Can dolphins heal by ultrasound?

Unconventional Animal Species Participation in Animal-Assisted Interventions and Methods for Measuring Their Experienced Stress

The participation of animals during complementary therapy for humans is a developing area. Dogs and horses are the most frequent partner species in animal-assisted services, but several unconventional species have also been involved, although there is a lack of information about the stress they experience caused by AAS. We conducted a comprehensive literature search, analyzing 135 articles with the purpose of investigating the effects of AAS on unconventional species such as guinea pigs, rabbits, farm animals, alpacas, donkeys, reptiles, aquarium fishes, and dolphins. We found that the relevant articles emphasize investigating the impact of animal-assisted interventions on humans, and they generally report positive outcomes. Limited data is available concerning the potential consequences the interventions may have on the animals. Therefore, it is our conclusion that more extensive studies should be conducted to get adequate information on stress experienced by animals during AAS, such as the measurement of biochemical parameters such as cortisol. Hence, meeting animal welfare considerations in addition to human interests could serve as a basis for the recommended methodology for therapies.

Third time's the charm or three strikes you're out? An updated review of the efficacy of dolphin-assisted therapy for autism and developmental disabilities

CONTEXT

Dolphin-assisted therapy (DAT) is a popular form of animal-assisted therapy for autism spectrum disorders and other psychological conditions.

OBJECTIVE

In this review, our third, we analyze the most recent DAT studies in terms of construct and internal validity criteria to determine if there is empirical support for DAT.

METHOD

To ensure a systematic review, we searched for peer-reviewed studies on DAT by submitting relevant search terms to Google Scholar from 2007 to 2020, conducted a further search of all DAT papers in several peer-reviewed journals, and reviewed reference sections of DAT articles to ensure a thorough review of the literature between 2007 and the present.

RESULTS

The DAT literature continues to be marked by several weaknesses in both internal and construct validity that preclude confident inferences regarding the intervention's efficacy.

CONCLUSION

There is still insufficient evidence that DAT has therapeutic value.

Konzepte und Wirksamkeit der Delfintherapien

Zusammenfassung. Delfintherapien weltweit werden von deutschen Familien rege in Anspruch genommen, bislang aber kaum von der Fachwelt diskutiert. Dieser Beitrag bietet einen Einblick in konzeptionelle Unterschiede verschiedener Anbieter und einen vollständigen Überblick zu den Wirksamkeitsstudien. Von den insgesamt 32 Studien werden die Ergebnisse der 13 kontrollierten Studien unter Berücksichtigung weiterer methodischer Eckdaten erläutert. Für Kinder mit unterschiedlichen Behinderungen sind Effekte auf die kognitive und motorische Entwicklung sowie nachhaltige Effekte auf kommunikative und soziale Kompetenzen bestätigt. Für andere Zielgruppen ist die Befundlage noch sehr eingeschränkt. Es werden Schlussfolgerungen für die zukünftige Forschung und für die Beratung von Familien gezogen.

Dolphin-Assisted Therapy: Claims versus Evidence

The purpose of this paper is to review and critique studies that have been conducted on dolphin-assisted therapy for children with various disorders. Studies have been released claiming swimming with dolphins is therapeutic and beneficial for children with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, physical disabilities, and other psychological disorders. The majority of the studies conducted supporting the effectiveness of dolphin-assisted therapy have been found to have major methodological concerns making it impossible to draw valid conclusions. Readers will be informed of the history of, theory behind, and variations of dolphin-assisted therapy along with a review and critique of studies published which purportedly support its use.

Unethical prescriptions: alternative therapies for children with cerebral palsy

The US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) defines CAM as "a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine." The problem with said therapies is that, for the most part, their effectiveness is questionable and their side effect profile is essentially unknown. Furthermore, as stated by Rosenbaum, many CAM treatments are based on "at best, anecdotal evidence and at times rather unusual ideas about the biology of the conditions to which they are being applied." In spite of the data shortage,Americans are forecasted to spend more than $42 billion on CAM during 2009. Using a patient for illustration purposes, the author presents 3 CAM treatments that have been advocated for children with cerebral palsy. The current scientific literature on these remedies and their purported benefit is reviewed. The article ends with a discussion on the reasons why prescribing said therapies is contrary to the concept of evidence-based medicine and the tenets of medical ethics.