Dolphin assisted therapy

Dolphin assisted therapy is a type of animal-based therapy in which a patient works with a therapist and a dolphin in water to achieve certain goals. In most cases, dolphin assisted therapy is done with patients who have autism, Down syndrome, or other conditions that may make them nonverbal or have limited use of their bodies. The therapy involves patients with neurological, physical, psychological, or congenital conditions interacting with dolphins in a controlled setting in which they may swim with the dolphins, touch them, or simply watch them performing tricks or other stunts. The dolphins are trained to socialize and interact with humans. In addition to the dolphin trainers, therapy centers also employ the use of veterinarians and human therapists who work alongside the dolphin to aid the patient. Although many see it as beneficial, dolphin assisted therapy is also seen as controversial, with the ethics behind the practice often called into question. Opponents of the practice say it not only puts the human patient at risk, but it also can be harmful to the dolphins, which are kept in captivity for use in therapy.

Background

The idea behind what would become the practice of dolphin assisted therapy dates back to the 1970s, when a doctor named Betsy Smith noticed how her brother, who was mentally challenged, reacted positively to an interaction with a dolphin. Smith, an educational anthropologist at Florida International University, conducted research in 1971 that studied how dolphins and children with neurological impairments interacted with each other. Smith, who is credited with starting the field of dolphin assisted therapy, was studying how dolphins interact with humans when she let her brother get into the water with two dolphins. Although she said the adolescent dolphins were normally rough, she observed that they were instead gentle with her brother, leading her to believe that the dolphins somehow knew he was different and adjusted their behavior accordingly.

Research in the field continued into the late 1970s, when in 1978 David E. Nathanson, a neuropsychologist and behavioral scientist, began to examine the effects that dolphins had on children with disabilities. Nathanson, through a series of controlled language experiments, observed how dolphins interacted with children with Down syndrome. He observed that the dolphins gave the children an increase in sensory attention, which was beneficial to the children in the way they process information. Nathanson later went on to start a dolphin assisted therapy program in 1988 at a research center in Florida that he called Dolphin Human Therapy.

Although dolphins can see, they are one of many mammals that can employ the use of echolocation to determine the location of objects by reflected sound. Researchers and proponents of dolphin assisted therapy believe that the echolocation clicks—or sounds—dolphins produce have an effect on the human endocrine and neural systems. They say it is these effects that can help a person with neurological or physical impairments by changing their body tissue and cell structure. Other researchers, like Smith, believe that dolphins are more sensitive to individuals with disabilities or other impairments, and that the animals are calmer and gentler with them than they are with individuals without disabilities.

Overview

Since research into the topic began, the field of dolphin assisted therapy has grown and facilities have developed in the United States and around the world. At these therapy centers, dolphins are trained to interact with humans, and in particular, those with special needs. Families can pay to bring their loved ones to the facilities, where they can interact with dolphins in a controlled environment for various lengths of time. Therapy sessions are first held in traditional settings to allow a human therapist to understand the patient's needs, and then the patient is slowly introduced to the dolphins, often floating in the water while the dolphins swim around and interact with them. Proponents of the therapy say it has proved beneficial for the patients involved, with many showing neurological or physical improvements when compared to how they were before starting the therapy.

The practice of dolphin assisted therapy is quite controversial, however, with many opponents saying there is no concrete scientific evidence to support the claims. Researchers who oppose the use of dolphins in therapy settings point to early research supporting the practice as having simply anecdotal evidence and not hard numbers or data to support their claims. Opponents also point out that although patients may see benefits to the dolphin assisted therapy, there is no evidence showing the positive outcomes are long-lasting. Some counter-researchers even concluded that it was not necessarily the dolphins that produced positive results in those with neurological impairments, but rather simply having the patients be in the water. They claim that aquatic therapy alone can have similar positive effects on those with disabilities.

Dolphin assisted therapy has also created much ethical controversy, calling into question the treatment of the dolphins themselves, as the practice often involves the dolphins being kept in captivity. Opponents to the practice say keeping the dolphins in captivity and forcing them to interact with humans is no different than forcing them to perform at various aquatic attractions. They also say the therapy practice can be dangerous and is not necessarily safe for the dolphins or the humans involved, pointing to instances in which humans have been bitten, slapped, or injured in some way by the dolphins. There is also the danger of dolphins transmitting skin or other diseases to the patients or therapists. Detractors of the practice say this is because dolphin assisted therapy is not well regulated, so while dolphins may be screened for diseases before being allowed to interact with patients, there is no legal requirement for facilities to do so.

Bibliography

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"Dolphin Assisted Therapy." Dolphins-World, 25 Apr. 2017, www.dolphins-world.com/dolphin-assisted-therapy/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2018.

"Dolphin Therapy History." Bali Dolphin Therapy, www.balidolphintherapy.net/dolphin-therapy-history/. Accessed 5 Feb. 2018.

Ellison, Katherine. "Dolphin Therapy Is Booming Despite Concerns about Efficacy and Animal Cruelty." Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2010, www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/22/AR2010022203637.html. Accessed 4 Feb. 2018.

Herzog, Hal. "Does Dolphin Therapy Work?" Psychology Today, 9 Oct. 2011, www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animals-and-us/201110/does-dolphin-therapy-work. Accessed 4 Feb. 2018.

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Prager, Judith Simon. "Dolphin Assisted Therapy: Something Magical in the Water." Huffington Post, 7 Oct. 2011, www.huffingtonpost.com/judith-simon-prager-phd/dolphin-assisted-therapy‗b‗996389.html. Accessed 4 Feb. 2018.