Often the obvious answer to a question is not a useful one. When there is no apparent answer to a pressing question however, then it takes a creative mind or a leap of imagination to provide a solution.
Given the question; “How do you get a profoundly mute, autistic child to speak and socialize?” the answer is traditionally sought in close care and contact, structured learning programs based on reward and sanction and often, drug therapy. Recent developments that show promise include hyperbaric chambers with increased oxygen levels and chemical intervention that inhibits enzymes in the brain.
Just imagine getting a horse to do it. Well, someone did!
The very solid medical science behind hippotherapy frequently appears to disappear in its practice. Generally it is hidden behind a barrage of giggles and a wall of smiles from the riders, as it was when Open Skies, a voluntary organization based in Jeddah that provides riding for disabled children, recently opened its doors for a Sports Day with the Disabled Children’s Association of Jeddah.
“You put a child on a horse and almost invariably within a couple of paces, any fear subsides and he breaks out in a huge smile,” said Judy Houry, founder of Open Skies. “It’s therapy for sure, but it’s fun from everyone’s point of view.” The Sports Day is an opportunity for parents, volunteer helpers and charity organizations to get together and exchange experiences while their small charges grin and laugh their way round the obstacle courses aided by carers. To the children, it is a great day out with their beloved horses.
Littered around the ring where the exercises take place was the uncomfortable — to an able-bodied person — paraphernalia of disability. Walking frames, wheelchairs and mysterious leather supports and corsets that the children spend most of their lives in. In the happy cacophony of the event, this evidence of permanent constriction gradually took on a new angle; it had been abandoned and for just a short period (and) the owner was free.
“Apart from the treatment benefits, there is a lot more to riding for these youngsters,” mused Houry looking at a wheelchair.
“Imagine being pushed around in that and tended all your waking hours — it builds a restricted perspective on life — a sort of ‘can’t do that’ outlook.
Imagine the wonder for the child of sitting on a relatively huge creature and looking down on the world perhaps for the first time in his life. A new ‘can do’ universe of possibilities opens up.”
Supporting himself on rickety legs in braces and one hand grasping a helper, one small lad determinedly brushed down his mount. It was an iconic image; a ton of horse dipping its head in obeisance to its diminutive groom patiently waiting for him to finish.
“Imagine the confidence he needs to do that. You don’t get that from a wheelchair,” commented Houry. “The children develop incredibly close relations with their mounts and they develop a sense of responsibility through caring for them.”
Meanwhile in the arena, competitions were under way to place spoons in buckets, toss balls through hoops and hang assorted implements on hooks — all from the back of a horse. Carefully designed to develop gross (movement) and fine (occupational) motor skills and coordination, the eyes and thought of the competitors were on success, not medical benefit.
Hippotherapy is well developed in Europe and the US where often it can be financed by medical insurance. Ironically given the long history of the relationship between horse and man in the Arab world, in Saudi Arabia it is almost completely unrecognized and relies completely on help from the community. It was a new development of an old idea. Records of therapeutic riding for people with disabilities stretch back to the 5th century, B.C.
In modern times, the first use of hippotherapy was to treat poliomyelitis in Europe after World War II. It was first used in the US in the 1960s and its popularity grew as people realized its effectiveness in other areas.
Hippotherapy is usually associated with physical therapy, however its additional effectiveness as a speech and language therapy strategy is growing more common.
Hippotherapy uses a horse to accomplish traditional speech, language, cognitive, and swallowing goals. The movement of a horse in motion is used to address speech and language deficits by working on the physiological systems that support speech and language function.
The Aspen Group — US specialists in therapy and development for young people, say that; “a 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.”
While the cause of autism is still unknown, it is generally thought to occur due to abnormalities in the brain’s structure or shape. People with autism have a wide range of symptoms of varying intensity.
The condition is usually referred to as a “spectrum disorder” that is, a group of disorders with a range of similar symptoms usually including lack of coherent speech, or echolalia (repetitive speech), wild tantrums, repetitive actions, obsession with order and routine, inability to socialize, learning disabilities.
As the success of the horse in this sphere is constantly being proved, scientists have come to think that the steady repetitive movement of the horse’s body appeals in some way to that part of the brain which causes the repetitive behavior of the autistic person. Whatever the reason, he immediate calmness and pleasure in the autistic rider is plainly evident.
“It’s all therapy mixed with fun. Sometimes I marvel at the beneficial effects of something as simple as this,” reflected Houry.
It’s enough to make a horse laugh.
