[NEWS] [CASE STUDY] Family Dog-Assisted Adapted Physical Activity

TITLE: Family Dog-Assisted Adapted Physical ActivityPurpose: The aim of this case study was to examine the individual effects of an adapted physical activity, animal-assisted intervention (APA-AAI) with the family dog on motor skills, physical activity, and quality of life of a child with cerebral palsy (CP).Method: This study used an A-B-A single-subject design. The assessment phase (phase A) occurred pre- and post-intervention. This consisted of standardized assessments of motor skills, quality of life questionnaires, physical activity (measured using the GT3X+ accelerometer) and the human-animal bond. The intervention (phase B) lasted 8 weeks and consisted of adapted physical activities performed with the family dog once a week for 60 min in a lab setting. In addition, the participant had at-home daily activities to complete with the family dog.Results: Visual analysis was used to analyze the data. Motor skill performance, physical activity, quality of life and human animal interaction gains were observed in each case.Conclusions: These preliminary results provided initial evidence that the family-dog can play a role in healthy lifestyles through APA-AAI in children with CP.Reference: Tepfer, A., Ross, S., MacDonald, M., Udell, M., Ruaux, C., & Baltzer, W. (2017). Family Dog-Assisted Adapted Physical Activity: A Case Study. Animals, 7(5), 35. MDPI AG. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2sipSdJ Text: Here.Some of you may know my sister is disabled. She does not have CP, but an intellectually disability of unknown origin/cause. The family dog has been a consistent positive influence in her life. She's definitely more active, less inclined to out bursts and in general is happier. He's like a little ray of sunshine in her life, though, admittedly, they're naughty as hell together! We've always let the dog 'pick' my sister so to speak. Finding the right dog to tolerate loudness or sudden outbursts can be difficult, but Jake adores her. She can push him away or have a meltdown and he'll come find her to calm her down and otherwise thinks she is the best thing ever. I know that study noted avoidance initially, which isn't entirely surprising. I'm glad their bond grew! via /r/dogs http://ift.tt/2rIH6DZ