Animal assisted therapy for children and adolescents with disabilities.
This article provides an overview of animal assisted therapy, or the use of animals as a treatment modality, specifically with children and adolescents. Animal assisted therapy is defined within the context of occupational therapy, and its benefits on the communicative, psychosocial, and academic/pre-vocational functioning of youths with disabilities are explored. The paper concludes with resources, including organizations specializing in the advancement of animal assisted therapy as well as literature explaining how to create and implement a program within one's existing practice.
Boston University, Sargent College of Allied Health Professions, 635 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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Poleshuck
Academic/pre-vocational functioning; Communication; Psychosocial functioning