“A Footprint in Pediatric Rehabilitation”: Project of the Center for Neuropediatrics and Development, from a Hospital Center

Abstract

Introduction: Introduce the animal assisted therapy ( AAT) into the therapeutic sessions and see if it will be a facilitator in achieving the defined goals.

Material and Methods: We selected 3 children, followed in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) consultation and in treatment at the PMR service: C1 of 15 months (m), with occupational therapy sessions since 4m, due to delay of psychomotor development (DPMD); C2 of 31m, with speech therapy sessions since 14m, due to delay of language development; C3 of 27m, with occupational therapy and speech therapy sessions since 9m, due to DPMD. Individual and specific objectives were defined. The SGS-II was applied as an evaluation instrument at the beginning (T0) and at the end of the study (3 months later - T1), to evaluate C1 and C3, and to assess C2 were used specific articulation tests (applied at T0 and T1). The instructor designed the activities, together with the child ́s therapist, and guided the animal in session. The dog possessed obedience training and professional experience. Parents signed informed consent. The sessions were held once a week (45 minutes each), being filmed for later discussion of the case.

Results: According to the SGS-II parameters evaluated at T0 and T1, we found that C1 presented a development corresponding to a mean age of 8m in T0 and 12m in T1, with an improvement in the speech and language parameter (result corresponding to an expected development of a 3m child in T0 and 15m in T1) and in the manipulative capacity (obtaining a development corresponding to a child of 8m in T0 and 15m in T1). C2 revealed in T1 a capacity for sentence construction (not observed in T0), improvement of the orofacial praxis and increase the time of attention/accomplishment of tasks. In C3, there was no change in the quoted values in the evaluation scale used. However, after viewing the session videos, we observed an increment in attention times, organization of simple tasks, comprehension of simple orders and improvement in number of vocalizations. 

Conclusion: The AAT emerges as a complement to the therapeutic sessions, enhancing the work developed by the technicians, facilitating the achievement of more expressive results in the specific cases of children with difficulties in interaction with the therapist. The dog becomes a motivating and optimizing vector of results. We consider the results obtained positive, given the short time elapsed from the program. Even in C3, where, despite the unchanged result of the evaluation scale used, it was found, after analyzing the parameters observed during the review of the session videos, an overall improvement in all of them.