Dolphin Therapy helped Serge: he smiles, concentrates better and is more alert of his environment.
Haltern: I am awaited. The thirteen year old Serge is excited, beaming at me through his thick spectacles. His mother, Dodo Akpaqnonite, wants to explain who the guest is, but Serge remembers my first visit, he knows why I have come, and he laughs into the camera.
”Serge is looser, more relaxed. He could open his hands and hold the dolphin’s fin. And he smiled a lot”. Dodo Akpaqnonite, Serge’s mother.
The severely disabled boy, who once could not move his arms, sat waiting. ”Hi, how are you?” I could even shake his hand. He grinned at me, which meant ”Everything’s OK”. I met Serge and his mother a year ago. She was tired, but she would not be beaten. Serge could neither concentrate nor coordinate his cramped hands. Even though he was strapped into a wheel chair he was always moving. His head shook with every change in mood. Had his wheel chair not been fully padded he would have been covered in bruises. His mother was constantly removing spittle from his chin. Now she needs to remind him to wipe himself, and usually he can. He can even open his hands.
Ten months ago during my visit he was sitting apathetically in his wheel chair. Now, he wants to ‘join in’ the conversation, laughing, humming, hand movements, rolling his eyes or blinking, he follows our conversation.
The mother related that she arrived back from Turkey on Tuesday. He had been in Antalya for Dolphin Therapy, visiting ‘Flip’, ‘Frosia’ and ‘Jonas’, with his mother Dodo for two weeks. Their stay in Antalya, said the mother, was very good. Read the rest of this entry »
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Being a Dolphin Trainer for a day
Posted by Dolphin Therapy Team in Therapy TestimonialsNo Comments »/Thanks to Howard John Bird for his kind feedback after joining our dolphin trainer for a day program.
Visit our dolphin therapy center and see the dolphins, get a chance to learn about them and take some memorable photos.
Nele´s Dolphin Therapy
Posted by Dolphin Therapy Team in Therapy TestimonialsNo Comments »/Seizure situation before start of the therapy sessions
6-12 big tonic seizures, with overflexion, sometimes held breath, sometimes aftertrembling, aftermunching/chewing and 2-6 focal eye-rollings, turn head, contort face, sometimes partial stiffness / contortion of the body per day
Medication: Phenobarbital, Epivit (vitamin complex), Ipechuana and other homeopathic medications when necessary.
Short-term reaction on site already after first therapy. She looks at Sandra more and more after Sandra calls “Nele”, to the left! and reacts to suggestions “do you want to drink?”
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Dolphin Therapy boosts speech and concentration in Sandra
Posted by Dolphin Therapy Team in Therapy TestimonialsNo Comments »/It has been some time now since we took the dolphin therapy. It was again a very beautiful, interesting and successful, but also an exhausting time. We will gladly return again and again.
This time our main goal was speech and concentration. Barbara intensively practiced speech with Sandra, and she always had to express herself verbally. The result was that our daughter now tries much more to communicate verbally. Also, her vocabulary has increased enormously. Read the rest of this entry »
Dolphin Therapy Report from UK
Posted by Dolphin Therapy Team in Therapy Testimonials1 Comment »/Our daughter (7 and diagnosed with Rett Syndrome) grew in alertness, eye contact, disposition, ability to sit up straight (posture)/core strength and her right foot became far more flexible, rather than turning inwards and being quite rigid. Improvements were unlikely to be profound but a small improvement (that we could build upon) was seen.
Our son (4) was encouraged to have a couple of sessions with the dolphins and all sessions of hippotherapy in the Turkish mountains. We believe both these therapies contributed to a PROFOUND change in him: he transformed from a hesitant, anxious and at times quite insular boy (apparently classic symptoms of a younger sibling of a disabled child) to a lively, talkative, imaginative, engaged, inquisitive young lad whose progress has been praised at school – a fantastic ‘by-product’ of a trip that we thought essentially focused on our daughter’s well-being.
At the outset, the team at Antalya stated that this period was not just focused on our daughter – they aimed to help the whole family, whilst working with her. The COMBINATION of therapies and wide-focus across the family allowed ‘change’ to take place…some small progress, some considerable. This is a worthy experience for any child with difficulties and their respective family – especially younger siblings.
Family from the UK; visit during April 2012
Timo´s Successfully Dolphintherapy
Posted by Dolphin Therapy Team in Dolphin Therapy NewsNo Comments »/Hello Everyone, I wanted to send you more videos when we got back home.
We have been back since Friday, we are overjoyed because we can really see how Timo develops with every new day. On the last day there were cuddly dolphins for the kiddies, (thanks once again to the team for that) and what can I say: Timo actually said “Daisy”, he hasn’t repeated it but it gave us soooo much hope.
It was a wonderful time we spent with the team of the Dolphin Therapy Centre in Antalya, a superb Team, one that really works with heart and soul. Many thanks once again.
Maya´s Dolphin Therapy
Posted by Dolphin Therapy Team in Therapy TestimonialsNo Comments »/We came to Antalya last April and enjoyed two weeks of therapy for our daughter Maya, along with our Son Max.
Maya has progressed a little since we last saw you. At the age of eight now, she’s reduced to a ‘three-session week’ timetable at school. This allows her to sleep and eat as required and then attend school for a 1.5hr session, being taken in by Marzena or me in our car…she’s fuelled, ready-to-go and thoroughly enjoys it. Previously, Maya had to endure a 1¼ hour school bus journey in rush-hour twice a day, five days a week…with inadequate facilities to sleep/rest/eat at school…she was typically ill for the first and last week of each half-term. Now, Maya’s ‘well-being’ is high – she is able to get through the day at her pace and enjoy it and hasn’t really been out-of-action at all since!
Maya is far more ‘conscious’ at present – very happy to engage with eye contact, laughter/smiles – totally aware of what’s going on around her…and her body is far stronger – she is able to sit up well and walk (with full assistance) for some considerable distance now. We’ve yet to have any speech but Maya shows clear signs of wanting to talk and communicate her thoughts that way – that day will come. Read the rest of this entry »
Dolphin Therapy for Dardan
Posted by Dolphin Therapy Team in Therapy TestimonialsNo Comments »/Hello, I would like to say a few words about the Dolphin therapy of my son Dardan. I am really happy that we went with the whole family to the Dolphin therapy in Antalya for the Spring holydays. Everything was good en we were very pleased with everything and the fact that everything went very well with the therapy of Dardan.
The dolphins Flip and Frosia, as the dolphin therapist Barbara, were a real miracle for Dardan. After the first 2 days Dardans fear reduced a lot and in the end he had also lost his fear of deep water. Dardan listened amazingly well to Barbara. She was so good that Dardan gained a lot of trust in a very short time. Because of the therapy, a lot of other things improved as well, for example self confidence, concentration and communication. He has also said so many words, that it really surprised me.
Dardan swam with dolphin Flip, danced with him, stroke him, gave him a kiss. He was so happy with Flip that he didn’t want to let go of him anymore! It was all so good to see. Because of our own experience with the dolphins, I would like to advice other parents to take this step, because it’s really worth for them and their children. Read the rest of this entry »
MAKE A WISH want to thank you
Posted by Dolphin Therapy Team in Help, Sponsoring & Stories,Therapy TestimonialsNo Comments »/MAKE A WISH and SERVICE VOYAGES sincerely wish to thank all the staff of the Dolphinarium in Antalya.
All children and their families return so happy! Upon their return, they send to “MAKE A WISH” photos and letters of thanks.
From the heart, “MAKE A WISH” and we, want to thank you for these wonderful and unforgettable moments for these children. Read the rest of this entry »
Family Hausberger: Dolphin Therapy expectations exceeded
Posted by Dolphin Therapy Team in Therapy Testimonials2 Comments »/Last year from 04. June 2012 in Antalya we began our Dolphin Therapy. Our expectations were exceeded by far. The planning was super, and we were welcomed at the Hotel in Antalya almost on arrival. We were very happy about that.
The whole fourteen days we felt well cared-for. The therapists are very friendly and every day at Dolphin Therapy was a great experience. Read the rest of this entry »
No Miracle, but a Ray of Hope
Posted by Dolphin Therapy Team in Media ReportsNo Comments »/Dolphin Therapy helped Serge: he smiles, concentrates better and is more alert of his environment.
Haltern: I am awaited. The thirteen year old Serge is excited, beaming at me through his thick spectacles. His mother, Dodo Akpaqnonite, wants to explain who the guest is, but Serge remembers my first visit, he knows why I have come, and he laughs into the camera.
”Serge is looser, more relaxed. He could open his hands and hold the dolphin’s fin. And he smiled a lot”. Dodo Akpaqnonite, Serge’s mother.
The severely disabled boy, who once could not move his arms, sat waiting. ”Hi, how are you?” I could even shake his hand. He grinned at me, which meant ”Everything’s OK”. I met Serge and his mother a year ago. She was tired, but she would not be beaten. Serge could neither concentrate nor coordinate his cramped hands. Even though he was strapped into a wheel chair he was always moving. His head shook with every change in mood. Had his wheel chair not been fully padded he would have been covered in bruises. His mother was constantly removing spittle from his chin. Now she needs to remind him to wipe himself, and usually he can. He can even open his hands.
Ten months ago during my visit he was sitting apathetically in his wheel chair. Now, he wants to ‘join in’ the conversation, laughing, humming, hand movements, rolling his eyes or blinking, he follows our conversation.
The mother related that she arrived back from Turkey on Tuesday. He had been in Antalya for Dolphin Therapy, visiting ‘Flip’, ‘Frosia’ and ‘Jonas’, with his mother Dodo for two weeks. Their stay in Antalya, said the mother, was very good. Read the rest of this entry »