Animal therapy, a ray of hope for special kids

INDORE: Animals are not only man’s best friends, but they even have the capacity to take up the role of caregivers for him in times of need. Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) (a type of therapy that involves animals for treatment) works on this idea. Although scientifically proven to improve a patient’s social, emotional, or cognitive functioning, this therapy is still in nascent stage in our country. But Sri Sarada Math’s Healing Centre for Special Children in Indore is already using this unique practice to bring a ray of hope in lives of ‘special’ ones. Yogini Digh, an occupational therapist who specialises in developmental disability, said, “We decided to launch animal-assisted therapy at our centre after reading and researching about its numerous benefits and the positive impact it can have on treatment of children with special needs. At present, we organise weekly sessions for all children, with horse Chanda and Labrador dog Isha. We have especially chosen female animals for therapy as they are not very aggressive and adjust to children quickly”. She elucidated that horse riding is very beneficial for children suffering from cerebral palsy as it teaches them balance and coordination; children are constantly advised to maintain good posture, or to put up their hands to clap (to improve their motor skills), when they mount the horse. Jyoti Upadhyay, mother of eight-year-old Gauri, said, “My daughter is very hyperactive and faces severe speech problems. But in the past few months, I have seen some significant changes in her. Earlier, she could not understand even simple words and would not really pay attention to what was said to her. Now, not only her attention span but her capacity to recall and reproduce simple words has improved”.SK Roy and Somi Roy are parents of fifteen-year old Ashu who suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). They started visiting the centre about eight months ago, when they moved to the city from Delhi. “At this centre, children can move around freely and interact with animals under proper supervision, in good hygienic conditions and an open space for mobility,” said Roy.Ranu Sharma, mother of ten-year old Arul, said that she found it easier to bring her son to animal therapy in an institutional setup rather than confine him in the house with a personal pet. “Since Ashu suffers from cerebral palsy, he is very restless and fidgety while being made to exercise or have food. He also has constant seizures, which lead to tremendous loss in energy; this hampers the progress he has made. Now, the frequency of his seizures has reduced from about eight in a day to only one or two in a month; he is calmer and more active.”