Therapy dogs to help children with neuro – cognitive damage at hospital 12 de Octubre (Madrid, Spain)

Yaracan has more than 10 years of experience in dog assisted therapies with hospitalised children and senior people. Their project 4 patas de apoyo was born inspired by one concrete patient, a little girl of 11 years old. She was hospitalised due to a neurological problem for several months and she woke up from a coma at her home. During her recovery, the presence of her dog was key, helping her through love and stimulated games that motivated her to move constantly and therefore improve her condition.

The program aims to emotionally activate the patients, hospitalised and non – hospitalised, and improve their neuro-cognitive skills through weekly sessions with assistance dogs involved.

Paediatric patients with neurological damage have concrete neuro-cognitive demands and interaction with the dogs generates emotional activation. This leads to a better anxiety and fear control of these children. With the help of the dogs these children are more motivated and focused on their therapies, avoiding cognitive fatigue.

1. Improved attention, concentration

2. Increased self-esteem, motivation in cognitive processes

3. Greater emotional fluency

4. Improvement in impulse control and self-control

5. Development of empathy and teamwork.

    

Therapy dogs bring several benefits in therapeutical, hospital and educational environments. In Yaracan we integrate them in already existing processes to contribute to people’s positive evolution, always under professional evaluation and coordination. With the support of the Royal Canin Foundation, we hope to extend the programs to more children in need.”

Begoña Morenza, Director of Yaracan.

“When you have children with neurological alterations, one challenge is the cognitive fatigue. This means that, due to the effort they have to make to achieve their goals, they get tired very quickly. The dog makes this fatigue disappear, because when children are happy, there is really no fatigue.”

Dra. Berta Zamora, 12 Octubre hospital.

“My daughter Irene is deaf of both ears, she wears cochlear implants and has hemiparesis among other pathologies. When she comes out of school, she tells me: come on! We are going to the dog’s class! The day of the session she is able to remain concentrated during 50 min, and I think she could stay like this even more. For me it’s a mystery, but what we achieve with the dogs cannot be achieved with any other type of activity, like perhaps a movie or a video call with her cousins.”

Mónica, mother of 7-year-old Irene.