Dolphins and People...

During our upcoming trip, one of the excursions we have signed up for is to swim with the dolphins at the Atlantis Resort in Nassau.  I was lucky enough to do this one other time, while in Hawaii at a conference.  Another principal and I decided to splurge on this fabulous experience.  It was so much fun that when our time was up - we didn't want to leave the dolphin pool!  So, Larry and I are going to experience these marvelous creatures again - this time in the Bahamas.

I read an article about dolphins recently.  They are truly amazing creatures!  Do you know how dolphins help people:

*DOLPHIN CALLS ARE GOOD FOR HUMAN FETUSES... according to scientists in Peru, dolphin's ultrasonic emissions benefit unborn children by stimulating brain activity while the fetus is developing.  Dolphins have been trained to swim close to pregnant women and emit their calls.  In Spanish speaking countries, this practice is known as dolphin therapy (delfinoteprepia).

*SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS APPEARS TO BE AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR MILD TO MODERATE DEPRESSION.  According to research from the U.K., people with mild to moderate depression after encounters with dolphins had lower cortisol levels and higher endorphin levels after their encounters.  This suggests that patients with mild or moderate depression, using drugs or conventional psychotherapy may not be necessary when treatment with animals are used.

*DOLPHINS HAVE BEEN HELPING PEOPLE WITH AUTISM, SPINAL CORD INJURY, RETT SYNDROME, POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, CEREBRAL PALSY, ADHD & MANY OTHER DISABILITIES.  According to the Dolphin Therapy page prepared at Texas Woman's University, dolphin assisted therapy actually dates back to the 1950's and the work of Dr. Lilly who studied the effects of dolphins on individual with disabilities.  Researchers now attribute the diminishing of anxiety and depression, enhanced learning in handicapped children and pain relief to dolphin echolocation.  One program in Miami, Dolphin Human Therapy, has served children from 39 states and 54 countries.  They provide a full-time, individualized dolphin-assisted rehabilitation program for special needs children and adults from all over the country.  This company uses dolphins to motivate disabled kids to work on a variety of skills.  For every task a child masters, he/she gets to pet, stroke or swim with one of five dolphins and a therapist in an enclosed lagoon.  Their research shows that 50% of the children maintain or improve their skills after being in the program, although it is important to return yearly for follow-up.  They see three factors as important to the program's success:  the skill and experience of the staff who are teaching the children with special needs; the parents' motivation and dedication to follow-up; and the dolphins - who are the key motivators!

Dolphins are amazing creatures - and I can't wait to experience their magic again!  I am so excited...