A Programmatic Overview of Delfinoterapia

Sr. Fritz Zimmermann Gelhausen Creator and General Manager of Delfinoterpia in Mexico

At program Delfinoterapia, in Mexico City, we feel that field research activities are necessary to prove the effectiveness of dolphin-assisted therapy. In our program, we focus the therapy sessions on handicapped children (7 months to 6 years old) with neurological and/or psychological disorders such as autism, cerebral palsy, and Down's Syndrome. In the near future dolphin-assisted therapy converts itself into a mechanical process. The ultra sound waves applied by the trained dolphin shall be substituted by ultra sound portable generators linked to monitors. We see this as a serious commitment to ecological organizations like Green Peace, etc.

There is no 100% cure for these handicapped children. Those who have Down's Syndrome and other disorders will have it their whole life. No medicine or dolphin can cure them. With the technique used at Delfinoterapia, which in the near future will become a technology, positive physical and social behavior changes can be obtained.

In general we can report the following effects: children (hyperkenetics) calm down. We hypothesize that this is a result of increased neurotransmitter concentrations. These children also exhibit improved language skills (Afasia). Additionally, these children show more confidence, independence, and cooperative. In most cases body balance and control improves and muscular strength increases due to the exercise with the dolphins. The children seem very relaxed after the dolphin-assisted therapy sessions.

In Mexico, the research to prove the effectiveness of dolphin-assisted therapy began in May of 1991 and continues now. More than 800 statistical cases gives evidence of the good results with children from Europe, the United States, South America and Mexico.

Still scientific studies are needed in order to identify the cause and to prove our hypothesis that the ultra sound system of a trained dolphin stimulates the central nervous system (spinal and cerebral) in a certain way and increases brain plasticity (recovery of brain functions) mainly with very young brains.

Selection and training of the dolphins requires adequate knowledge in the fields of anatomy, ethology, psychology and neuro-physiology. The training of our dolphin-assisted therapists takes generally one and one half years. They must have a degree in special education or biology, psychology or neurology, and we accept only men of 25 to 40 years old due to the efforts that the dolphin-assisted therapy demands from them.

The process: each patient participates in 8 individual sessions with 2 dolphins. Each session takes 13 to 15 minutes for 2 weeks from Tuesday to Friday. A daily report monitoring psychological and physical progress is recorded for each child for statistical purposes.

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