Terapia assistida por animais com crianças com necessidades especiais do Centro de Atenção Psicossocial Infantil (CAPSi) de Patos - PB.

Abstract

Studies that have been published since the 1960s suggest the therapeutical potential of the use of pets in clinical situations. The research on and the practice of the called Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and Animal Assisted Activity (AAA) have become more and more popular ever since. Using animals in the recovering of many categories of rehabilitation of children/teenagers with special educational necessities, recovery mental health, have been done with good results. The goal here was stimulate the relationship between man x animal, in the an educational context, trying to develop the life of children with special necessities of Psychological and Social Care Center infantile (CAPSi) of Patos-PB, by the motivation, education, entertenment and/on therapeutic benefits using the animal as part of the treatment. Descriptive and exploratory research with qualitative, approach with six childrens, both gender, from four tor fourteen years old, with different pathology, were randomly selected. Two weekly visits were done whitch, entertenment and educational actives were developed with the professional help. In this study one rabbits and three hamsters were submitted to clinical evaluation. Were identified some of the benefits of this experience to children “pleasant contact with the animals”; “easier interaction with staff and with other children”. They also tried to encourage the exclusion of the Veterinary Medicine course with others educational areas and health. After all, it was assumed that the therapy using animals provided a better quality of life to the CAPSi childrens.