LITHUANIA: DOLPHIN THERAPY CENTRE OPENS AIMED AT HELPING MENTALLY DISABLED CHILDREN

Record ID: 544975

  • Title: LITHUANIA: DOLPHIN THERAPY CENTRE OPENS AIMED AT HELPING MENTALLY DISABLED CHILDREN
  • Date: 3rd November 2004
  • Summary: VILNIUS, LITHUANIA (OCTOBER 27, 2004) (REUTERS) KLAIPEDA PORT VIEW DOLPHIN CENTRE DOLPHINS JUMPING OVER WIRE TRAINER JUMP UP FROM WATER WITH BALL VIEWERS DOLPHIN PAINTING GIRL WATCHING SHOW TRAINER DANCING WITH DOLPHIN DOLPHIN SWIMMING TRAINER EMBRACING DOLPHIN AUDIENCE APPLAUDING BUCKETS WITH FISH FOR THE DOLPHINS PAN DOLPHIN IN THE WATER SOUNDBITE (LIthuanian) NIKA PUTEIKIENE SAYING: "Our dolphin therapy has rules, rules which are a little like playing a game. During therapy sessions we are trying to establish tight contact with dolphins. Children are touching, playing games, and swimming with dolphins as well". FOUR YEAR OLD BOY WITH RED JACKET TOUCHING DOLPHIN TOUCHING DOLPHIN CLOSE UP CLOSE OF BOYS FACE DOLPHINS JUMPING ONTO STAGE TRAINER WITH CHILD TOUCHING DOLPHIN CHILD FINGERS TOUCHING DOLPHIN CLOSE UP SOUNDBITE (Lithuanian) RITA SHAFRANAUSKIENE, MOTHER OF AUTISTIC BOY: "We have have a lot of positive emotions here and he is feeling better and better" DOLPHIN IN THE WATER CLOSE UP TRAINER WITH BOY SITTING ON THE STAGE BOY JUMPING IN WATER WITH DOLPHINS VARIOUS OF BOYS SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS DOLPHIN IN THE WATER CLOSE UP BOY THROWS BALL INTO POOL DOLPHIN BRINGS BACK BALL WIDE OF POOL
  • Embargoed: 18th November 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KLAIPEDA, LITHUANIA
  • Country: Lithuania
  • Topics: Environment,Health
  • Reuters ID: LVA6YOWEOIYVI7F3BS4UK2RZ1LQA
  • Story Text: Dolphin therapy center opens in Lithuania aimed at helping children.
    At the Klaipedia Maritime Museum centre on Lithuania's coast, a unique programme bringing mentally disabled children and dolphins together is beginning to draw parents from across the Baltic region.
    Dolphins might be pleasing to look at, but studies show they can also play a remarkable role in helping mentally disabled children in learning how to cope with life.
    Children participating in the 10 day programme are given the opportunity to play with the dolphins, first by touching them from the side of a pool.
    After the child and dolphin become familiar with one another, the child is then put into the water and allowed to swim together.
    The centre has seven adult dolphins who participate in the programme which is run during the winter months. In summer the dolphins are usually used as entertainers in an aquatic shows.
    "Our dolphin's therapy has rules, rules which are a little like playing a game. During therapy sessions we try to establish tight contact with dolphins. Children are touching, playing games, and swimming with dolphins as well", says Maritime Museum employee Nika Puteikene.
    To date some 30 children have participated in the programme, which costs about 600 euro for the ten day course.
    Parents say they have noticed real benefits.
    "We have have a lot of positive emotions here and he is feeling better and better", Rita Shafranauske, mother of an 10 year old autistic boy told Reuters.
    Dolphins have been renowned for centuries for their special qualities. A well-preserved fresco showing dolphins in the ruins at Knossos in Crete is dated around 1700 BC. Tales and legends from different nations portray the creatures as exceptionally close to humans and as helpers in times of need.
    In the Baltic stories have passed from generation to generation about dolphins that have helped shipwrecked sailors and rescued exhausted swimmers.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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