suits. In worst case this may cause panic to the autist, thus it should be trained several times under controlled conditions. Particularly the legs of a full body suit can be hard to get out. Do not use raw force; it can damage smooth neoprene and is not necessary. The main rule is "push instead of pull", thus push the sections of the suit slowly down a few cm at the upper leg and slowly work down the resulting small bulge to the lower leg and over the foot. (Think of how a caterpillar moves.) Repeat this with the next bulge at the top of the leg again until the foot finally reaches a large enough diameter to pull it out the normal way. Do not push too much neoprene down at once, else it will make a too large bulge that will jam on the leg and make it harder to work down (push that bulge up again to unjam). When the caterpillar technique is used correctly, it will not be strenuous to get out of the suit.
There are also wetsuits made with additional zippers at the ends of sleeves and legs to ease getting out. Wetsuits without long arms and legs (so-called shorties) are even easier to doff and are also much cheaper when new, but also the safe feeling of getting squeezed on the whole body is less present here.
Although these suits are not inflatable by design, they are quite stretchable. My practitioner told me that some people even like to put things like garbage bags or large latex weather balloons inside as air chambers to inflate them. Although this is rather a temporary test setup for sensual exploration, the relation to inflatable therapy suit is obvious.
Also neoprene diving wetsuits with integrated inflatable chambers exist (e.g. by the company Marlin). They have valves like diving drysuits and squeeze the body when inflated. But this type of wetsuit is rather uncommon.
lycra suits:
Although the warm and humid sauna suit effect of a wetsuit is normally desired to achieve a safe feeling, it may be not desirable for every autist or situation (e.g. during hot summer). Skin tight squeezing suits without this property are available of lycra fabric ( = elasthane rubber, which is also used for tights), which lets air and sweat pass through. Lycra suits those even cover head and hands are known as "zentai". Also these are rather inexpensively available on eBay, and many people report that they feel safe in them and even use them for sleepwear. Certain wetsuits, a lot of sportswear and much other stuff is made from lycra too. The thicker it is and the higher the actual lycra content in the fabric, the more it will squeeze. There are also dedicated medical compression suits of lycra.
Although they are not airtight at all, also these stretchable suits can be inflated by placing air chambers inside. Important is not to overinflate them - it would cause ladders in the fabric.
inflated drysuits:
Drysuits are water sports suits with airtight seals to keep water out. Like trance suits they are inflatable, but they are single layer, i.e. they have no separate inner membrane that stays in snug touch with the skin when inflated.
In spite of this, especially surf drysuits of smooth neoprene can be a not that bad alternative to a trance suit, because they are less vulnerable and cost in used state less than 50EUR.
Drysuits exists in many variants and materials (too many to mention here - use a search engine for general info). Diving drysuits typically have an airtight zipper and seals (gaskets) of latex or smooth neoprene at neck (like the turtleneck of a pullover), wrist and (so far no boots are integrated) also legs. They are made from (usually thick) neoprene or variants of rubberized fabric (e.g. trilaminate, which is typically not stretchable). Normally they are designed to be more or less loose fitting and have already a bulky valve and inflator hose connector to control suit squeeze and buoyancy under water by inflation. New dive drysuits cost at least many hundred EUR, but with some luck, used ones can be found cheaper.
Surf drysuits are typically of thinner neoprene than dive suits (normally smooth neoprene) and have no inflator valves. Most types are tight fitting. Watch out that the term "drysuit" is often used here in misleading ways. Inflatable are only types with neck seal and a special airtight zipper (which typically has rather big metal teeth and a bulky metal runner with pull loop - you can easily identify them on blurred eBay photos when you know what you are looking for); suits with normal zipper (that is only covered by a neoprene flap against ocean spray) are not airtight. Best for inflation are suits with horizontal back zipper, because this zipper placement does not disturb its expansion.
Because drysuits have no inner membrane, their touch squeeze sensation is highest when uninflated and decreases during inflation, since the suit lifts off the skin. Thus the squeeze is controlled here the other way round than with trance suits. As a therapy suit it therefore should be not too loose fitting to achieve a nice hug feeling from it. Only the squeeze at the neck seal increases by further inflation, which can interact with blood pressure by triggering certain pressure points at the neck. This helps to relax, but also may become dangerous in the case of excessive pressure. (There are reports that divers passed out by neck squeeze when their drysuit got severely overinflated by malfunction. But normally the seals leak by lifting off the skin before this can happen.) Like with trance suits, also here the air inside the suit presses on the chest, which influences the breathe rhythm and tempo.
-drysuit zipper care
Before each use, the metal teeth of the airtight zipper should be waxed with white candle wax. (Avoid to get wax on other rubber parts - it may further decomposition.) Then fully open, close and open the zipper once to verify that nothing gets stuck. The runner should move easily without raw force. (It is normal that this type of zipper slides a bit harder than non-airtight zippers. But it must not be strenuous to move.) Loose fibres at the seal between the teeth rows urgently must by carefully cut off to prevent them from getting stuck and jamming the mechanism. To close a back zipper without helper, a robust coat hanger can be used to pull the loop. With a tight fitting neoprene drysuit it still may be hard to close when the neoprene has to stretch for this. To apply more force, the wearer can hook the loop into a door handle and pull it close by kneeling and shifting his back sideways into the direction of the zipper. But he must be very careful not to pull crooked or continue pulling with raw force (e.g. body weight) after anything jams - else teeth can bend or crack off or the runner rim can cut a hole through the zipper's rubberized fabric material and catch in it. Thus always reverse the pull direction when it refuses to slide further; in worst case else the runner may jam so badly that the wearer can not get out of the suit anymore without cutting it open. (When an autist gets panic in it, this is certainly no fun at all.) Normally intact drysuit zippers are relatively robust, but they must not be illtreated by bending or twisting or violently pulling wrongways. Also repaired zippers tend to jam again much easier than intact ones.
(Used drysuits with defective zippers tend to be very cheap and often can be repaired with some mechanical skill. E.g. a missing tooth can be replaced with teeth from the inactive very end of the zipper, and holes can be patched with glue and a piece of fabric duct tape.)
-how to inflate
To inflate a drysuits on the body, the seals have to be inverted. With neoprene seals always the smooth side has to touch the skin. Surf drysuits of neoprene often have no dedicated wrist and leg cuffs, but they inflate well when about 8cm of the smooth neoprene at the sleeve end and about 5cm of the leg end are inverted to form a seal with the skin.
Diving drysuits have already an inflator hose terminal where the air pump hose can be plugged in. But often these openings are too small and make manual inflation awkward, because they were designed for higher pressure. Adding a larger inlet valve is recommended. Watch out to fully close the air dump valve (typically a big black knob), else you can not tightly inflate them. By turning this knob you can adjust the maximum inflation pressure; push it down to let some air out. But for a therapy suit you can usually live without it, thus it is no bad idea to remove the bulky valve and glue the hole tight with a piece of neoprene or latex.
Surf drysuits have no valves. To inflate these without modifications, you have to build a "cuff inflator", which is a simple adapter for the air pump that plugs into any leg, neck or wrist seal. To make it, take a bike tube and cut it off about 12cm to the left of its metal valve fixture and something like 6cm to the right of it. Knot or glue the shorter end tight or shut it with a cable tie. Cut a flexible, 12cm long piece of sheet plastic (PE/PP, e.g. transparent blister package material) to make it fit and slide it into the innertube as a reinforcement. Pull a fitting piece of hose (latex or silicone tubing, piece of cable insulation or whatever, 4cm length are enough) completely over the metal fixture and plug the nozzle of your air pump into its other end. That's it. To inflate a drysuit on the body, simply push the long end of the cuff inflator under any seal (or inverted sleeve/leg) of it and operate the pump. It takes a little training to find out how far to push it in. When you pull it out a little, the unreinforced tip of the hose will be squeezed tight by the seal, which can be useful when you want to inflate slowly with pauses in between without that too much air leaks out.
Despite surf drysuits were not particularly designed for inflation, they often inflate better and feel more pleasant than dive suits, because their thin and supple smooth neoprene is softer and stretchier. Diving drysuits of neoprene soon turn almost too rigid when inflated only a little larger, and because the seals are never perfectly airtight, it is desirable to be capable to keep a large enough air volume inside the suit without going through too extreme pressure changes.
-how to get out of it
With tight neoprene drysuits of the usual type this is basically the same like with wetsuits. But regard that you have to un-invert any inverted neoprene seals and sleeve and leg ends first to prevent to get stuck.
-repair
Like with latex, small leaks in neoprene can be sealed from inside with the non-toxic Copydex rubber cement. Longer cuts can be reinforced from inside with a piece of thick nylon tight that is soaked in the glue. To find leaks, place ball bladders or fitting jam jars into all openings to inflate it without wearing.
-how does it feel?
Despite the feeling inside an inflated drysuit is different from a trance suit, it still has some aspects common with it. Especially vibration transmission works to some extend also with these simple things, and you can also make some sounds with your fingers on the smooth neoprene and feel the resonance. Well, it damps more, but what do you want?! - Regarding that a used surf drysuit on eBay often costs less then 1/10th of the price of trance suits, they function not that totally bad. But there are downsides. Annoying is e.g. that the seals of such single layer suits generally tend to leak a bit. Especially turning the hands or head often results in some air loss, thus they hold their air rather for few 10 minutes than many hours. Also the neck seal squeeze is not necessarily considered pleasant, and for sticking the head through this tight sleeve when putting the suit on, some people first have to overcome a fear of suffocation. (Don't worry. It's much like having the head under water for few seconds; one can breathe again long before there is a risk of passing out.) But a quite unique feeling of this suit type is that when it is inflated barely wider than your own trunk and you move your trunk in it back and forward, you can feel and hear the air rushing between front and back site of your body. And when you lie on the back and lift your trunk, you can feel a strange suction between the neoprene and the skin of your back. Thus also neoprene surf drysuits are a not so bad sensory exploration tool. A benefit is also that a neoprene suit can not accidentally burst by contact with small sharp or pointed objects - it will only leak a bit (repairable), which is way less dramatic when an autist romps around in it or does something stupid. When uninflated, they are basically like neoprene wetsuits and give the same plain kind of squeeze, which during deflation returns like a tighter getting hug. (For a quick deflation stick fingers under a seal.)
I talked to my practitioner about this type of suit and also got the chance to feel how it is inside. He explained, the difference between an inflated neoprene drysuit and the trance suit is like between a tinny toy piano and a concert grand. The energetics of the neoprene thing are rough and coarse and simple, while the latex trance suit overwhelms with gentleness. My son does not like neoprene - it feels too rough.
-single layer trance suit
Also single layer suits have their own fan community due to their special sensual properties, so they even created a different type of trance suit that is single layer. It is built like a drysuit of glued latex sheeting with seals and airtight zipper instead of the inner layer, thus it has the energetics and superior vibration transmission of a latex suit, while squeeze and air motion inside behave like in a conventional drysuit. This trance suit can be even safely inflated by mouth (some people enjoy to feel the direct interaction with their breathe), because it has no closed air chamber where moisture could trap inside (the inner side needs to be washed after use anyway). However this suit type is as expensive and vulnerable as regular trance suits.
While most latex companies make these special suits only on custom order, I was told that Blackstyle offers them also regularly on their website. The suit is of 1.2mm thick black latex and loose fitting like a regular membrane drysuit. They call it simply "Heavy latex suit" (item 26014); while wrist and neck cuff seals are included by default, regard that it is crucial to order it with the airtight zipper option ("Airtight rear zip" recommended) and no crotch zipper to make it inflatable. If you want neither integrated socks nor boots (recommended because socks wear through soon and boots make it clumsy), tell them that you need leg seals too, and generally make very clear that it has to be airtight to inflate and what you need it for. You may also ask them to send you a tighter fitting one, but regard that its overthick 1.2mm latex will be hard to stretch, thus it must not be ordered too small and especially not too short. (Don't be confused about Blackstyle's other latex products; they also sell equipment to domina supply etc.)
-oversized heads and drysuits
Some people have a larger head than average (e.g. due to hydrocephalus or other disorders) which can make it difficult or painful to push it through the neck gasket (which resembles a tight turtleneck pullover collar). For these people I recommend a drysuit with latex neck seal; it stretches like a balloon and thus should make it rather easy to push the larger head through. Surf drysuits with latex seal are nowadays uncommon, but you can still find them on eBay with some luck. (E.g. Aquata made them years ago.) Installing a neck seal of thinner latex makes it even more flexible, and with some work almost any drysuit can be modified with a wider latex neck seal that was originally designed for special zipperless neck entry drysuit (i.e. this gasket is stretchable enough to push your entire body through!) to make this part even less restrictive. Putting a drop of silicone oil or water based lube on the gasket also makes it slide much easier.
A trance suit of the classic type (dual layer inflatable) has no such problem, because its vertical zipper opens completely up to the neck. Also many wetsuits have such a vertical zipper for easy entry.
history of trance suits:
I don't know much about this. But my nonmedical practitioner mentioned that the classic type of trance suit (dual layer latex inflatable) was therapeutically used already in the beginning of 1970th, but (like many other inventions) became almost forgotten later.
I found not much info about therapy use of these suits on the internet, thus I hope that with this little FAQ I could give you at least a brief introduction into the topic. If anybody here has further info or knows books about them, please answer.
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