Animal-assisted Therapy for Children and Adolescents with Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Abstract

The increase in neurodevelopmental disorders presents the need for complementary and alternative treatment modalities to support well-being in the maximum possible way. This narrative review was conducted with the aim to explore how animal-assisted therapy as a complementary treatment approach is beneficial for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders. A search in various databases was conducted to identify articles published in the field of animal-assisted interventions. The review comprised of a total of 32 studies. The discussion of the results was presented in terms of different therapy animals incorporated into the therapeutic environment. The review indicated that animal-assisted therapy has the potential to improve symptoms and various psycho-social variables in individuals suffering from different developmental disabilities.