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... moreover, their muscle strength, cardiopulmonary endurance, and adaptability according to changes in location, sense of orientation, and position are lower than those of their counterparts (Ro, 2008). In recent years, in order to solve this problem, intervention with physical activity for children with intellectual disabilities has drawn attention.Yoon and Park (2013)reported that the increase in physical activity had a positive effect on perceptions and cognitive development in children with intellectual disabilities, and that the increase in physical experience promoted intellectual, emotional, and social development in the children. In addition, ongoing program participation is an important aspect ...
The purpose of this study was to determine if an 8-week therapeutic riding (TR)
program was effective in improving the walking ability of students with
intellectual disabilities. Thirteen students diagnosed with intellectual
disabilities participated in the TR program. TR sessions were conducted twice a
week (30 min per session), with a total of 16 rides taking place over an 8-week
period. A gait measurement analyzer was used to measure progress based on a turn
test (6-m walking and turning test), walk test (10-m walking), and timed up and
go (TUG) test. Measurements were made three times: before horse-riding (P0),
after 4 weeks (8 rides) of horse-riding (P1), and after 8 weeks (16 rides) of
horse-riding (P2). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software (ver. 22.0).
Descriptive statistics were generated on the general characteristics of the
subjects, and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to verify the normality of
the data. Because of the lack of normality, the data were analyzed using a
nonparametric method and the significance level was set to 0.05. Measurements of
the duration of the forward gait cycle (s) in the turn test and the forward gait
speed (m/s) in the walk test indicated improved walking ability after the TR
program (p < 0.001); the stride length (% height) also
increased significantly (p < 0.05). The walk test
revealed a significant effect of the program on the duration of the forward gait
cycle (p < 0.05), while there were significant
improvements on the left and right of the elaborated strides (p
< 0.001). No significant improvement in TUG test performance was observed
after the TR program. In this study, an 8-week TR program had positive results
on gait. Therefore, further research is merited, where TR programs are likely to
improve the walking ability of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
The present study quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated the effects of an alternative therapeutic learning method on
youths with severe emotional disorders (SED). The youths participated in a nine-week equine-facilitated learning program.
Very little research exists investigating the effectiveness of utilizing horses in the therapeutic learning process. The present
study encompasses three years of research on a unique program hypothesized to enhance traditional therapy and facilitate the
learning process for youths with special needs.
This article describes the therapeutic use of canines in child welfare work. The chronically rejected child, or those who virtually spend their entire youth in care, tend to develop a withdrawn, depressed, and suspicious posture toward their relations with other people. This ultimately results in their failure to respond to conventional treatment modalities. Under these circumstances, the canine intervention may prove to be a valuable adjunct, helping to develop and to expedite the process of the therapeutic alliance.
The optimal practice of medicine includes integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available clinical evidence from systematic research. This article reviews nine treatment modalities used for children who have cerebral palsy (CP), including hyperbaric oxygen, the Adeli Suit, patterning, electrical stimulation, conductive education, equine-assisted therapy, craniosacral therapy, Feldenkrais therapy, and acupuncture. Unfortunately, these modalities have different degrees of published evidence to support or refute their effectiveness. Uncontrolled and controlled trials of hippotherapy have shown beneficial effects on body structures and functioning. Studies of acupuncture are promising, but more studies are required before specific recommendations can be made. Most studies of patterning have been negative and its use cannot be recommended. However, for the other interventions, such as hyperbaric oxygen, more evidence is required before recommendations can be made. The individual with CP and his or her family have a right to full disclosure of all possible treatment options and whatever knowledge currently is available regarding these therapies.