Introduction: It has long been known that due to positive effects, animals play an important role in human life and are, therefore, also used for therapeutic purposes. Animalassisted activities are not goal oriented and in the treatment of children and adolescent with special needs contribute to the quality of life. Purpose: The study identified what parents felt about integrating activities through animals into dealing with their children and adolescents with special needs, how they felt they affected their children/adolescents, how children/adolescents experience them or whether they noticed any effects. Methods: In the thesis, we used qualitative research. We conducted semi-structured interviews with five parents of children/adolescents with special needs involved in animal-assisted activities. Results: Due to the disease, children/adolescents have problems in physical and mental health and their day-to-day, functioning, on which, according to the parent, engaging in activities with animals has a positive effect. Parents had some concerns and reservations about the involvement of the child/adolescent in animal-assisted activities. They stressed the importance of animal-assisted activity for the child and the positive effects on the child’s functioning, and they also listed the advantages and disadvantages of animalassisted activity. Discussion and conclusion: We found that animal activities have a positive impact on children/adolescents with special needs in both physical and mental areas and improve daily functioning. These activities also have a positive impact on parents and the relationship between family members. The findings can help to increase the integration of animal activities into daily life and the treatment of children and adolescents with special needs. Occupational therapists should be better able to present the possibilities and benefits of using activities with animals under treatment which would consequently be used in the treatment of children and adolescents with special needs.
|
