information to help understanding kids

The New Role of Horse Therapy for Autistic Children

Parents of autistic children have had many therapies and medications tossed their way, with hopes of reaching their children on a whole new level. Despite all the promises, developing theories, and indications that these therapies and medications should work, many parents are now looking toward alternative methods of finding peace with their children’s condition. Horse therapy is a new but promising therapy for children with all type of disabilities, although the autistic aware community has become increasingly focused on this type of therapy.

Horses are of course majestic animals that carry with them a fabulous tale of potential, wonder, and amazing feats. However, their new role as a therapy model for autistic children has come under great scrutiny from some more clinically disposed experts. There are ample psychiatrists, physicians, and other experts who believe that horse therapy does nothing more than introduce an additional stimulus into the mix. There are others who believe that horse therapy holds great potential for those well trained and great potential for failure for those who believe they can just stick an autistic child and a horse in the same area and wait for a miracle.

The Horse Communicator

There have been movies made and books written about the possibilities horse therapies present. In fact, some of the great myths and legends of Native American origin include horses that can ultimately reach the unreachable, guide the blind and grace the deaf. These myths and legends make fantastic movie material, but those with disabled children live in the real world. Is it possible that a horse can help bring a child to a new level of communication? Of course it is. Those who have experienced success state rather emphatically that the therapy is not for all autistic children or all horses. Some horses, just like people or dogs or cats, have a higher degree of sensitivity. Some autistic children are looking to be reached while others are not. The right child paired with the right horse is the magic combination, according to those who have successfully helped autistic children communicate and reach out through horses.

Hopes, Dreams, and Realism

Many therapies that come along in hopes of helping autistic and otherwise disabled children, all of which are heavily publicized and turned into the media spectacle of new hope and promise. Horse therapy has intentionally stayed as far from the media spotlight as possible because those who have received the appropriate training and participate in case studies want parents to understand that the horses are incredibly sensitive and can, in some cases, offer the child a way to facilitate a directive communication. But just like all other therapies and treatments, especially those that are experimental, horses have shown great promise and have reached a few hundred children in ways that their parents and other experts have not been able to. However, not every disabled child will look toward a horse just as not every disabled child will respond the same way toward medication and other therapies.

Not Just Any Trainer

The neighbor down the road who owns a horse or that farm that you pass on the way to the beach that has horses running around is not likely to be the place to introduce a disabled child to the horse. Horses that have proven to work effectively with disabled children have undergone some amount of training to help make them less intimidating. The trainers have gone through extensive training in order to understand how previously successful sessions have worked. Parents should be strongly cautioned against anyone making significant claims, advertising the services of their horse, or anyone offering to treat the child that offers up no credible form of proof of education and certification. People will prey on the desperate, and horse therapy is no different. It takes the right trainer with the right horse to try to involve a disabled child in horse therapy.

——————————————————————————–
Portrait Kingdom artists have created some incredible Horse portraits. Our artists use only the finest materials in creating your one-of-a-kind oil painting from photo.

Since it is so crucial that kids grow up believing in themselves, I have more tips for you.

1) Do not criticize. Criticism can greatly diminish confidence. It is easy for parents to say “See, I told you not to do that and now you are dirty all over.” We need to remind ourselves constantly that everytime we diminish their self-esteem, it will take us a lot more effort to restore it. Or even worse, we leave it as it is and the child will hesitate to do new things in future. If you have nothing good to say, it is better not to say anything. Talk to children about their mistake in a positive way.

2) What is your first reaction when you see your child in your room full of lipstick on his lips and all your lipsticks are spoilt? Will you start screaming at him? Most of us would. Then you would have fallen into their trap. What should you do then? Make them clean up the mess, even if it takes half the day. The child have to pay for the lipsticks by either not having a new toy or no Macdonalds for the next two months. Screaming at them does not really help as they already feel frightened when they know you have found out the truth. Let them learn that they have to be responsible for what they do. If they can come up with their own punishment (which you are agreeable to), that would be better.

3) One of the easiest way is to hang up their pictures on the wall so that visitors can take a look at them too. Encourage them to take about the story or idea behind the picture. If your kids are older, you could embark on a project to write a storybook. The child could write on a short chapter a week. They can also hang up short articles or jokes on the wall.

4) Communicate with your child as much as possible. You will need to know what they are feeling and thinking before you can decide on the next course of action. Most parents spend time and money attending courses to find out about how to deal with their children when the most important thing they need to do is to spend more time with them.

5) Help children to find their own interest and build on it. Try not to emphasize on perfection and competition. Instead focus on doing their best and enjoying the process. The process is just as important ,if not more important than the result. Children will realize that there are so many things to learn on the way which are so valuable to them.

——————————————————————————–
Cheng Cheng is a parenting expert with two boys age 5 and 6. She has learnt a lot from books and other mothers. She hopes to share her experiences and knowledge which will definitely be useful to you. For more articles, please go to http://www.raisingconfidentkids.com