DOLPHINS 10 - MEDIA EXAGGERATION 0
Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:54 pmI liked the article and it was touching. However, after searching information about deafness and therapy with dolphins, I realized it was a case of media exaggeration.
I think it is incorrect to say that dolphins helped Nikki to speak.
Would be more correct to say that treatment with the dolphins stimulated and motivated Nikky to utter his first word.
Nikki, like all people who are in his situation, could comunicate. With a system of signs, visual or tactile. There are many ways in addition to oral communication.
Surely, before he met the dolphins, he received treatment and training that really were the basis for he could say the word "in" at that time.
The article tells us that Nikki was 8 years old then.
If deafness is not solved (by surgery or hearing aids, when possible) before 4 or 5 years of age, the patient no longer has the plasticity needed to interpret the sounds in the brain, with consequent defects in structuring the language and speaking skills.
Even if they can restore hearing, many deaf people refuse to go into an unknown sound world that is not going to improve their verbal ability.
This website (http://www.rnw.nl/pt-pt/node/520) has made me think about this.
But how to reject the music ... the sound of laughter ...?
Dolphins (as other animals like dogs, horses...) are used as therapy for people with depression; autistic children; children or mentally retarded; addicts or alcoholics; stressed people; people who are afraid of the sea or swimming or sharks; people with muscular dystrophy.
It seems that dolphins recognize when a person has problems And especially they often develop good relationships with children.
To my knowledge, no such therapy in Spain at the moment, although there was one time: in the Mediterranean Dolphin Project, conducted in 1993. Around four dolphins were taken to the creek of Calders (in Cadaques). There lived in semi-captive, in a bay, where they served for three important interests: treatment of children with mental disabilities, environmental education and research. Everything worked wonderfully until some people complained that engines could not be used in certain areas of the bay to not harm dolphins. Sadly the dolphins were moved to another place and the project fell apart.
It is truly a tragedy, for though I am against the captivity of these animals, conditions that were quite good and were well controlled. And had benefits for everyone, especially because they managed to assist and educate many people.
If you can, look at this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APjrSwFuVwo&feature=player_embedded
I'm sure we all would have contributed to raise the money needed to make happy to Nikki or any other child who needed .
Best regards!
I think it is incorrect to say that dolphins helped Nikki to speak.
Would be more correct to say that treatment with the dolphins stimulated and motivated Nikky to utter his first word.
Nikki, like all people who are in his situation, could comunicate. With a system of signs, visual or tactile. There are many ways in addition to oral communication.
Surely, before he met the dolphins, he received treatment and training that really were the basis for he could say the word "in" at that time.
The article tells us that Nikki was 8 years old then.
If deafness is not solved (by surgery or hearing aids, when possible) before 4 or 5 years of age, the patient no longer has the plasticity needed to interpret the sounds in the brain, with consequent defects in structuring the language and speaking skills.
Even if they can restore hearing, many deaf people refuse to go into an unknown sound world that is not going to improve their verbal ability.
This website (http://www.rnw.nl/pt-pt/node/520) has made me think about this.
But how to reject the music ... the sound of laughter ...?
Dolphins (as other animals like dogs, horses...) are used as therapy for people with depression; autistic children; children or mentally retarded; addicts or alcoholics; stressed people; people who are afraid of the sea or swimming or sharks; people with muscular dystrophy.
It seems that dolphins recognize when a person has problems And especially they often develop good relationships with children.
To my knowledge, no such therapy in Spain at the moment, although there was one time: in the Mediterranean Dolphin Project, conducted in 1993. Around four dolphins were taken to the creek of Calders (in Cadaques). There lived in semi-captive, in a bay, where they served for three important interests: treatment of children with mental disabilities, environmental education and research. Everything worked wonderfully until some people complained that engines could not be used in certain areas of the bay to not harm dolphins. Sadly the dolphins were moved to another place and the project fell apart.
It is truly a tragedy, for though I am against the captivity of these animals, conditions that were quite good and were well controlled. And had benefits for everyone, especially because they managed to assist and educate many people.
If you can, look at this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APjrSwFuVwo&feature=player_embedded
I'm sure we all would have contributed to raise the money needed to make happy to Nikki or any other child who needed .
Best regards!