Source: BingUNews
The Kali’s Klubhouse: iTalk with Horses program, a community initiative through Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences, utilizes equine-assisted therapy to aid speech and language development in children. The six-week program, entirely scholarship-based and primarily funded through donations, grants, and fundraising, serves children from Broome and Tioga counties with diagnoses including cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, and Down syndrome.
The therapy, known as hippotherapy, considers horses as partners rather than tools, ensuring their well-being. The program, led by clinical education director Tina Caswell, incorporates augmentative and alternative communication strategies, employing AAC devices to enhance speech, language, and cognitive skills. The positive outcomes and popularity of iTalk with Horses highlight the effectiveness of the human-horse connection in therapeutic settings.
Read the full story HERE: https://www.binghamton.edu/news/story/4581/binghamton-university-speech-and-language-therapists-use-horses-to-help-kids-communicate