Efficacy of Hippotherapy as a Treatment/Intervention for Autism

Efficacy of Hippotherapy as a Treatment/Intervention for Autism

Introduction

The paper attempts to discuss the efficiency and effectiveness of the use of Hippotherapy as a treatment for autism. The paper initially explains autism in a comprehensive manner and then gives a brief history of autism. It then highlights Hippotherapy as a method of treating autism. The paper then details the efficacy of utilizing Hippotherapy as a treatment or intervention for autism mentioning the medical as well as the social aspect of Hippotherapy treatment.

Discussion and Analysis

The complex neurological disorder autism, or autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) as it is most commonly known today, has been a cause for mother blame since the early 1940s. In the early days, professionals blamed mothers for lacking warmth and thereby contributing to children's lack of social reciprocity. Despite modern scientific knowledge, mothers of children with autism are still struggling to prove themselves guilt-free in the eyes of both professionals and society as a whole (ASAT, 2010).

History of Autism

Autism was first defined in the 1940s by Leo Kanner, a psychiatrist, and was considered a disorder caused by an emotionally unavailable mother. This theory was the prevalent thought throughout the 1970s, with a gradual shift to understanding that autism is a brain-based disorder of undetermined origin. Educational implications and theories of how to help children with autism learn have been a part of this shift in thinking, with continued controversies on treatment and methods (Ashwood, Wills & Van de, 2006). This entry provides a definition of autism and information on models of instruction and therapeutic treatments, which remain a point of dissension within the educational community.

Prior to the 1990 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), children with autism were given labels of mental retardation, emotional disturbance, or even “other health impaired” when identified by schools as needing special education services. However, these labels did not truly identify the needs of a child with autism, and in the 1990 reauthorization of IDEA, autism was added as a diagnostic category for school systems. Four years earlier, the passage of Public Law 99-457 required school systems to provide services to children with special needs ages 3 to 5 and encouraged the provision of services to children under the age of 3. This included children identified with autism and a documented developmental delay. However, the intensity and type of services were not defined in these laws, and this has led to continued controversy regarding appropriate programming (Croen, Judith & Steve, 2002).

Hippotherapy - A Method of Treating Autism

From the Greek "hippos" (horse), Hippotherapy is a therapeutic alternative by taking advantage of the horse's movements to treat autism. This treatment uses the multidimensional movement of the horse is therapeutic and medical treatment for patients with movement disorders and other diseases. Historically, the therapeutic benefits of horse were already recognized around the year 460 BC Hippocrates, and spoke of the healthy rhythm of the horse and throughout history, there are numerous references to the physical and emotional ...