Purpose
describe the training of audiologists who work in hippotherapy and the outline of speech therapy contribution in the suggested area.
Methods
this is a cross-prospective research, performed by submitting a questionnaire to speech therapists who work with hippotherapy in centers accredited by ANDE – Brazil, in the State of São Paulo. As criteria for inclusion in the research, speech therapists should have attended any hippotherapy specific course and have at least a year of working experience in the area. The results were presented by descriptive analysis, divided into 13 frames according to the submitted questions.
Results
there were 47 hippotherapy centers registered. All the centers were contacted by telephone and among them14 had no speech therapist on their staff, 22 non-respondents, 11 questionnaires were sent, and 06 questionnaires were answered.
Conclusion
the group of professionals indicated that the role of speech therapists in the hippotherapy team, besides working directly with the practitioner, involves treatment planning, clarification, demonstration and proving the importance of speech therapy for the team and providing guidance to the family of the practioner. However, we have found that there is no theoretical basis and procedures considered standard practice for speech therapy in hippotherapy.
Equine-Assisted Therapy; Speech; Language and Hearing Sciences; Stomatognathic System
