Back again, after a bit of a hiatus. Glad to be back to my blog!
Today, I’d like to write about the special connection that there often seems to be between people on the autism spectrum and animals. Most people like animals, but I’ve noticed that those on the spectrum seem to have a very deep connection with them. My clients have said things like, “I relate to animals more than people”, “I think in pictures like they do”, “Losing my dog was the saddest day of my life”, “My dog was the only one in my family I could relate to”, “My kitty is my best friend”.
Equine therapy has long been used in the treatment of children with disabilities, including autistics. In my last blog, I spoke about the movie, Horse Boy, which is about a four-year-old boy with autism who greatly improves with horse and shamanic therapy. My friend and colleague, Ginger Kennell, works with horses in Bellingham, WA, in her treatment of children on the autism spectrum. She has written a beautiful piece on her blog/website (Horses and Autism Article). It seems that some people on the spectrum can communicate with horses in ways that we NT’s can’t. Perhaps it is via mental telepathy, as some report that they see in their minds’ eye the pictures that animals are thinking.
Recently, I have been learning about dolphins and their amazing abilities. First, I was told a beautiful story of a 13-year-old boy on the spectrum who was encouraged to swim with dolphins. So, he finally tried it, and was welcomed by the dolphins like the staff at the marine park had not seen before. The dolphins took turns swimming with him lovingly, taking him one by one underwater to swim, and “told” him things about what is happening to our oceans. What he learned from the dolphins was corroborated by an oceanographer, who stated that this boy could not have known what he knew via conventional methods. Talking about this story with a man I know on the spectrum led to his sending me a link to an article about dolphins that really blew me away. The article entitled, dolphins, Therapy and Autism, by Michael T. Hyson, Ph.D. can be found at
www.planetpuna.com/dolphin-paper-html/dolphin-paper.htm
The article sites research which shows that dolphins are highly intelligent animals, with large brains that are comparable to humans’ in complexity and processing abilities. The writers conclusion is that dolphins (and whales) are more intelligent than we are. Dolphin-assisted therapy is being used to treat children with autism (and other conditions) with very positive results. The article list about 30 dolphin-assisted therapy programs around the world, many of which are in Florida, The Bahamas, and Australia.
So, what is this link between animals and autistics? Dr. Hyson, in his article about dolphins says, “The Cetacea (whales and dolphins) are increasingly coming to contact us.” And, the numbers of autistics is definitely on the rise. Could there be a relationship? Could there be special purposes for autistics at this time in the history of the planet? Certainly, their ability to communicate with animals is demonstrated again and again. Could autistics be the ones to “hear” the messages that animals such as dolphins are bringing to us? We are surely at a very exciting (if not frightening) time in our planet’s evolution; perhaps the rise in autism has something to do with it?
I would love to hear your thoughts on this intriguing subject. If you’re on the spectrum, what are your experiences with animals? Do others have stories about animals and autism? Have others heard stories about animals and autistics? Or stories about the amazing intelligence and abilities of dolphins and whales?
