Animal Assisted Therapy And Developmental Disorders

Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT), specifically, Equine Assisted Psychotherapy/Learning is a type of therapy that is primarily solution-focused and client-centered. The heart of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy/Learning is captured within the EGALA system (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association). According to Hayley Sumner who is published in the US Newswire, “EGALA has set the standard for horse-related therapy including both equine

If you’ve ever owned an animal, you know that being around them can be extremely therapeutic. After a stressful day at work or school, it is always nice to come home to your pet and feel comforted by them. Many dog owners even claim that their dogs can feel their pain. However, if you speak to anyone who has been spent their life around horses, they’ll tell you that the connection between horse and rider is unlike any other. Norwegian researcher Anita Maurstad explains in a recent article, that over time horse and rider can become so attuned to each other that they develop a state of co-being. Maurstad also found, through research, that horses appear to learn to relate to humans in ways that provide them with a good quality of life. A recent study from Washington State university has concluded that kids who work with horses have significantly lower stress levels. In addition to these, there have been numerous other studies that show that working with horses decreases blood pressure, reduced feelings of anger, tension, and anxiety. Riding horses also allows you to gain feelings of self esteem, empowerment, patience, and trust. Because of the overwhelming positive effects that horses seem to have, horses are no longer being used just for recreational or agricultural

Equine-assisted therapy. The use of equine-assisted therapy has been proposed as a method for facilitating positive sensory experiences for children with autism. A doctoral dissertation by Stickney (2010) finds that “the consistent, rhythmic movement of the horse as well as its warmth, appearance, smell, and furry coat sends an array of sensory signals to the central nervous system, affecting motor, visual, proprioceptive, tactile, and vestibular systems that are necessary for development of motor control” (p. 33). Preliminary research studies indicate that the experience of riding a horse can improve motor function, posture, balance, and reaction time. This can encourage positive sensory experiences, which causes the brain to release chemicals

In depth discussion and details of the research conducted that elaborates on the effectiveness of service animals- how do they help?

Questions arise concerning the treatment of therapy dogs when visiting patients and whether animal-assisted therapy really works at all; however, those who disagree aren’t looking at the big picture. Animal-assisted therapy is both an ethical and effective therapy method due to its success in treating those with chronic diseases, disorders, and managing stress and anxiety. The varieties of cases regarding the success of therapy dog treatments far surmount the amount of cases saying otherwise. Animal-assisted therapy stems from the human-animal connection, one of the most unique and powerful bonds man has ever experienced. It is that connection that allows animal assisted therapy to be a critical part of everyone’s daily

Equine Therapy does have its downfalls, some patients walk away and never come back, but when the patient comes back and heals, that is when therapists know that they are doing some good in this crazy world. Thousands of lives have been changed by these magnificent creatures. Parents can now give their children the “medication” that they need. With the help of horses, therapists are able to give the veterans their lives back by making the veteran as comfortable as possible with the civilian

More research is needed to find if animal-assisted interventions offer substantial and reliable improvements in symptoms in children with ASD. If family has extra resources and finds that these interventions might be beneficial for their child’s symptoms, this has not yet been found to be harmful. However, it might be advisable that social skills interventions are integrated into a child’s therapy before the use of an animal to aid in these interactions is selected. It seems that animal-assisted interventions are promising for improving safety and targeting atypical sensory responsiveness. If a child with autism’s safety cannot be managed in other ways and the family is experiencing substantial burden, a service dog might be a beneficial

With limited empirical research supporting the use and effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy, it is reasonable to suggest that the costs of implementing AAT into occupational therapy are not worth the benefits. Occupational therapy modalities are already effective at treating patients with many different disabilities and/or disorders—integrating a new type of therapy into occupational therapy is less convenient and more expensive than leaving an already effective therapy as is.

Animal-assisted therapy is the inclusion of an animal in treatment for a therapeutic purpose, such as a child having a trained therapy dog that serves much like a service dog for the blind (Velde, B. P., Cipriani, J., & Fisher, G., 2005). Animal-assisted activities (AAA) are not individually designed, goal-oriented, or led by a trained professional and include activities like equine-assisted activity, classroom animals, or companion animals (Evans & Gray, 2011). Despite the increasing commonality of animal-assisted interventions, there is a disagreement about the effectiveness of these practices. Supporters of animal-assisted interventions cite anecdotal evidence and findings from several research studies, whereas others assert that these interventions are not supported by quality research and are not ethically sound. However, there is little discussion on which animal-assisted interventions support the most optimal outcomes for particular children with ASD and the specific symptoms they are

(4) Animal need constant attention and are often very playful. The playful nature of these animals allow autistic children to play with their pets without really understand that they are exercising. The benefits of exercising keep the child away from a computer screen and in a way force them to interact with something or someone other than themselves. “Simple tasks such as throwing and fetching a ball, going on walks, giving commands, and other things dog owners do allow children with autism to facilitate interaction that is often very difficult to do with another human.” Shared Katie R. Gabriel, experienced author. (1, Paragraph 1) Not only are these children engaging in outdoor activity, but one source also agreed that, “the children experiencing animal-assisted therapy were engaged at a much higher level, and therefore more responsive, than they were in traditional OT.” To which one mother that was interviewed completely agreed. (7, Ch.

Many animals are used for therapy in various different settings. Horse riding was first used in the fifth centaury for the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers. Also to help patients or individuals adjust, horses for example, are used outdoors & dogs may be used indoors. The Delta Society defines Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) as “a goal-directed intervention in which an animal that meets specific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process.”

This article is all about AAI otherwise known as the animal-assisted intervention. AAI has been suggested time and time again as a possible treatment practice for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Article starts off by talking about autism what it is and the diagnosis of it. It then goes into detail to talk about AAI; AAI is an alternative intervention that has developed into treating all sorts of individuals with a range of medical issues and developmental issues. The article talks about the lack of evidence to support the programs on AAI and its effects on children with ADS. IT goes into detail identifying 20 studies that were done to assess the effectiveness of AAI on ADS patients. They assess AAI by participant

crucially, there’s no judgement with a horse.” Equine therapy involves a range of different activities. These activities include trotting, stretching exercises while they are on the horse, a ring tree which is used for balancing and stretching, and more. Therefore, Equine therapy can help children develop cognitively, emotionally, and physically.

The purpose of research is to show that horses are kind and have a special sense, horses are able to understand our feelings without even speaking. Demonstrating that children with ASD will have a special connection with the horse. Autism spectrum disorder children feel accepted by the horse in therapy. Knowing that autism is a disorder without a cure but, it could improve by providing them with activities. The purpose is to expose the positive effects this therapy does in a child. A child with autism spectrum disorder have a hard time to concentrate this study is to explain how equine therapy make a improvement in concentration. ASD children will found in horses a different and pleasant relationship. The goal is to investigate and evaluated

Equine therapy is a valuable and beneficial alternative to regular therapy. Another benefit of working with horses is improved motor skills, which I find incredibly interesting. Equine therapy is especially helpful for people with injuries or developmental disabilities. Equine therapy improves both fine and gross motor skills. Fine motor skills are improved by using small muscle movements, which occurs by adjusting the reins or fastening buckles. Gross motor skills improve with the use of large muscles. Getting on and off the horse is just one example of using gross motor skills. Horses are very intuitive animals, they can sense a negative or positive emotion in the blink of an eye. I think some people underestimate the sheer brilliance of