Toddler Benefits From Horsing Around

A very cute 3-year-old stole our hearts. E.G. has a rare form of cerebral palsy that affects his balance and delayed his speech. Although he had talented engaging therapists in the Infant and Toddler program that were able to improve his gross motor skills, his expressive language remained a problem.

His mother enrolled him in a therapeutic horsemanship program. His balance and equilibrium continued to improve, and the rapport between the therapist strengthened. E.G. and his horse were a magical combination.

However, the school was unwilling to continue the horsemanship program into the school year. The school offered to provide occupational therapy and speech and language therapy in the school setting but not with the same providers. Several meetings with school were fruitless. Protection and Advocacy (P&A) decided to represent E.G. in a formal mediation.

The parent had created two videotapes of E.G. In one tape, the therapist follows him around the house while E.G. works on standing, squatting, cruising, and picking up his toys around the living room. Although the therapist is clever in her prompting, she cannot elicit speech from E.G.

In the second tape, the horsemanship speech and language therapist is remarkably successful in E.G.'s speaking and articulating his first meaningful words.
To boost E.G's mediation proposal for services, several doctors and therapists wrote unusually powerful letters in support of E.G. continuing this highly effective service. In the end, the school agreed to continue to provide the "hippo" therapy.