Horses aid therapists in treating patients

I just heard about a program that uses horses to help handicapped kids. What can you tell me about this type of therapy?

You're referring to "hippotherapy," a term that means treatment with the help of a horse. It is designed for people who have problems with balance, posture, mobility and even psychological, behavioral and communication functions because of such disorders as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, stroke, autism, Alzheimer's disease and even learning disabilities and language problems.

Hippotherapy is not merely recreation for the handicapped. It has specific therapeutic goals. Treatment takes advantage of a horse's natural rhythmic and repetitive movements to help improve patients' muscle tone, balance, posture, coordination, strength, flexibility and cognitive skills. In addition, the horse's movements can improve responses that patients need for walking.

Physical and occupational health therapists who have special training also offer hippotherapy to their patients, and mental health professionals and their patients may work with certified riding instructors in equine facilitated psychotherapy. Here, the goal is to provide experiences that promote self-esteem, awareness of others and better trust and social skills.

Although this form of therapy appears to be growing, I could find only 26 medical studies on the subject, suggesting that we have a lot to discover about its specific effects.

To learn more about it, I suggest visiting the Delta Society's Web site at deltasociety.org. You'll also find useful information there about animal-assisted therapy in general, a trend that appears to be accelerating.

What causes laryngitis? For the past week, my voice has been so weak that I can barely be heard. I haven't had a cold recently.

Laryngitis is an inflammation of the vocal cords, usually because of an infection, fatigue or irritation.

A cold or sore throat can lead to laryngitis. So can overuse of your voice. This is most common among singers and others who have to use their voices constantly - politicians, for example.

Drinking alcohol and smoking also can irritate the vocal cords and larynx. If so, laryngitis may be your body's way of telling you to cut back on drinking and to stop smoking. Another common cause is gastroesophageal reflux disease, in which stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. Sometimes, acid can get into the back of the throat and irritate or even damage the surface tissue of the vocal cords.

(Hoarseness or even voice loss can be a symptom of an underactive thyroid. Blood tests can begin to determine whether your thyroid is to blame. A rare cause of persistent hoarseness is laryngeal cancer.)

The most important thing you can do when you have laryngitis is rest your voice. Inhaling steam can help, as can sucking on lozenges to soothe your throat.

Drink plenty of fluids but avoid alcohol and caffeine, which are irritating. Try not to clear your throat - it can increase the swelling of the vocal cords.

If you have chronic hoarseness that you can't attribute to any of the common causes mentioned above, see your physician to get a proper diagnosis.

Source:www.rockymountainnews.com