Category: Well-Being

We all want our children to be healthy, happy, and successful. But medicine is not always enough for the health of a child. In such a case, different types of therapy come to the rescue. Here we will tell you about pet therapy and how it can benefit your child.

Animal therapy, or pet therapy, is one of the methods in rehabilitation and psychotherapy. Boris Levinson began to develop this field in earnest in 1961: the doctor noticed that the presence of a dog helped establish contact with a child with autism.  Animals are known to help not be afraid of children who are facing painful procedures like injections. Even a small aquarium in the lobby of an outpatient clinic or medical center should already dampen the fear a bit.

Pet Therapy

There are two directions in pet therapy. The first is animal-associated therapy, i.e. activities that focus on treatment and assistance: development of motor skills, recovery from serious illnesses, alleviation of the symptoms of mental illness, and making contact in a specific way. The second is called animal-associated activity, which is more general work with animals aimed at evoking positive emotions in patients. The individual areas have their names: hippotherapy (work with horses), dolphin therapy, dog therapy (work with dogs), and feline-assisted therapy (work with cats).

The Americans started using animals in the treatment of illnesses in 1969, and today cats, dogs, dolphins, and horses are active in the treatment of epilepsy, autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome. Animal therapy is conducted by a qualified specialist, who develops a therapeutic plan based on the patient’s history and comorbidities. All animals that participate in pet therapy receive special training.

Therapy Dogs

The main pet therapists are considered dogs, who are known for their sociability, friendliness, patience, and controllability. Dogs are indispensable for the treatment of motor disorders that accompany cerebral palsy. Playing with a dog restores the fine motor skills of the hands and feet, teaches patients to pick up and throw a ball, and to pet the pet. Through play techniques, young patients practice certain skills, often without even realizing that they are in therapy sessions. Dogs in cerebral palsy rehabilitation are also indispensable for increasing motivation, fighting aggression and stress. Large, friendly dogs are subconsciously perceived by patients as protectors. Therefore, children feel calm and confident in their company.

Animals are approached for help in a variety of situations, such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and even after a stroke. Pet therapy is used for diseases that are not related to the nervous system, but in which the patient has an increased risk of depression due to long-term treatment, such as cancer, or in palliative care. As Levinson noted more than half a century ago, animals help establish communication with people with different neurodevelopmental disorders – such as autism.

And of course, animals are used to treat mental disorders, from depression to post-traumatic stress disorder. For specific work with patients, the best animals are those that can be trained and trained: horses, dolphins, dogs, and pigs. But furry rodents, birds, lizards, and other animals, even donkeys, also help fight illness.

How Pigs and Cats Can Help

Scientists are still figuring out exactly how pet therapy works and to what extent it is effective. According to some studies, watching animals increases the activity of the prefrontal cortex of the large hemispheres of the brain – this area is involved in decision-making and is responsible for social interaction. Contact with animals releases endorphins in our bodies, like when we play sports, kiss, or make pleasant memories.

Endorphins have an analgesic effect, so pet therapy reduces to some extent the severity of pain syndromes, for example in fibromyalgia. These substances also reduce stress and anxiety, calm and lift one’s mood. Contact with animals, apparently due to the same hormones, normalize high blood pressure and improves the cardiovascular system. But zootherapy also has effects that depend on the specific animal.

For example, hippotherapy – treatment with horseback riding – is recommended for children with neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy. It takes physical strength, a sense of balance, and coordination to stay on a horse, and riding lessons help develop all of these skills. In addition, the horse is an animal with character, and you have to communicate with it, even while riding, which helps develop social skills. The nice thing is that one’s self-esteem goes up as well. Altogether, this turns hippotherapy into a tool of socialization.

Emotional Support

Dolphin therapy has about the same effect on children. Movement in water and contact with an intelligent animal develop physically and emotionally, help a person move, perform non-standard actions. And feline therapy, that is companionship with cats, is usually recommended to relieve stress: the vibrations of purring and watching the soft movements of cats helps to relax. When selecting animals, their character is also taken into account. People with mobility disorders should choose quiet, phlegmatic animals as companions. Patients who need to be motivated or helped to cope with depression or fear will find active animals.

Pet therapy provides emotional support and can alleviate various mental health issues. Qualified dogs that aid in pet therapy are notably crucial for aiding individuals dealing with stress, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some of these animals serve as certified psychiatric service dogs, offering targeted therapeutic aid and improving life quality significantly. Obtaining a mental health service animal certification ensures these dogs are equipped to provide the necessary support tailored to their owner’s specific needs.

 Is it Possible to Buy a Dog and Get Well?

All of this sounds tempting and begs the question: can’t we replace medication altogether with companionship with animals? It would be great to get a hamster and get rid of bipolar disorder, and to pet a cat and say goodbye to childhood traumas. But the animal itself is not a pill or a certified specialist. The animal doesn’t know how or who to treat (contrary to popular myths about the special sensitivity of cats). Therefore, it is necessary to work with pets, if a therapeutic effect is required, together with a specialist. Pet therapy is usually not used by itself but as part of a complex treatment.

Cats and dogs are perhaps the most common type of pets and provide emotional well being for those who are not even seeking pet therapy.  The value of this relationship is so important that pet owners will even consider pet insurance in the event their pet becomes ill.  Medical bills can be quite expensive.

Of course, to a certain extent, an animal can improve health and quality of life by its mere presence – this is called “undirected pet therapy”. For example, the fact that you got your child a dog imposes a number of obligations. The dog has to be walked, i.e. to take a leash and walk in the streets. It is a physical and useful activity, so that dog owners, especially those who like to walk, have a better chance of staying healthy, even if they do not exercise. In addition, dogs sometimes serve as a confidant, if not a therapist: things that patients don’t dare tell another person, they can tell the dog.

Why Horses and Dolphins are Not Indicated for Everyone

Of course, we must understand that zootherapy is a method that requires serious research and evidence. Unfortunately, sometimes therapy with the help of animals is advertised unfairly, especially when it comes to the rehabilitation of children. For example, they promise unprecedented progress from lessons with dolphins, while there is no serious evidence that it is dolphins that improve the condition of patients.

If pet therapy is still considered as an auxiliary method of treatment, the animal must be chosen with a specialist. It all depends on the goals of treatment, the patient’s condition, and his peculiarities. Even if the child needs a faithful friend and outdoor walks, but is simply afraid of dogs, you should not drag him or her into contact with them. A patient with a spinal cord injury should not ride a horse, even if he wants to try hippotherapy, with a lack of warmth and close relationships is unlikely to seriously help a turtle.

There are also more prosaic contraindications. For example, an allergy to fur and skin, in which case you should not get a cat. In addition, not every animal can be therapeutic. Animals can be aggressive and fearful, and in this case, communicating with them will not be beneficial, especially for a person with a mental disorder or neurological disorder. But limitations can be circumvented – choose an animal that is not frightening and is not allergic to, exercise in places where animals are prepared to meet patients – and then exercise will do more good than harm.

Looking for a different kind of pet that is still safe for children and families?  Check out these child friendly reptiles.

In recent years, preschool educational system trying to introduce progressive innovative methods of improving the health of children. It allows to effectively perform the tasks that are facing the teaching staff today. One of the most popular areas is the art therapy technique.

Art therapy is one of the most effective methods of psychotherapy, which involves creativity and various artistic techniques. Correction with art therapy is the gentlest and productive. It allows to solve various problems, ranging from the problems of social adaptation and ending with the development of children’s potential. The leading goal of art therapy is to master the process of self-knowledge in a child and develop his ability to express himself.

Types of Art Therapy

Isotherapy. A productive type of therapy with the introduction of all kinds of art means: modeling, application, drawing. During the drawing therapy, classes are conducted aimed at improving perception and children’s imagination. Creativity helps a child to open up while having fun, improve sensually-motor coordination and specifically imaginative thinking;

Bibliotherapy. The main tool is a literary work. It allows to solve the internal problems of the child. Novels, fairy tales, and stories can be used as literary sources. Bibliotherapy helps to overcome psychological problems, including shyness, insecurity;

Music therapy. An effective therapy that helps to improve the health of the child. The teacher selects in advance the appropriate melodies and sounds, with the help of which you can have a positive impact on the psycho-emotional state of the child. In practice, both individual and group music therapy are distinguished. The first is necessary to restore a trusting relationship between the teacher and the child, the second for the development of communication skills with other children;

Kinesitherapy. Modern therapy, which includes choreotherapy, dance therapy, corrective rhythm. In this case, the child moves as he wants, without subordinating all actions to the coach. Dancing helps children to throw out all the negative energy and get a lot of positive emotions.

The most effective methods of art therapy also include phototherapy, color therapy, play therapy and sand therapy. All of them help to overcome feelings of rejection and allow you to increase self-esteem in your own eyes.

Art therapy methods

Active. In this case, the whole procedure is aimed at designing a new creative composition. The child learns to embody his own creation into reality without evaluating quality and beauty;

Passive. The main purpose of this technique is the use of pre-prepared types of art, for example, listening to a musical composition, watching exciting videos;

Mixed. The child uses the available artwork to design their own personal creativity products.

The use of art therapy is the most productive way of social adaptation. Its introduction into the field of preschool education allows children to take full part in the life of society, develop creativity of thinking and integrity of the personality.

Art therapy in working with children

The main task of modern art therapy technique is the transition from negative experiences to positive emotions. Progressive methods used in preschool educational institutions make it possible to reveal the child’s inner potential and maximize his efficiency.

The main means of art therapy are various materials that are used in art: pencils, markers, pens, 3D pens, paper, brushes, coloring pages, 3D printers, video materials, melodic music and much more. The increasing popularity among children and adolescents is acquired by 3D devices that allow you to create three-dimensional objects. They help children develop their own imagination and volumetric thinking skills, realize their own dreams and relieve psycho-emotional stress.

Why art therapy is useful

The complex development of a child is based on many factors. This is both the intellectual development of the child and physical exercises (for example, choreography for children). The moral and ethical base, the development of leadership qualities is important. But the framework for everything is a harmonious mental state and a child’s self-confidence. Through creativity, the child not only achieves this inner balance, but also acquires many other useful skills:

• Knows himself, forms the concept of himself as a person, individuality;
• Safely and harmoniously living complex and destructive feelings;
• Learns to express oneself;
• Develops a sense of self-worth, significance;
• Improves academic performance and socialization in the team;
• Learns to look for answers to his questions;
• Develops emotional intelligence, learns to feel their emotions and needs;
• Improves the speed of thinking;
• Develops fine motor skills by working with clay, brush, finger paints.

Five DIY Techniques of Art Therapy

The best results can be achieved in developmental sessions with a psychologist or art therapist, but some of the techniques can be applied at home. To practice children’s art therapy at home, you will need creative supplies: wax crayons, gouache, watercolors, crayons, oil pastels. The more variety of colors and materials you offer your child, the more productive the lessons will be.

Technique “Drawing in a circle”

A circle is a closed shape that is psychologically perceived as safe and reliable. The circle often acts as a container for our experiences, anger, resentment, sadness. At the moment when the child is angry or upset, invite him to throw out all the emotions by coloring the circle drawn on a white sheet. You can draw with any paints, pastels, brushes or even your hands.

Technique “Masks”

The art therapy courses offer classes on masks. In part, they resemble exercises related to acting, but the emphasis here is not on acting and creative self-expression, but on the opportunity to look deep into oneself and explore oneself. Prepare some paper blanks of masks and invite your child to draw one mask as he usually is, and another as he would like to be. Discuss the work.

Technique “I am in the form of an animal”

Working with animal images is very resourceful for both children and adults, so it is often used in art therapy centers. It is better to perform this task in the company, it will be more interesting to discuss the results, but it is possible to carry it out individually with the child. Ask your child to paint himself as an animal, bird, or insect. Discuss the drawing? Ask why he chose this look. What strengths does this animal have that the child would like to have?

Technique “Aquatipia”

In art therapy classes glasses of different sizes are used for this technique, but you can take a plastic bag or file. The main thing is that the surface is flat and clean. Invite your child to choose 2–4 colors that best suit his feelings or mood. Better to use gouache. Then, for several minutes, the child can draw his mood on glass or a file – it is better if it is an abstraction. When the drawing is ready, take a blank sheet of paper and print the drawing on it. Take more and more sheets until the print is completely faded.

Invite your child to look for familiar objects and associations in the resulting images. This technique is often used by art therapists to show children how fast and transient negative experiences are, and how to get rid of them quickly.

Technique “My Planet”

Invite your child to dream up and come up with their own planet. What is she like? What is it called? Who inhabits it? Offer to draw to the child and come up with the story together.

Do you know a child who is interested in art?  Explore how they can Doodle for Google.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, commonly referred to as ADHD, is a neurodevelopment condition that affects behavior. And while most ADHD treatments typically involve medication, psychotherapy can be a more effective solution.

Here’s where behavioral therapy comes into play. Different symptoms of ADHD react to medication differently. Behavioral therapy manages ADHD symptoms by encouraging positive characters and behaviors and improving self-esteem and self-control. When used effectively, behavioral therapy can develop a wide range of skills to help ADHD patients to manage behavior-related challenges.

The effectiveness of behavioral therapy also varies from one person to another, and many doctors recommend medication to get the best results.

This post will discuss what behavioral therapy is, how effective it is for treating ADHD, and the different behavioral therapy techniques. Read on:

What is Behavioral Therapy? How It Alleviates Symptoms of ADHD

Behavioral therapy is basically an umbrella term used for different forms of therapy that focus on the patient’s behavior. The primary aim of this psychotherapy treatment is to help the patient identify harmful or unhealthy behaviors and change them by adopting more helpful behaviors.

That’s to say, behavioral therapy is based on the idea that a patient can learn behavioral patterns. As such, you can learn new behaviors through therapy, although learning and reinforcing them can take time.

Some common forms of behavioral therapy that have proved to be very effective include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)

We will discuss more about these therapy treatment options later on in the article.

How Effective is Behavioral Therapy for Treating ADHD?

Symptoms of ADHD can be quite severe, depending on the stage of the condition. Similarly, certain behaviors associated with ADHD can be very disruptive and quite challenging. And while medication may help control most of its core symptoms, behavioral therapy can be more effective in helping patients learn helpful coping skills and strategies.

On a similar note, it is important to know which behavioral therapy is most suited and will be the most effective for each patient. Different behavioral therapy forms can help:

• Reduce procrastination
• Stay focused for longer
• Avoid hyperactivity when it’s inappropriate
• Organize thoughts and tasks
• Identify and correct impulsive actions

All these are evidence that behavioral therapy is effective and plays a critical role in treating ADHD. The CDC also cites that patient training and behavioral therapy can help alleviate symptoms of ADHD, especially in young children. However, this may require caregivers, therapists, and teachers to establish the rules and define positive behaviors jointly.

Another study found CBT to be a more effective behavioral therapy treatment option for adolescents with ADHD who haven’t responded well to medication. The study found that college students who participated in the study experienced less severe symptoms of ADHD and improved “executive functioning,” which helped them manage time, complete tasks, and control behavior and emotions.

Several studies also show that adults with ADHD respond well to CBT. There’s already mounting evidence that this behavioral therapy treatment may help reduce symptoms of ADHD in adults. CBT can also address anxiety and depression symptoms, which is common in adults.

Does Behavioral Therapy Work for All Ages?

As the above study suggests, some behavioral therapy forms may benefit people with ADHD of certain ages more than others. For example, the report by the CDC shows that basic behavioral therapy and training may be more useful for children under 12 with ADHD.

This form of training can help parents and caregivers to provide their children with the structure and support they need to develop positive and helpful behaviors.

Can Behavioral Therapy Help Kids with ADHD?

Yes! Behavioral therapy has already proved to be very effective in helping kids (and adults) with symptoms of ADHD. However, studies show that it is even more effective for kids than adults.

Most kids with ADHD struggle with anger and self-control, which can lead to other problem behaviors. It is also not uncommon for these kids to lie frequently, especially on matters related to chores and other everyday tasks.

Behavior therapy takes a more businesslike approach to help kids with ADHD change their behaviors and responses to situations. One of its main goals is to eliminate arguing and give them the motivation to change without involving parents.

The point of introducing behavior therapy is to replace your kid’s negative behaviors with positive ones. That’s why its system of rewards and consequences plays a very critical role in molding kids.

Whatever the reward is, it should also be coupled with praise for good behavior. You can also make your child’s teachers aware of this plan, so they can reinforce it at school too. At home parents will be able to better help their child with ADHD successfully study at home.

Equally important is verbal recognition and praise for each time your child completes a task. Praise words like “you did a great job” and “I’m really pleased with you” can go a long way towards helping your child.

Consequently, as you can praise and reward your child for positive behaviors, you can also teach them to expect consequences for negative behaviors. For example, you can deny them points or take away their screentime each time they misbehave, lie, or get involved in fights.

Behavioral Therapy Forms for ADHD

There are different forms of behavioral therapy that you can use to alleviate your symptoms of ADHD. Some are more effective than others, depending on your condition, age, and other factors.

Some forms of behavioral therapy you might consider trying include:

• CBT

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on the patient’s thoughts and behaviors. CBT can help change your negative thoughts to positive ones by changing how you view challenges. It will also help you find more effective approaches to organization, planning, time management, and impulse control.

Some studies also show that CBT can help patients to manage stress and emotions.

• DBT

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) can help you to tolerate and regulate your emotions by teaching you different techniques to help you understand your emotions better. It also teaches you applicable ways to manage your emotions and change your behavior. DBT is effective at preventing impulsive or self-destructive behavior patterns in ADHD patients.

• Coaching

Coaching is a practical intervention strategy that targets specific areas of difficulty for people with ADHD. These may include planning, goal-setting, time management, problem-, and organization-solving. Coaches help you solve practical skills and teach you how to overcome challenges associated with ADHD.

• Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback involves measuring brain activity and trying to alter it to minimize the symptoms of ADHD. Most ADHD patients typically show less activity in certain areas of the brain associated with behavior, learning, and personality. Neurofeedback attempts to increase activity in these sections of the brain.

Which Form of Behavioral Therapy is Effective?

While each behavioral therapy form is different, they overlap in using classical and operant conditioning techniques.

In classical conditioning, the ADHD patient is associated with two stimuli to determine which effect it brings. For example, associating a specific sound with sleep can help the patient feel sleepy whenever he/she hears that sound.

On the other hand, operant conditioning focuses on reinforcing certain learning activities and consequences. For example, you can teach your ADHD child to expect rewards and praise after performing certain activities.

After identifying a problematic behavior, you can formulate a plan that addresses it and substitute it with positive behavior. This may involve a reward or praise for switching to a more helpful behavior. Or, it could mean facing the consequences for continuing with the problematic behavior.

Demonstrating positive behavior can also move your child a step closer to his/her reward, while negative behavior sets him/her back. That’s why some doctors suggest having a goal chart for your children to let them see their progress and have some sense of accomplishment whenever they complete a task. You’ll basically be guiding your child toward his/her goal.

When to Expect Results

Like most medicines and therapy treatments, behavioral therapy isn’t a quick solution. Instead, it takes time and a lot of discipline before you can start seeing results.

Changing someone’s thoughts and patterns of behavior needs a lot of consistent effort. The pace of progress differs from one person to another, depending on factors specific to each individual and how effective their treatment is.

By working closely with your therapist, you will start seeing improvements from your symptoms of ADHD and have more control over your behaviors. But even after seeing improvements, you should stay consistent with the rewards and consequences system so you don’t backslide.

Combining Behavioral Therapy with Medication

Many doctors often recommend behavioral therapy treatments alongside other treatments, like medication. Stimulant and non-stimulant drugs may also address the neurological component of ADHD.

Behavioral therapy complements medication well and can be very effective, especially when medication alone does not help.

In Sum

Behavioral therapy involves identifying negative behaviors and working on substituting them with positive ones. Several studies already suggest that behavioral therapy is effective in helping manage your symptoms of ADHD.

Your doctor may also suggest that you take medication alongside your behavioral therapy treatments for the most effective results. It is worth considering if you haven’t tried it before.

Read about ADHD stimming and it’s effects on the body.

Children today are not as fascinated by things we older generations once enjoyed so much. Back when we were kids, we loved drawing with color pencils and crayons. Coloring books were common and we would also scribble or color anywhere we could express our imagination. But all is not lost!

Today, free coloring pages for kids make it easy for anyone of any age to find printable drawings of anything imaginable. It’s true children today are not as fascinated by things older generations once enjoyed so much. It’s unfortunate that many kids now don’t find coloring books enjoyable.

There are some good reasons for this—and yes, I am talking about the internet, smartphones, and tablets. These fantastic inventions have robbed today’s kids of some of the simple pleasures in life. They are often more interested in playing video games on a computer or smartphone, instead of drawing or coloring something using markers or crayons.

However, just because kids like their smartphones and tablets doesn’t mean they wouldn’t love to draw or color. They simply need to be introduced to how fun it can be. For example, if you likes coloring animals, there are hundreds of animal coloring pages to choose from. It may be on a long car trip or at home when parents want to limit screen time. Instead of just saying “no more time on the computer”, why not provide them a fun activity as an alternative?

Online Coloring Pages

Thanks to the internet, children today have a whole new world to explore that will evoke their passion for coloring and drawing. This is something kids a generation ago were not able to experience. Professional artists are now drawing and coloring cartoons, animals, game characters, animations, and much more using highly-sophisticated computer software.

These artists also are sharing their creations on websites for everyone to enjoy. The tools and formats used by them are only available for adults with full-fledged careers. But, there are ‘kids versions’ for these tools, and children can use them to draw and color objects.

When searching for tech-free fun things to do for kids to reduce screen time, there are plenty of websites for kids to draw online with and easy-to-follow instructions to animate their drawings. Simply Google “online coloring pages” and you’ll find websites that are designed for kids to color digitally on the screen. Still, these interactive coloring pages where kids can create using the site’s tools are not the same as finding an image and printing it to color with real crayons.

Coloring Page Communities

Whether the artwork is online for virtual coloring using software or you access printable drawings, many of these coloring pages are created by the artistic community. It’s a way for them to share their art and provide fun for kids without having to publish a coloring book. The great thing about this is that parents and teachers only need to print the specific drawings that kids want to color. It’s a great way for them to explore their artist skills and decide if they some day want to join the artistic community as they grow older.

Simply introducing all the coloring page ideas of what to color could inspire someone to try coloring. Discover drawings such as Athletes, Birds, Cars, Color by number, Dinosaurs, Disney, Educational, Flags of countries and LEGO. Or try Motorcycles, My Little Pony, Princesses, Spider-Man, Star Wars, Superman, Vegetables and Winnie the Pooh. The sky is the limit for what kids can color.

Coloring as also been known to be very therapeutic for kids and adults alike to help with anxiety or stress. Or just to have fun doing something they haven’t experienced since childhood. There are printable drawings available that have been created just for adults or teens. These coloring pages require a finer attention to detail. What a great reactivity to do together as a family.

Inspiring Artistic Creativity

While old-school coloring books may be a thing of the past for most children of our generation, they are one of the best ways to inspire kids and reignite their inner passion for drawing and coloring.

Introducing kids to free coloring pages can have a profound effect on children to encourage them in highlighting their creative side. It may inspire them create their own drawings to color.

It will allow them the freedom to make mistakes and improve their motor skills, thanks to the ability to reprint images and color them a second time. And it’s super easy pin their creations on a fridge without having to rip each page out of a coloring book.

Author Bio

Paul B. Wright has over five years of experience in the field of drawing. He specializes in drawing coloring pages that are printable for kids. It’s is Paul’s desire that children of all ages will will discover and grow in their true creative talents.

Share this article on free printable coloring pages with your friends and family!