non-profit spotlight
By Angela Arlington
THE CHILDREN’S T H E R A P L AY FOUNDATION
The mission of The Children’s TherAplay Foundation is to provide children with disabilities a foundation for developing life skills through innovative therapies, including physical, occupational, and speech therapies using a horse as a treatment tool, in a safe and caring environment. At The Children’s TherAplay Foundation, Inc., children with disabilities receive physical, occupational, and speech therapy using the movement of a horse as a tool to accelerate physical, emotional, and behavioral development, a practice known as hippotherapy. “For over 20 years, TherAplay has been treating kids 18 months to 13 years with a variety of diagnoses and developmental delays, and we have grown to become the largest facility specializing in hippotherapy in the country,” Communications Manager Emily Sigler explains. “Our licensed PTs, OTs, and SLP combine a sensoryrich, child-centered clinic with hippotherapy to yield transformational results for children facing life with a disability,” Sigler explained. The therapeutic inputs the horse provides for children allow them to reach their developmental goals for independence. Physical therapy goals center around gross motor skills and can include crawling, sitting independently, walking, jumping, riding a bike, and perfecting balance and coordination. Occupational therapy goals center around fine motor skills and can include many activities of daily life, including self-dressing, self-feeding, writing, cutting with scissors, emotional and sensory regulation, and behavioral strategies. Speech therapy goals center around language and communication skills and can include using a communication device, practicing sounds and words, and communicating with adults and peers. Sigler shares, “Play is the work of a child. The combination of hippotherapy and our sensory-rich clinical therapy allows our pediatric clients to work hard while they play. Children with disabilities often spend countless hours in and out of doctor’s offices. Coming to Children’s TherAplay feels like fun because of our relaxed barn feel and sensory-rich facility. At Children’s TherAplay, kiddos have experienced many ‘firsts’: first steps, first words, first time tying shoes, first time buttoning a coat, and so much more. These ‘firsts’ give our clients and their families confidence and hope for an independent future.” SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY
Children’s TherAplay ‘funds the gap’ between what a therapy session costs and what insurance will reimburse. Approximately 52% of their operations are funded through donations, and there are a variety of ways to support them. Individual giving, corporate sponsorships, funding a horse, becoming a monthly donor, making a planned gift, or purchasing an item off their wish lists are all ways you can make an impact and help them continue to provide this programming to kiddos with special needs. They also offer parent programming, special events adapted for the special needs community, and connections to community partners to best meet the needs of every family. Children’s TherAplay uses 8-10 volunteer sidewalkers every day who assist during a hippotherapy session. “We also use volunteers for special events, corporate group projects, and clinic work,” said Sigler. 16
July 2022
