Dolphin Therapy in Antalya of Nele 2011

My daughter Nele had Dolphin Therapy from 17.09.-01.10.2011 in Antalya, Turkey. Amongst other things this form of animal-assisted therapy works through ultra waves that the dolphins use for communication. These ultra waves set the child’s brain in an Alpha state; this is a condition which relaxes the brain but also in which the brain has its strongest learning ability. Normally this condition is present only when sleeping, when the day’s experiences are processed. During and after the Dolphin Therapy this state remains retrievable for up to 3 to 6 months, so that the child’s heightened learning ability remains    – Tests have shown that the learning ability increases by 10 to 15 times more than normal.

For the therapy to be a success the child should also be adequately encouraged after the therapy.

This is why I am so happy that Nele is now at school – in an open-minded and dedicated school – where there are many supportive facilities and especially very good care.

Even during the therapy, which comprised Dolphin Therapy, Hippo Therapy, Physiotherapy and daily swimming in the pool and sea, positive results became evident.

Successes during our stay/the therapy sessions in Antalya:

• Much better head control
• She can hold herself and objects for a longer time
• She follows people and objects with her eyes in both directions when it is part of a task
• She remembers sequences from repeated task formulation and can initiate them herself
• Torso posture clearly improved
• Undertakes contact with the floor herself when she is lowered onto it – with and without shoes – but one should take care to see that her legs are not crossed
• She actively assists in standing up from a sitting position on request
• She can sit up from a half lying position
• She actively begins to stand from a kneeling position on request
• She uses both her hands and arms to defend herself
• She can open both hands on her own
• She makes sounds a lot more
• She is more alert and looks at everything

In the first few weeks after the therapy the following became apparent:

• Nele’s sense of pain has sharpened, She reacts to a poke or pinch on the skin
• Nele can fend off something she does not want quite loudly
• Nele’s fits are not so frequent, serious cramps no longer occur
• Nele generally moves a lot more and is more alert
• Nele drinks better
• At school she shows she is willing to participate, and can through demands become motivated
• At school she hits the Big Mac button at the correct time when it is her turn in a song – showing that she has musical understanding
• …

After 7 weeks:

• Despite the cold weather Nele’s health remains stable, no serious catarrh or stertorous breathing as in previous years
• Nele can hold her head up for a long time – approx. 15 mins. – in her standing support – also afterwards and in her car seat she can repeatedly hold up her head
• Nele shows understanding of actions/reactions e.g. looks at a switch, looks at a lamp, presses the switch to turn on the lamp, looks into the light
• Nele appears to understand some words, looking at a ‘ball’ or ‘red car’ on request
• She managed to again turn from her back onto her stomach
• Eye contact has now become normal
• Nele moves her mouth and makes quiet sounds when it is her turn to sing at school
• Neles mouth movements are altogether more versatile, more frequent and  more self-induced – when her mouth moves uncontrollably and one remarks on it she can pull herself together and mostly enable herself to drink,….
• Nele begins to concentrate on other things such as toys, lights, looking around and grasping rather than just standing in her stand support.

These successes are for us inconceivable, phenomenal, and we hope  that next year, after the second hip operation that will certainly set Nele back a bit,  we will be able to take part in another Dolphin Therapy in Antalya.

If you have questions concerning dolphin therapy you may contact this family [@encode@ email=”” display=””]