Magnets and Horses
December 2, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
Some “treatments for autism” that have recently made the news:
Magnets, in a method called transcranial magnetic stimulation; a study is be published this month in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders by neuroscientist Manuel Casanova.
Horseback therapy that is to “restart the development of the left side of the brain,” at Spirit Horse Therapy in Corinth, Texas.
At the risk of sounding like an über-cynic—and not to deny that results can be seen from the above—have to say I’m wondering what remains to be tried.
I don’t know if it is a “treatment” for autism, but I know that Zeke loves to ride. He rides with Equine Assisted Therapy here in St. Louis.
Horses are good for everybody.
I agree with Brett, I don’t know that I’d personally use the word “treatment”, but like swimming, music, or other activities, riding certainly can provide an outlet and release for anyone, autistic or not.
The magnet thing I’m a little more cynical about. It sounds kind of new agey, and I think I’d need to see a lot more research before I’d try it with my kids. It sounds very “McCarthy”ish.
Horses, yes (must get to it), but not so sure about the going left/right/brain rewiring therapy described in the article!
I am interested in seeing the design, method and measures of that magnet study–because it is somewhat eyebrow raising, but I looked up Manual Casanova’s CV and he’s a pretty legit and respected researcher (but also last author on the paper).
‘Later.
Horseback riding terrified my brother. It was suggested as a treatment for what ailed him.
Worth pointing out, there are lots of less woo-woo establishments for theraputic horsemanship in N. Texas- like Equest, which has been around for several decades.
All that said? Horses are good for EVERYONE.
I’m pretty cynical about both of those studies, to say the least.
I’ve spent a lot of time with kids (autistic and not), on the other end of a longe line while they were riding, and aside from the social and physical benefits of riding, I just can’t see a neurological change happening because of it.
“Our medical advisory board is under the opinion that we are reversing autism,” Fletcher says.
I think that I’ll wait (without bated breath), for some more comprehensive studies of this apparent “treatment”. I love horses (working with them was my job for quite a while), and there are a lot of good reasons that riding for the differently abled can be a huge success, but
this just doesn’t sound like one of them.
I’d hate having to be around horses, let alone ride them, and I would have hated it even more when younger.
Even without the allergies.