Remember Me
forgot your password?

Dolphin Assisted Therapy

Originating in 1978 by Dr. David Nathanson, Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT) has been used as a therapeutic approach to increase speech and motor skills in patients who have been diagnosed with developmental, physical, and/or emotional disabilities, such as mental retardation, Down syndrome, and autism. It is suggested that the unconditional love and support a dolphin offers can benefit children and other mentally ill patients by helping them learn to develop trust. Many believe that dolphins have human-like emotions and the compassion that they're able to give increases self-confidence, social skills and academic achievement in children and others who may be lacking these skills.

Since its' introduction, dolphin assisted therapy has become a very controversial topic in the medical world. Theories such as the one by Nathanson suggest that dolphin assisted therapy is simply a program that works to modify behavior by rewarding the patient with dolphin swims for performing a desired function.

Scientists, however, are considering the possibility that the sonar of the dolphins can actually trigger the healing process by increasing T-cells and endorphins.

In some cases, scientists have suggested that dolphins actually have the ability to target areas in the human body with their sonar and repair damaged tissue.

DAT has been suggested for use in healing and pain relief as well as increasing attention span, enhancing learning, and increasing motor skills and coordination in children. While dolphin therapy seems to work best with children, it's also a popular therapy for handicapped adults.

Although no scientists claim to know exactly how it works and there is really no scientific data to back up their claims, dolphin assisted therapy is increasing in popularity and is being offered at several aquariums in the United States. At the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida, for example, children can participate in several programs designed to modify their behaviors with rewards such as swimming with and feeding the dolphins. These programs, however, come with a hefty price tag that can range anywhere from $2,000 to $6,000 for 5 or 6 days.

Those critical of DAT, however, argue that simply buying a child a small pet will have the same effect and some actually argue that holding dolphins in captivity for what they deem "strictly recreational purposes" should be considered cruelty to animals. Scientists also doubt the ability of a dolphin to sense and target specific tissue with their sonar. The absence of any scientific data to prove these claims is referred to often in the scientific community.

While research into the validity of dolphin assisted therapy continues, it is cautioned that DAT is not a miracle cure and any organization promising such should be avoided. If you're interested in reading more on dolphin assisted therapy, the links below provide some excellent information on available programs.

Laurent Mikhail
Laurent Mikhail is a dolphin fan. You can find all the information about dolphins in his site www.dolphins-world.com
Rate this Article: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)
Print Email Re-Publish

Add new Comment



Captcha

  • Latest Pets Articles
  • More from Laurent Mikhail

Christmas Bunny - Are You Sure You Want A Christmas Bunny?

By: Nathalie Veilleux | 09/11/2009
Christmas Bunny buying has been almost like a tradition and has been done by people from all over the world and from all walks of life.This kind of present can sure make your child happy.But have you really taught about it?See some shoking facts about getting a bunny for christmas.

Christmas Bunny - Are You Sure You Want A Christmas Bunny?

By: Nathalie Veilleux | 09/11/2009
Christmas Bunny buying has been almost like a tradition and has been done by people from all over the world and from all walks of life.This kind of present can sure make your child happy.But have you really taught about it?See some shoking facts about getting a bunny for christmas.

Preventing Your Dog From Eating Their Stools

By: Gerald Hartenhoff | 09/11/2009
There are many complaints from pet owners about their dogs eating feces. This behavior is also called coprophagia and this means eating of feces by an animal. This problem could be a result of many factors like pancreatic insufficiency, digestive diseases and disorders such as malabsorption of food particles, over-feeding,...

How to Choose a Yorkshire Terrier Breeder

By: Kilian | 09/11/2009
You’ve decided that a Yorkie puppy will be the best addition to your family but now you’re not sure how to find a breeder or how to know if the breeder you found is good. We have the best tips on choosing a breeder for your new puppy to ensure a long, happy life together!

Christmas Gifts For Dogs? The Interactive Dog Toys Will Be Perfect

By: Jenny Gregorich | 09/11/2009
Christmas season has started to wave its magical hands over the world making the whole world look more beautiful.

Camouflage Animals

By: Alfred | 09/11/2009
Divide up over a small area and look for something unusual or of interest. It maybe a stone, a spiders web, a footprint, a nest, an ant hill. Allow five or ten minutes depending on the children’s age and then each one in turn shows the rest of the group what they have found.

Cause And Treatement Of Horse Cribbing

By: Dr. Douglas Stewart | 09/11/2009
Cribbing is a compulsive behavior, which horses sometimes develop as a result of boredom, typically resulting from being left in a box much of the day with nothing to do. It consists of the horse firmly biting an object, arching its neck while pulling on the object, and sucking in...

A Cats Agency - Inexpensive Catsitting Solutions!

By: Dave Kapel | 08/11/2009
It can be stressful planning a trip, and as for lining up a petcare provider with the help of a computer, pet lovers rarely understand a foolproof approach for getting the right person for the job. Test for free a pet sitter matching service!

Dolphin Assisted Therapy

By: Laurent Mikhail | 13/04/2006 | Pets
Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT) has been used as a therapeutic approach in patients who have been diagnosed with some disabilities.

How to Find Cheap Travel Deals on the Internet.

By: Laurent Mikhail | 15/01/2006 | Travel
Discover how to find cheap travel deals on the Internet without surprises

Killer Whale, The Largest Dolphin

By: Laurent Mikhail | 19/12/2005 | Pets
Killer Whales or Orcas are the most powerful creatures under the ocean.

Dolphins in Rivers. Is that True?

By: Laurent Mikhail | 07/12/2005 | Pets
Information about the river dolphins, including the most known of them, the pink dolphin.

Top Facts about Dolphins

By: Laurent Mikhail | 05/12/2005 | Pets
Learn the main facts and amazing information about dolphins.

Dolphin Intelligence. Are they Really as Smart as we Think they are?

By: Laurent Mikhail | 05/12/2005 | Pets
The ongoing debate about dolphin intelligence.

Swimming with Dolphins

By: Laurent Mikhail | 20/11/2005 | Travel
Things to consider when planning your swimming with dolphins adventure

Submit Your Articles Free: Signup
Article Categories




Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.27, 1, w1)