Dogs and special education: Do animal-assisted interventions really work in classrooms?

Animals can be used in many different ways to help and assist people with different needs. One way is to help kids with disabilities that require special education. Let’s look at what Animal-Assisted Intervention(AAI) is, if it really helps with special education and the benefits of these types of interventions.

What are Animal-Assisted Interventions?

Animal-Assisted Interventions are when animals — usually dogs but other animals are also used — are being utilized in certain activities to assist a person or child that has difficulties with their health. These therapy animals are also used to aid people with special needs. Animal-Assisted Intervention programs can also help with various aspects of an individual’s health — improved muscle strength, decrease physical pain and lowered blood pressure levels.

Animal-Assisted Therapy(AAT) is when a plan is worked out specifically for an individual to aid them with recovery in their health. These interventions can take place in various locations such as classrooms, correctional facilities, hospitals, old age homes and many more. These animals are trained specifically to aid different individuals, in most cases the therapy animal is not being utilized for only one person.

Does Animal-Assisted Interventions Help in Special Education?

An article done by The Child Mind Institute states that Animal Assisted Intervention programs can help children with different health disabilities such as Autism, ADHD, Asperger syndrome and  Down syndrome to name a few. This approach can also aid the child if they have learning disabilities and require special education. These programs can assist the child with developing increased muscle strength — this is done through activities including playing catch, brushing the animal’s coat and feeding the animal.

Therapy animals can help in situations where the child could start to feel anxious. For example, the animal could take the focus away from whatever is causing the child to become anxious and allow him to relax more. Much as any pet, therapy animals bond with kids, this can help them build and increase their self-confidence, nursing and empathy skills.

Through various activities, therapy dogs and other therapy animals can aid children by increasing their overall health in a fun and interactive way. Therapy animals can become trusted companions to children — by decreasing loneliness, doing activities they both enjoy, providing comfort and increasing social interactions.

Benefits From Animal-Assisted Interventions

There are a multitude of benefits for animal-assisted interventions. Like special education, animal-assisted interventions could have a holistic impact on the child and the classroom. The benefits can be divided into three main sections — emotional, physical and mental.

Emotional strain and anxiety can become rather large for children, especially if they feel that the entire focus is on them. This is why animal-assisted intervention programs not only calm the child and take the spotlight away from them but also give them something to focus on. Some other emotional benefits include:

• Reduced levels of stress and anxiety
• Increased happiness which leads to increased self-esteem and self-confidence
• Through activities that aid bond building and trust, emotional stability can also increase

There can be quite a few barriers to learning when working with students in Special Education. That is why the use of AAI can be so physically beneficial for everyone involved. Physical benefits such as:

• Increased physical activity which also contributes to improved cardiovascular health
• Fine motor skills get used a lot when working with animals, which can help improve these skills and make a child more confident about using them
• Reduced blood pressure and alleviated pain

Aside from the emotional and physical benefits, there are also a lot of mental benefits with the use of AAI. These benefits are just as important as the other two sections. The mental health of pupils is often overlooked when addressing physical barriers, however, with AAI there are so many benefits for both sections:

• Developed social skills
• Character growth
• Improved conversational skills

Animals Used in Animal-Assisted Interventions

As mentioned previously, dogs are the most common animal used for animal-assisted interventions. Different dog breeds are used for different purposes. Here is a list of common dog breeds used as therapy aids:

• Labrador
• German Sheppard
• Golden Retriever
• Border Collie
• Greyhound
• Pomeranian
• Poodle
• Corgi

It’s not just dogs used in AAI — there is a whole range of animals with great qualities to suit almost anyone. Here is a list of rather unusual therapy animals:

• Dolphin
• Duck
• Pig
• Rabbit
• Bearded dragon
• Hedgehog
• Ferret

Are Therapy Animals Different Than Service Animals?

The short answer is yes. Although commonly used interchangeably these two terms can have quite different meanings. A service animal receives specialized training to provide assistance with certain tasks or disabilities.

In many cases, a service animal belongs to the individual to help them in their daily life. On the other side, animal-assisted therapy animals usually belong to a trained handler who specializes in the use of animals for therapy. Therapy animals are also used more frequently in group settings — hospitals, old age homes, schools and correctional facilities.

The Role That Therapy Animals Play

When looking at all of the benefits associated with animal-assisted intervention, it is easy to understand why it is constantly being implemented. AAI programs can be crucial to an individual struggling with a health condition or a child with special needs. By utilizing these programs, you can be sure you are taking the right steps to help a loved one in need.