Patti's Blog - Advocate for Elders, People with Disabilities and Their Families

Dogs work their magic in Autism therapy

Excerpt from: Blue Ridge Now (click for full article)

 

The friendly canines are used as therapy for autistic children, who are often nonverbal and have trouble communicating or expressing what they want. The dogs are a learning tool, said Lisa Lane, director of the nonprofit organization that provides in-home and in-school treatment in Greenville, Spartanburg, Pickens, Anderson, Union and Cherokee counties in South Carolina.

“Instead of using flashcards to teach a child to say commands, we are using a dog,” she said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 88 children are identified with autism spectrum disorder, which are defined as a group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.

The 12 children who participate in the Hope Unleashed Program at Hope Reach Clinic can learn verbs such as running, jumping, sitting and actually see what each word means.

Therapy can still benefit older, long-time aphasia sufferers, study shows

Excerpt from: McKnight's (click for full article)

 

Therapy can improve language function and general cognition for seniors who have had aphasia for years, according to a recently published study.

To reach their conclusions, researchers at the Research Centre of the University Geriatrics Institute of Montreal performed neuroimaging on seniors with aphasia who underwent six weeks of intensive language therapy.

Study participants showed an improved vocabulary and ability to name objects. The neuroimaging revealed increased functioning of brain circuits associated with language, as well as increased performance of a system called the default mode network, which is associated with brain activity that occurs when an individual is not performing a particular task, researchers said.

“We have shown that language therapy has a positive impact even long time after stroke, and not only on language but also on general cognition, as shown by the positive changes in the default network,” said researcher Ana Ines Ansaldo in a statement. “My hope is that these findings will change clinical attitudes towards seniors who suffer from language disorders, by providing intensive, specific and focused stimulation for these patients.”