Horse-tech and iPad helps young autistic boy reach out
A combination of equine therapy in addition to an iPad has helped a seven-year-old autistic man child percentage his feeling in addition to speak to his friends.
Previously, immature Luke had primarily expressed entirely requests to his parents (eg, ‘I desire a drink’), but this past times twelvemonth he was given a 1-pound iPad, introduced to a 1000-pound Equus caballus in addition to a especial computer program called Strides. During a concentrated eight-week Strides program, Luke used the iPad to accept his showtime two-way conversation, percentage his feelings in addition to tell his novel friends virtually how he lost his tooth.
Children amongst autism accept peachy difficulty developing verbal communications skills; xl per centum are, similar Luke, nonverbal. Southern Tier Alternative Therapies, Inc. (STAT), together amongst Tina Caswell, a clinical faculty fellow member inward Ithaca College’s Department of Speech-Language Pathology in addition to Audiology, is addressing this number amongst Strides, a computer program combining equine therapy in addition to assistive technology.
Though both therapy approaches accept been proven effective independently, they accept rarely been used inward tandem. The Strides© computer program puts children on horseback in addition to gives each identify unit of measurement iPads equipped amongst speech-generating applications. Caswell in addition to her squad of Ithaca College graduate students furnish intensive, highly customized preparation in addition to ongoing support. The unique therapeutic approach has helped children achieve meaning breakthroughs inward communication, both verbally in addition to through effective work of the device.
“What I’m seeing inward our Strides sessions is a lot of firsts,” Caswell said. “It’s the showtime fourth dimension the children accept been on horseback, the showtime fourth dimension many of them are using iPads amongst spoken language software, in addition to to a greater extent than important, the showtime fourth dimension they’ve had whatsoever sort of access to self-expression. Parents also tell me it’s the showtime fourth dimension they’ve been able to accept a two-way conversation amongst their kids. It’s wonderful when the children tin limited basic wants, but what we’re seeing through this therapy goes beyond that. Children are doing to a greater extent than than requesting nutrient in addition to toys. For the showtime time, they are telling narratives in addition to sharing feelings.”
Weighing over five pounds in addition to resembling laptops, traditional assisted speech-generating devices tin endure cumbersome in addition to heavy, in addition to children tend to abandon them due to lack of involvement amongst their limited communication options. On the contrary, iPads loaded amongst speech-generating applications entirely weigh to a greater extent than or less 1 pound, terms significantly less than traditional assisted speaking devices in addition to are to a greater extent than user friendly. Each kid participating inward the computer program is given an iPad to endure used every bit a speech-generating device. Participants in addition to their parents are in addition to then trained past times the Strides squad in addition to the Ithaca College students in addition to faculty to continuously update novel communication opportunities on their devices.
“Since iPads are thus lite in addition to mobile, the children tin easily work them field they ride horseback, feed the ducks, or only teach for a walk,” Caswell said.
“Using the iPads inward all kinds of varied in addition to engaging environments keeps the children from getting bored in addition to encourages them to communicate at a higher level.”
The Strides projection is supported past times grants awarded to STAT past times the United Way of Broome County inward New York in addition to the State of New York OPWDD Family Support Services Fund. Caswell in addition to her graduate educatee assistants from the Ithaca College spoken language pathology computer program demeanour the eight-week therapy sessions helping to create on in addition to heighten STAT’s existing equine therapy programs.
“Many of the parents inward the computer program are awestruck inward witnessing their kid limited something he or she already had cognition of,” said Catherine Markosky, founder of STAT in addition to the Strides program.
“During the program, nosotros witnessed 1 kid communicate his agreement of addition, in addition to the parents were completely unaware that their kid fifty-fifty knew his numbers at all. That’s the beauty of the project; discovering that there’s a somebody inward at that topographic point exactly waiting to endure heard.”
Through STAT, Caswell volition demeanour follow-up programming to create upward one's hear the long-term effects of the Strides computer program participants. She of late presented at the New York State Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention inward Apr 2013.
Autism affects 1 inward 88 children, in addition to it is to a greater extent than probable to impact boys than girls. About xl per centum of children amongst autism produce non speak. It is a disorder that appears inward the showtime 3 years of life in addition to affects the brain’s normal evolution of social in addition to communication skills. Though the exact causes stay unknown, inquiry has shown genetic factors play an of import role.
In regard to autistic children in addition to horses, the American Hippotherapy Association says: “The horse provides a dynamic base of operations of support, making it an splendid tool for increasing body line in addition to control, balance, edifice overall postural line in addition to endurance, addressing weight bearing, in addition to motor planning.”
The Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH) says inquiry shows that individuals who participate inward equine-assisted activities tin experience physical in addition to emotional rewards, increase confidence, self-esteem in addition to patience, in addition to create communication skills.
And, the Federation of Horses inward Education in addition to Therapy International (HETI) notes that the bond that develops betwixt human in addition to Equus caballus also opens upward many novel opportunities such every bit independence in addition to responsibility.
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