Evaluation of the Efficacy of Hippotherapy for Children With Developmental Disorders

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Hippotherapy for Children With Developmental Disorders

Hippotherapy is every program of horseback riding meant to treat people with physiological, mental, social, cognitive or behavioral problems. The purpose of the current research is to evaluate the efficacy of hippotherapy for children with developmental disabilities. The hypothesis is that children with developmental disabilities who are treated with hippotherapy will show better outcomes than children with the same problems who are not treated with hippotherapy.

Hippotherapy is every program of horseback riding meant to treat people with physiological, mental, social, cognitive or behavioral problems. Most studies that tested hippotherapy were uncontrolled and focused on motor problems, such as cerebral palsy. Today, hippotherapy is used for various developmental problems such as Attention deficit / Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), without clear information about its efficacy for these populations.

The purpose of the current research is to evaluate the efficacy of 6 months of hippotherapy for children with developmental disabilities. The hypothesis is that children with developmental disabilities who are treated with hippotherapy for 6 months will show better outcomes than children with the same problems who are not treated with hippotherapy.

Assessment:

• BRIEF questionnaire
• Stony Brook Questionnaire

All questionnaires will be applied at the beginning of the study and after 6 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age: 5-17 years.
• A diagnosis of ADHD or ASD.

Exclusion Criteria:

• None.