Reptile Therapy: An Innovative Treatment for People with Disabilities
Key Highlights :
Reptile therapy is an innovative treatment method that has been gaining traction in recent years as a way to help people with disabilities, autism, or anxiety. In Brazil, a treatment center in Sao Paulo is pioneering this method, where patients interact with lizards, turtles, and a jacare—a type of alligator native to Latin America—to help them relax and improve their communication and motor skills.
15-year-old David de Oliveira Gomes is one of the patients at the center, and he's fascinated, not afraid, when a yellow-and-brown boa constrictor wraps itself around his neck like a scarf. Gomes's therapist, Andrea Ribeiro, is a language-speech therapist who specializes in treating people with disabilities. She has found that reptiles are an ideal way to help her patients, as they spark their curiosity without making them uncomfortable.
Ribeiro believes that when people come into contact with animals, it releases neurotransmitters such as serotonin and beta-endorphins that give a sense of pleasure and well-being. This helps patients to feel good and encourages them to learn. Ribeiro has also found that reptiles are more suitable for her patients than dogs, as they don't constantly attempt to play and interact.
Ten-year-old Gabriel Pinheiro is another patient at the center, and he's petting a small alligator while practicing his language skills. His mother, Cristina, credits four years of reptile therapy with helping improve his listening, communication, and motor skills.
34-year-old Paulo Palacio Santos is another patient at the center. He suffered severe brain damage in an accident that left him paralyzed and speechless, and Ribeiro is using a thick snake and a smaller boa constrictor to help him work his muscles around his mouth.
The handling of these species is regulated by Brazil's environmental authority, IBAMA. Ribeiro works side-by-side with biologist Beatriz Araujo, whose job is to monitor the animals' stress levels and ensure patients remain safe. The reptiles used in the therapy are raised on site and are accustomed to human contact, and no poisonous snakes are used.
While reptile therapy is not scientifically proven, it has been medically demonstrated that when people come into contact with animals, it can have a positive effect on their mental and physical wellbeing. The treatment center in Sao Paulo is showing that reptile therapy is an innovative and effective way to help people with disabilities, autism, or anxiety.
