ANIMAL ASSISTED THERAPY
PRIMERO EN HABLAR
■Definition of AAT (Diapositiva 2)
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a type of therapy that involves animals as a form of
treatment. The goal of AAT is to improve a patient’s social, emotional, or cognitive
functioning.
■Historical precedents (Diapositiva 3)
We found the therapy's origin in Greek civilization. Greeks began to use horses for
riding. People with incurable diseases rode a horse because this activity improved their
frame of mind. Althogh at this time they had't real evidences of the chemical effects that
are produced in the brain, they ascertained that it method was really effective.
Afterwards, in XVII century, horse therapy programs were created, and then, in
1960, this therapy arriaved to U.S.A.
In 1972, the english man William Tuke, pioneer of this therapy with animals, began
a new kind of therapy with dogs, which tought human values and self-controlin the
patients, thanks to positive reinforcement, probably inspired in Levinson technique
SEGUNDO EN HABLAR
■Current situation (Diapositiva 4)
Now, the therapy with animals is very popular. Trough the years, many therapys
with animals have been developed, with diferent kinds of animals, like dogs, horses,
cats, dolphins or sea lions.
This therapy works with four areas of the patient: the emotional part,
sensorimotor part, social part and the cognitive part. The patients, like autistic
children, or children with cerebral palsy, began with with special trainres and sea lions.
Then, they start with relaxation exercises with animals. The results have been very
good, because some children improved the treatment with people who have a full
contact with the animals.
After several meetings, children show less anxiety of the unknown, and they
improve in more areas.
TERCERO EN HABLAR
