Hippotherapy in the country of Turkey used for Physical Therapy.
Hippotherapy in the country of Turkey used for Physical Therapy.
It’s good to see that other countries are addressing the needs of special needs children. In Turkey they are using Hippotherapy and it's working!
Hippo is the Greek word for horse. Hippotherapy literally means "treatment with the help of the horse"
Often animals assist with the needs of humans. Mostly we see dogs working with adults and children who have special needs. Why not horses?
It seems like families with special needs children in Turkey are not as understanding as families here in the USA.
“Down syndrome, autism and mental retardation three days a week. By the end of their therapeutic treatments, great improvement is often seen in the children with walking or speaking disorders. In addition to physical progress, the children also have the chance to develop their communicative skills."
This therapy is available in the USA. With a quick google search, American Hippotherapy Association, Inc., can be found.
Their definition of Hippotherapy:
“The term hippotherapy refers to how occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology professionals use evidence-based practice and clinical reasoning in the purposeful manipulation of equine movement to engage sensory, neuromotor, and cognitive systems to achieve functional outcomes. In conjunction with the affordances of the equine environment and other treatment strategies, hippotherapy is part of a patient's integrated plan of care.”
#hippotherapy #horsesfortherapy #physicaltherapy4kids #pt4kids
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