ANIMAL INTEGRATION IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME ´´ZORO´´ 2nd international meeting Józefów, Poland 07 – 08 December 2015

Visit to a vet clinic for children

Children with special needs processes the world around them in ways that might vastly differ from our own perception, but that does not mean there is anything wrong with them. These children have a unique perspective on life that causes them to experience things in their own way, and it is our job as educators to make sure we speak their language instead of forcing them to rely on our own.

If we are the teacher to a child with special needs, we understand the struggles our child is facing on a daily basis and how emotionally troubling it can be for him/ her. There are a number of different therapies available that can help child’s development in several areas – physical, emotional, mental and behavioral – and each one presents a unique treatment plan tailored to the child’s own needs and goals. If we are looking for an alternative to the traditional therapies commonly available, we can try animal therapy instead. to a child with special needsphysical

Research shows that animals have the natural ability to improve our mood, lower our blood pressure and provide a pleasurable rush of feel-good chemicals; for children with special needs animals play an incredibly important role.

For a child with special needs, relaxation might be harder to come by, which is why an animal can work its therapeutic magic without the child ever knowing. Animals are naturally trusting and want to be accepted, just like children, and don’t judge us humans by our disabilities or limitations. A few hours a day or week with an animal can do wonders for a child with special needs.

Dogs and horses are the animals most used for animal therapy. They are able to be easily trained and are often calm and quiet to be around, which are great qualities for children that might get upset by barking or sudden movements. Having a dog assist with animal therapy can encourage interactive play, communication skills and showcase the appropriate behaviors when dealing with animals.

The child can teach them basic commands which help with self-confidence, self-esteem, language, and delight in how the animal responds to their actions. During animal therapy with a dog, the child might be able to hug or kiss the animal and get affection in return. This unconditional acceptance can be a much-needed bright spot in a child with special need’s day.self-esteem

As the child becomes at ease around the animals, more tasks will be added to help overcome their personal barriers. Because the setting is fun, as the child becomes more focused on the animal and their own interactions learning will become second nature. A number of skills can be improved during animal therapy sessions, and they are not only limited to physical and emotional.

Visits to the vet can be stressful for children with special needs so it is important for you to do everything in your power to teach your children about vet visits so that they understand this is not a negative experience for pets, but one that help them live a long, happy and healthy life. If you are able to successfully introduce your child to vet visits, this will be healthy for their development.

Talking to Your Veterinarian Beforehand is always Beneficial Before we bring our children to the vet, it may be helpful to bring up the topic with our local veterinarian. This will allow the vet to adjust accordingly when it comes time for the appointment, and he or she may also have some suggestions for us if it is the first time.

Before we loaded up the car and head to the vet with our children, we thought that it is a good idea to take the below steps into consideration in order to fully prepare our chidren for the visit. A good starting point is to ask our child the following questions: “Do you know why animals need to see the veterinarian?” “What do you think will happen when we get there?” “What kind of feelings are you having about visiting the vet?” “Do you have any questions you want to ask the vet?” “Do you know what a vet does?” “Have any of your friends talked about going to the vet?”

It is important for us to touch on all the above points to ensure our children are indeed ready to go with us to the vet. For some, this is a scary experience they don’t fully understand and the last thing you want to do is further intimidate them by throwing them into an experience they are not prepared for.

Once we have helped our children write down questions for the vet and determined they are ready to go with us, we need to be sure and notify the veterinary staff that we are bringing our children with special needs and that he or she may have some questions they would like to ask. In most cases, it is recommended that our child is not present while medical procedures are being performed on pets. Seeing pets in distress may cause further anxiety for children, so it is important to avoid this if possible.

This is veterinary clinic we visited with our group of students. Before we brought our children to the vet, we had an appointment.

As an activity we showed our children weigh scales and posters of ideal dog weights, relate to diet and feeding. We talked about their own weights and compared if they can collectively weigh the same as a large breed of dogs.

Cognitive benefits: Maths skills Physical benefits: healthy living Social benefits: group work

We showed our children surgical instruments, autoclave (sterilizer), surgical gowns and gloves, relate to personal and environmental hygiene.

We showed children the microchip scanner and encourage them to scan a microchip, read and for a fellow student write down the number.

We showed children X-Rays, distinguish parts of the body in relevant animal and human equivalent Physical and cognitive benefits: life skills (hygiene) Cognitive benefits: science (comparative anatomy)

The veterinarian showed children grooming equipment and encouraged students to feel and use the different brushes on real dogs.

Cognitive benefit: reading and writing Social benefits: communicating to peer Physical benefits: gross and fine motor skills

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