I got this information from a yahoo group I belong to in our area. There is a horse farm here that provides hippotherapy that I am going to look into. I know that some ESE classrooms have taken field trips here and have some great success.
On this site is information about Hippotherapy...you can also find a therapist in your state by clicking on Hippotherapy. The information below is an article copied from my yahoo group.
Why the Horse? The horse's walk provides sensory input through movement, which is variable, rhythmic, and repetitive. The resultant movement responses in the patient are similar to human movement patterns of the pelvis while walking. The variability of the horse's gait enables the therapist to grade the degree of sensory input to the patient, and then utilize this movement in combination with other treatment strategies to achieve desired results.
Patients respond enthusiastically to this enjoyable experience in a natural setting. Impairments that may be modified with hippotherapy are:
Abnormal tone
Impaired balance responses
Impaired coordination
Impaired communication
Impaired sensorimotor function
Postural asymmetry
Poor postural control
Decreased mobility
Limbic system function related to arousal, motivation, and attention
Functional limitations relating to the following general areas may be improved with hippotherapy:
Gross motor skills such as sitting, standing, walking
Speech and language abilities
Behavioral and cognitive abilities
Medical Conditions
The primary medical conditions, which may manifest some or all of the above problems and may be indications for hippotherapy, are listed below. However, hippotherapy is not for every patient. Specially trained health professionals must evaluate each potential patient on an individual basis.
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Vascular Accident (stroke)
Developmental Delay
Down Syndrome
Functional Spinal Curvature
Learning or language disabilities
Multiple Sclerosis
Sensory Integrative Dysfunction
Traumatic Brain Injury
1 comment:
Interesting. My son has PDD and sensory integration dysfunction.
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