~*~*~
Meet Charlie.
Charlie has started attending school with Cam (and the other 80 enrolled students) every Thursday.
Charlie is a Therapy Dogs International, Inc. (TDI) certified therapy dog.
I have heard of dogs being used in hospitals and nursing homes to help improve morale and healing, but I had no idea they are being used in what is called Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), nor that a 2007 meta-analysis found that animal-assisted therapy improves outcomes in autism spectrum symptoms, medical difficulties, behavioral problems, and emotional well-being, and that counseling and school settings are becoming common places to see therapy dogs.
Recent studies indicate that AAT can:
Let's just hope this dog hasn't also been trained to detect marijuana residue ...
*rolls eyes*
~*~*~
Meet Charlie.
Charlie has started attending school with Cam (and the other 80 enrolled students) every Thursday.
Charlie is a Therapy Dogs International, Inc. (TDI) certified therapy dog.
I have heard of dogs being used in hospitals and nursing homes to help improve morale and healing, but I had no idea they are being used in what is called Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), nor that a 2007 meta-analysis found that animal-assisted therapy improves outcomes in autism spectrum symptoms, medical difficulties, behavioral problems, and emotional well-being, and that counseling and school settings are becoming common places to see therapy dogs.
Recent studies indicate that AAT can:
- Increase verbal interactions among group members.
- Increase attention skills (i.e., paying attention, staying on task).
- Develop leisure/recreation skills.
- Increase self-esteem.
- Reduce anxiety.
- Reduce loneliness.
- Increase trust.
Let's just hope this dog hasn't also been trained to detect marijuana residue ...
*rolls eyes*
~*~*~
