Dolphin Therapy with Autistic Children

Questionable therapeutic approach with autistic children (also used for depression). See http://www.skepdic.com/dat.html and also Lilienfeld, S., Lynn, S., & Lohr, J. (2002). Science and pseudoscience in clinical psychology. New York: Guilford Press, and http://www.amazon.com/gp/blog/post/PLNK1UHEUNS3E2QGH

Category:

Education

Tags:

• dolphin
• autism
• depression
• DAT
• therapy
• psychology
• pseudoscience
• bogus
• animals
• skeptic

[newagescience]

There are 2 reviews of the literature on dolphin "therapy." Of course playing dolphin sounds isn't what is considered dolphin therapy. Both come to the same conclusion - it's bogus. I enjoy listening to whale song. I don't think it creating any kind of transcendental state for me however. :(

With some amusement, I noticed your userid is "firewalker". I trust that you don't think that there is any mind over matter (or other newage notions) explanation for firewalking.

[aspiemom42]

Google humans hurt in swim with dolphin programs and you will find several articles, Im not allowed to post articles here. There is a video that shows a dolphin deliberately jumping on a person in a swim with dolphins program but I cant find it right now. If interested you can read for yourself. Horse riding can be good for kids with handicaps because it builds large muscle control.

[aspiemom42]

Have U gone to Sea World to the petting tank? Dolphins will not come to U unless U have a fish! This is robbing parents of Autistic children and putting children at risk. Cetaceans should be free not locked up and used. My cat comes to me, a dolphin will only come to U if U have a fish in captivity. In the wild is where they are happy. Its unnatural for them to be in tanks, taken away from family and the sea, it takes their ability to hunt and to use their sonar. There is no real flipper!

[aspiemom42]

Im Autistic and I am against captivity of cetaceans. They dont tell you how many people have been hurt by dolphins in swim with dolphin programs. They typically use younger dolphins as the older they get the more aggressive they can get. These are very large and intelligent predatory animals that want to be free but are stuck in a tank and do not like being touched by people, much like autistic people. They will only "perform" for food, its not like they enjoy it. Get your kid a dog or a cat!

[ardenc709]

@JorkellDIY,

My brother is authistic, and you're an ass.

That has nothing to do with it, and don't say it was a joke,

because it's not funny.

[PirateMonkeyFilmz]

Honestly, it would have seemed like dolphins would scare the crap out of them.

[misspinkpunkykat]

I've always heard that interacting with any kind of animal can help an autistic person. My mom swears up and down that horses helped me and I know for a fact my bearded dragon helped me become more social.

[JorkellDIY]

No wonder he's autistic, with a white mother and a black father. Goddamn sons of Satan

[drinksprite]

haha i hear that shit all the time. personally i think mercury in vaccines has a lot to do with it, i dont see how a dolphin can magically manifest itself in a humans body. thats some dulce new mexico nightmare hall shit

[AotearoaSoldier17]

@direhope and you learn how to use your good-for-nothing brain because I never said so, idiot...