Two bottlenose dolphins are swimming with children suffering from autism at Sea World in Xiaomeisha in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province,on Tuesday. (Photo: Shenzhendaily.com)
Two bottlenose dolphins began swimming with children suffering from autism at Sea World in Xiaomeisha on Tuesday, Wednesday’s Shenzhen Economic Daily reported.
A 9-year-old girl from Luohu District and a 2-year-old boy from Chengdu, capital of Southwest China’s Sichuan Province were the first lucky children to swim with the two therapeutic dolphins that Sea World bought from Nanjing in May.
Following a month’s training, the dolphins can now jump, dance, pull a boat, shake fins with and “kiss” their trainers, make noises and “count,” said Zhao Ganggui, vice manager of the marketing department of Sea World.
The arrival of the two dolphins brings the total number of dolphins at the theme park’s aquarium to five. They will provide autism “treatment” to 12 children a month, said Dong Yan, a dolphin trainer. However, more than 1,500 children have signed up for the treatment. The theme park has arranged for more children from outside the city to swim with the dolphins in July and August, Dong said.
Dolphins reportedly send out high-frequency ultrasonic waves of various lengths, which are said to be able to stimulate people’s central nervous system and have been proven to be effective when used to treat patients suffering from Down’s Syndrome, nervous system diseases and congenital autism.
Sea World began swimming dolphins with autism patients in 2001, Zhao was quoted by the Daily report as saying. “We didn’t charge a penny until this year,” said Zhao. “Right now, patients only need to pay the cost of feeding the dolphins and trainers’ overtime.”
A man surnamed Huang said he felt extremely excited Tuesday afternoon when his twin sons swam with the two dolphins. “We’ve waited for two years,” said Huang. “It’s finally our turn.”
Zhao said that parents still need to take their children to hospitals or clinics for treatment. “Although swimming with dolphins has been proven to be effective, it is not an alternative treatment.”