Pediatric Hippotherapy for Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC)
in Pea Ridge, AR
If your child is non speaking or has difficulty with speech, working with a speech therapist to learn how to use tools that support their communication can be life changing. At Unbridled Pediatric Therapies, we combine traditional speech therapy with equine assisted therapy (hippotherapy) to help kids achieve confidence in their ability to communicate with others.
What Is Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC)?
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is a term used to describe the tools, methods, and technology that can be used to communicate one’s ideas to others. AAC provides ways to supplement communication for children who struggle with it (augmentative) and to replace traditional speech for children who are nonverbal (alternative).
Some common examples of AAC include:
- Picture boards, where a child can point to a picture to communicate an idea
- American Sign Language and baby sign language
- Writing tools for the child to write down their communication
- Speech generating devices that can speak for the child
How Pediatric Speech Therapy Combined with Hippotherapy Can Support AAC
Every child will struggle with speech sounds as they grow and build their speech skills. The symptoms of an articulation disorder include the following speech sound errors when they are made consistently beyond the age when a child should no longer struggle with speech sounds:
- Substituting one sound with another sound (i.e., saying “wed” instead of “red”)
- Adding an extra sound to a word (i.e., saying “buh-lue” instead of “blue”)
- Leaving out specific sounds from words (i.e., saying “bo” instead of “boat,” or “geen” instead of “green”)
- Changing the way a sound is pronounced, which can sound like a lisp (i.e., saying “thee” instead of “see”)
How Pediatric Speech Therapy Combined with Hippotherapy Can Support AAC
Pediatric speech therapy on its own is an effective treatment for children who need to use AAC due to a developmental delay or disorder. But when you combine it with hippotherapy, the benefits go above and beyond what a speech therapist can achieve with clinic-based treatment alone.
Here are some of the reasons why you should consider equine-assisted speech therapy for your child:
1. It provides opportunities for communication
Hippotherapy creates a dynamic and engaging setting that encourages communication. The child may be more motivated to use their AAC device to express their needs or comment on their surroundings. It also provides an opportunity for the speech therapist to model effective speech by giving the horse commands.
2. It builds cognitive and motor skills
When children ride a horse, it helps them improve their own gross motor skills such as balance. It also helps them practice executive functioning skills like planning and coordination. Plus, the sensory stimulation from hippotherapy can help promote better attention and focus, all of which are key for using AAC and building communication skills.
3. It supports key areas of the brain
The movement a child experiences when riding a horse engages the same parts of the brain that they use for communication. And the sensory experience of hippotherapy helps children feel more regulated and willing to participate in therapy to work on their speech and language skills.
4. It’s fun!
The environment of hippotherapy gives children a new and exciting way to participate in therapy, which motivates them and gives them something to look forward to. This increased enthusiasm can lead to faster progress and lasting results.
Schedule a Free 15-Minute Phone Consultation Today
Want to find out how pediatric hippotherapy can support your child’s speech and language skills? Take advantage of our free 15-minute phone consultation! During this consultation, you’ll speak with a member of the Unbridled Pediatric Therapy team who can answer your questions and explain how your child can benefit from equine-assisted speech therapy.
Give us a call at (479) 250-9838 or fill out our online form to schedule your consultation today!
