Hippotherapy uses the horse’s movement to enhance motor coordination, sensory integration, communication, and emotional stability in people with different disabilities. There is a need for evidence that proves increased efficiency in language use. In this study, we analyze the effect of hippotherapy on the communicative abilities of children with Down syndrome. Nine children between 4 and 7 years of age participated in two types of therapies: traditional language therapy and hippotherapy. Results showed effects of hippotherapy on language production and utterance length. Comprehension was enhanced by all therapy techniques. This preliminary study based on systematic evidence illustrates the effects of hippotherapy on communicative abilities.
AlnahdiG. H. (2015). Single-subject designs in special education: advantages and limitations. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 15(4), 257–265.
2.
ArchibaldT. (2015). ‘‘They just know’’: The epistemological politics of ‘‘evidence-based’’ non-formal education. Evaluation and Program Planning, 48, 137–148. doi:10.1016/jevalprogplan.2014.08.001
3.
ArnoldL. E. (2015). The alone rangers and silver. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 54, 535–536.
4.
AyresA. J.MaillouxZ. (1981). Influence of sensory integration procedures on language development. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 35, 383–390.
5.
BakerL. (1996). Down syndrome and therapeutic riding. Strides, 2, 24.
BlesesD.VachW.SlottM.WehbergS.ThomsenP.MadsenT. O.BasbøllH. (2008). Early vocabulary development in Danish and other languages: A CDI-based comparison. Journal of Child Language, 35, 619–650.
8.
BrownellL. R. (2000). Receptive one-word picture vocabulary test-spanish-bilingual edition. San Antonio, CA: Pearson Publishing.
9.
ByiersB. J.ReichleJ.SymonsF. J. (2012). Single-subject experimental design for evidence-based practice. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 21, 397–414.
10.
CasadyR. L. (2003). Building the evidence for hippotherapy. Hiippotherapy, 12(3), 8–9.
11.
CasadyR. L.Nichols-LarsenD. (2004). The effect of hippotherapy on ten children with cerebral palsy. Pediatric Physical Therapy, 16, 165–172.
12.
ChampagneD.DugasC. (2010). Improving gross motor function and postural control with hippotherapy in children with Down syndrome. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 26, 564–571.
13.
CopettiF. M. C. B.MotaC. B.GraupS.MenezesK. M.VenturiniE. B. (2007). Angular kinematics of the gait of children with Down’s syndrome after intervention with hippotherapy. Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy, 11, 503–507.
14.
Corral GranadosA. C.Fernández AgísI. (2011). Why children with special needs feel better with hippotherapy sessions: A conceptual review. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 17, 191–197.
15.
DismukeR. P. (1984). Rehabilitative horseback riding for children with language disorders. In AndersonR.HartB.HartL. (Eds.), PetConnection (pp. 154-188). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
16.
DismukeR. P. (1985). Horseback riding provides setting for experiential therapy. Accredited Social Health Activist, 27(4), 12.
17.
DollaghanC. (2007). The handbook for evidence-based practice in communication disorders. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.
18.
DonaldsonS. I.ChristieC. A.MarkM. M. (2009). What counts as credible evidence applied research and evaluation practice?Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
19.
EngelB. T.MacKinnonJ. R. (Eds.). (2007). Enhancing human occupation through hippotherapy: A guide for occupational therapy. Bethesda, MD: American Occupational Therapy Association Press.
20.
FensonL.MarchmanV. A.ThalD. J.DaleP. S.ReznickJ. S.BatesE. (2007). The Macarthur communicative development inventories: User’s guide and technical manual (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Paul Brookes Publishing.
21.
FineA. H. (2010). Handbook of animal-assisted therapy: Theoretical foundations and guidelines for practice (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Academic Press.
22.
FinnP.BotheA. K.BramlettR. E. (2005). Science and pseudoscience in communication disorders: Criteria and applications. American Journal of Speech-language Pathology, 14, 172–186.
FrankM. C.BraginskyM.YurovskyD.MarchmanM. (2016). Wordbank: An open repository for developmental vocabulary data. Journal of Child Language, 4, 677–694.
25.
GabrielsR.AgnewJ.HoltK.ShoffnerA.ZhaoxingP.RuzzanoS.MesibovG. (2012). Pilot study measuring the effects of therapeutic horseback riding on school-age children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 6, 578–588.
26.
GabrielsR.PanZ.DechantB.AgnewJ.BrimN.MesibovG. (2015). Randomized controlled trial of therapeutic horseback riding in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 54, 541–549.
27.
GaleoteM.ChecaE.Sánchez-PalaciosC.SebastiánE.SotoP. (2016). Adaptation of the Macarthur-bates communicative development inventories for Spanish children with Down syndrome: Validity and reliability data for vocabulary. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 25, 371–380.
28.
GaleoteM.SotoP.SebastiánE.ReyR.ChecaE. (2012). The acquisition of vocabulary by children with Down Syndrome: normative data and developmental tendencies [La adquisición del vocabulario en niños con síndrome de Down: Datos normativos y tendencias de desarrollo]. Infancia y Aprendizaje, 35, 111–122.
29.
GiagazoglouP.ArabatziF.DiplaK.LigaM.KellisE. (2012). Effect of a hippotherapy intervention program on static balance and strength in adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33, 2265–2270.
30.
GoodmanJ. C.DaleP. S.LiP. (2008). Does frequency count? Parental input and the acquisition of vocabulary. Journal of Child Language, 35, 515–531.
31.
HaleyS. M. (1987). Sequence of development of postural reactions by infants with Down syndrome. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 29, 674–679
32.
Jackson-MaldonadoD.de SantiagoS.Sánchez AguilarN. (2011). Verbal and non-verbal requests in Spanish-speaking children with Down syndrome. Down Syndrome Research and Practice, 12, 98–102.
33.
Jackson-MaldonadoD.ThalD.FensonL.MarchmanV. A.NewtonT.ConboyB. (2003). Inventarios MacArthur-Bates del Desarrollo de Habilidades Comunicativas. User’s guide and technical manual. Baltimore, MD: Paul Brookes Publishing.
34.
KaiserL. K.SmithK. A.HeleskiC. R.SpenceL. J. (2006). Effects of a therapeutic riding program on at-risk and special education children. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 228, 46–52.
35.
KamiokaH.OkadaS.TsutaniK.ParkH.OkuizumiH.HandaS.MutohY. (2014). Effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 22, 371–390.
36.
KeinoH.FunahashiA.KeinoH.MiwaC.HosokawaM.HayashiY.KawakitaK. (2009). Psycho-educational horseback riding to facilitate communication ability of children with pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Equine Science, 20(4), 79–88.
37.
López-OrnatS.GallegoC.GalloP.KarousouA.MariscalS.MartínezM. (2007). Inventarios de Desarrollo Comunicativo MacArthur: Manual [The MacArthur communicative development inventories: Manual]. Madrid, Spain: TEA Editores.
38.
LuysterR.LopezK.LordC. (2007). Characterizing communicative development in children referred for autism spectrum disorders using the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI). Journal of Child Language, 34, 623–654.
39.
MacauleyB. L.GutierrezK. M. (2004). The effectiveness of hippotherapy for children with language-learning disabilities. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 25, 205–217.
40.
MacKinnonJ. R.NohS.LariviereJ.MacPhailA.AllenD. E.LaliberteD. (1995). A study of therapeutic effects of horseback riding for children with cerebral palsy. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 15, 17–34.
41.
MauerD. M. (1999). Issues and applications of sensory integration theory and treatment with children with language disorders. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 30, 383–392.
42.
McGibbonN.AndradeC.WidenerG.CintasH. (1998). Effect of an equine-movement therapy program on gait, energy expenditure, and motor function in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 40, 754–762.
43.
McGibbonN. H.BendaW.DuncanB. R.Silkwood-ShererD. (2009). Immediate and long-term effects of hippotherapy on symmetry of adductor muscle activity and functional ability in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 90, 966–974.
44.
MurphyD.Kahn-D’AngeloL.GleasonJ. (2008). The effect of hippotherapy on functional outcomes for children with disabilities: A pilot study. Pediatric Physical Therapy, 20, 264–270.
45.
NimerJ.LundahlB. (2007). Animal-assisted therapy: A meta-analysis. Anthrozoös, 20, 225–238.
46.
O’HaireM. E.McKenzieS. J.BeckA. M.SlaughterV. (2013). Social behaviors increase in children with Autism in the presence of animals compared to toys. PLoS ONE, 8(2), e57010.
47.
O’HaireM. E. (2013). Animal-assisted intervention for autism spectrum disorder: A systematic literature review. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43, 1606–1622.
48.
OttenbacheriK. (1978). Identifying vestibular processing dysfunction in learning disabled children. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 32, 217–221.
49.
ReynoldsC. R.KamphausR. W. (2013). Test Breve de Inteligencia Reynolds (RIST) [Reynolds intellectual screening test] (Spanish ed.). Madrid, Spain: TEA Editores.
50.
SchalockR. L.GomezL. E.VerdugoM. A.ClaesC. (2017). Evidence and evidence-based practices: Are we there yet?Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 55, 112–119.
51.
SchultzP. N.Remick-BarlowG. A.RobbinsL. (2007). Equine-assisted psychotherapy: A mental health promotion/intervention modality for children who have experienced intra-family violence. Health & Social Care in the Community, 15, 265–271.
52.
SniderL.Korner-BitenskyN.KammannC.WarnerS.SalehM. (2007). Horseback riding as therapy for children with cerebral palsy: Is there evidence of its effectiveness?Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 27(2), 5–23.
53.
SterbaJ. A. (2007). Does horseback riding therapy or therapist-directed hippotherapy rehabilitate children with cerebral palsy?Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 49, 68–73.
54.
ThalD.DesJardinJ. L.EisenbergL. S. (2007). Validity of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories for measuring language abilities in children with cochlear implants. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 16, 54–64.
55.
ThalD.Jackson-MaldonadoD.AcostaD. (2000). Validity of a parent report measure of vocabulary and grammar for Spanish-speaking toddlers. Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research, 43, 1087–1100.
56.
UyanikM.KayihanH. (2010). Down syndrome: Sensory integration, vestibular stimulation and neurodevelopmental therapy approaches for children. International Encyclopedia of Rehabilitation. Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange. Retrieved from http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/encyclopedia/en/article/48.
57.
WilkieK. D.GermainS.TheuleJ. (2016). Evaluating the efficacy of equine therapy among at-risk youth: A meta-analysis. Anthrozoös, 29, 377–393.
58.
WinchesterP.KendallK.PetersH.SearsN.WinkleyT. (2002). The effect of therapeutic horseback riding on gross motor function and gait speed in children who are developmentally delayed. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 22(3-4), 37–50.
59.
ZimmermanI. L.SteinerV. G.PondR. E. (2012). Preschool Language Scale-5 Screening Test (PLS-5 screening test). San Antonio, TX: Pearson.
