Canine-Assisted Therapy and the Improvement of Physical Characteristics in Disabled Children: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Materials and methods. Three groups of mentally disabled children of different age participated in dog-assisted therapy sessions twice per week for two months. Motor skills evaluation was based on the Bruininks-Oseretsky motor skills evaluation test (short version). Isometric torso muscle endurance tests were based on Ito, McIntosh and McGill. The ability to focus and memorise exercises and the ability to understand and perform them was also evaluated. Results. Movement perception and performance, as well as ability to focus and memorise the movement sequel improved after canine-assisted exercise sessions. The most significant changes in performance were observed in the torso muscle static endurance test, push-ups, fine motor skills, and coordination (p<0.001). Conclusion. Dogs can be successfully used as motivation for the performance of various task or to lower psychological tension and anxiety during exercise sessions. It is hoped that the results of this study will be used for the development of formal dog-assisted therapy guidelines for use in physical therapy with mentally disabled children.

Fisioterapia com brinquedos e terapia assistida por cães em lactentes: estudo observacional

“…Em relação à motivação para habilidades motoras, as mudanças observadas antes e após as sessões de terapia com a utilização de cães terapeutas foram semelhantes às de estudos anteriores 10,14,15 . Como complemento, Nedzinskaitė et al 13 relataram que, além de atuarem como motivadores de performance, os cães auxiliam em diversas tarefas, reduzindo tensão e ansiedade, como notado nas atividades de G1C e G2C.…”

“…Em outro estudo, destaca-se a reabilitação positiva dos pacientes que realizaram a terapia com os animais, a abordagem proativa dos cães e a reciprocidade entre terapeutas e pacientes 13 . Ademais, Nobre et al 27 e Lundqvist et al 7 demonstraram os benefícios que a TAA propicia aos pacientes, evidenciando sua contribuição para a socialização, afetividade, relaxamento, descontração, motricidade global, atenção, foco e interesse pelo ambiente.…”

“…Uma das formas que essa interação pode ser aproveitada é por meio da terapia assistida por animais (TAA), que consiste na utilização de animais com finalidade terapêutica 9 . A utilização do cão em terapias com crianças tem colaborado para aprimorar habilidades motoras, aumentar a autoestima, melhorar a interação social e reações comportamentais, promover descontração e alegria e oferecer segurança [10][11][12][13] . A presença do cão terapeuta permite que lactentes permaneçam mais focados e conscientes de seu ambiente social 14,15 .…”

Service Animals and Pet Therapy in Schools: Synthesizing a Review of the Literature

“…During physical therapy, children with special needs working with therapy dogs demonstrated increased movement perception and performance. Students with physical disabilities also exhibited improved memory function and ability to focus, showing a significant enhancement in motor skills and coordination (Nedzinskaitė et al, 2019). Finally, one study also showed that AAI increases the level of oxytocin, the hormone of attachment, in the blood (Beetz et al, 2012).…”

Physical therapy with toys and dog-assisted therapy in infants: observational study

“…One of the ways this interaction can be used is by animal-assisted therapy (AAT), which consists in the use of animals for therapeutic purposes 9 . The use of dogs in therapies with children has contributed to increase self-esteem, improve motor skills, social interaction and behavioral reactions, promote relaxation and joy, and offer security [10][11][12][13] . The presence of a therapy dog allows for infants to remain more focused and aware of their social environment 14,15 .…”