A child's occupation is to grow, learn, do schoolwork, play, and develop physically, spiritually, socially and emotionally.
A child with "special needs" may require help outside of the ordinary, in order to achieve these developmental goals. This help may include Occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language therapy, behaviour support etc.
Occupational therapy (or OT) helps children who have a physical, sensory, or cognitive disability carry out everyday activities like brushing their teeth or putting on shoes and socks.
The speech-language pathologist is able to use equine movement to facilitate the physiologic systems that support speech and language. When combined with other standard speech-language intervention strategies, the speech-language pathologist is able generate effective remediation of communication disorders and promote functional communication outcomes.
Dr. Terri-Ann Samuels is a registered physical therapist with the Council of Professionals Supplementary to medicine. She received her Bachelor’s in Physical Therapy (with honours) from the University of the West Indies and recently completed the prestigious Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, USA (April, 2011). The emphasis of study and practice is on paediatric physical therapy with specialist studies in Aquatic therapy and Hippotherapy (therapeutic horseback riding for children with disability and developmental delay).
Hippotherapy is a physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy treatment strategy that utilizes equine movement as part of an integrated intervention program to achieve functional outcomes.
Equine movement provides multidimensional movement, which is variable, rhythmic and repetitive. The horse provides a dynamic base of support, making it an excellent tool for increasing trunk strength and control, balance, building overall postural strength and endurance, addressing weight bearing, and. motor planning. Equine movement offers well-modulated sensory input to vestibular, proprioceptive, tactile and visual channels. During gait transitions, the patient must perform subtle adjustments in the trunk to maintain a stable position. When a patient is sitting forward astride the horse, the horse's walking gait imparts movement responses remarkably similar to normal human gait. The effects of equine movement on postural control, sensory systems, and motor planning can be used to facilitate coordination and timing, grading of responses, respiratory control, sensory integration skills and attentional skills. Equine movement can be used to facilitate the neurophysiologic systems that support all of our functional daily living skills.
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.
Source: Mrs. Donna Koolmees, Occupational Therapist, Jamaica Association on Intellectual Disability (JAID)