Research summaries for autism therapy: dolphin-assisted therapy (DAT)

definition of dolphin-assisted therapy (DAT): Therapy that involves encounters between people with special needs and dolphins. Specially-trained therapists can be involved in working with children with autism during DAT.
|

Dolphin Therapy: The Playful Way to Work toward the Next Step, Summarized Aug 26, 2008

A combination of behavioral therapy and dolphin therapy may be helpful for children with autism.

This article describes dolphin-assisted therapy and its use for children with special needs. The article focuses on the Curacao Dolphin Therapy Center that was designed to meet the needs of children three years and older who have a mental and/or physical disability. More than 400 children with special needs visit the center each year. A lot of time during the program is spent swimming with dolphins. The programs each last two weeks and, in many cases, parents feel that their children have been transformed by the therapy. Read more...

Dolphin Assisted Therapy: Can Swimming with Dolphins Be a Suitable Treatment?, Summarized Jul 14, 2008

Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT) may not be effective, and has risks for both people and dolphins.

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society urges caution for the sake of people and animals when thinking about dolphin therapy. There is no proof that dolphin assisted therapy works. Also, there are risks in putting weak people who are in need of therapy in the water with dolphins, which are large, strong animals. Dolphins are wild animals, even when highly trained, and can be hard to predict. Right now there are no rules for dolphin therapists and this can also increase the risk of dolphin therapy. Read more...

Some Comments on Context Embodiment in Zootherapy: The Case of the Autidolfijn Project, Summarized Jan 15, 2007

Dolphin therapy works best when the child forms a strong bond with the dolphin therapist.

This paper describes the Autidolfijn project, which was begun in 1991 in Belgium. The Autidolfijn project was designed to see whether swimming with dolphins caused increased learning in children with autism. While swimming with dolphins did have a positive effect on children with autism, the effect was probably not because of the dolphin. Instead, the effect was seen as a result of the relationship between the dolphin therapist and the child. Positive changes were only seen when the child and the therapist had bonded well.
Read more...

Showing results

Synonyms for dolphin-assisted therapy (DAT) include: DAT, dolphin assisted therapy, dolphin therapy, dophin-assisted therapy
|