Mar 8, 2013 | Endovascular, Neurosurgery, Patient Story, Pediatric Care, Pediatrics, Surgery
On Tuesday, March 5 a team of physicians from Roosevelt Hospital’s Center for Endovascular Surgery performed the first of a series of procedures to treat a 2-year-old boy from the Dominican Republic who was born with a disfiguring lesion on his face.
The 1½-hour procedure was the first of three or four that Alejandro Berenstein, MD, Director of the Hyman-Newman Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery and his comprehensive team will perform on toddler Joel De La Rosa. (more…)
Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Family Medicine, Pediatric Care, Pediatrics, Volunteering
What is Animal Assisted Therapy?
Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a relatively well-known practice throughout the United States. Volunteers “team up” with their pet(s), typically dogs, to support those in need. Individuals and their pets visit medical and mental health facilities: outpatient clinics, psychiatric inpatient units, medical inpatient units, nursing homes and schools.
These volunteers and their pets are certified by nonprofit agencies, such as The Delta Society and the Good Dog Foundation. These organizations generally accept adult volunteers (ages 18-plus) who would like to devote their time to this therapeutic cause. The volunteers need not be mental health professionals. In fact, many individuals and families who are motivated to engage in AAT work in a variety of industries full-time.
What is Animal Assisted Psychotherapy?
Animal Assisted Psychotherapy (AAP) consists of a mental health professional’s using his or her pet as a therapeutic tool to enhance the work with the client.
How does the animal enhance the therapeutic process?
• The animal is safe to bond with. Clients often feel more comfortable expressing a range of feelings in the therapy room when they are able to pet my dog, Barney, during session.
• The animal is used to help children develop the capacity to empathize with others. For example, if a child scares my therapy dog by chasing him, or withdraws a treat after Barney thinks he will receive it, I will comment, “How might Barney be feeling right now?”
• The animal often enacts what the client has difficulty expressing. For example, if the client is anxious, my therapy dog will start pacing around the room. Noticing how Barney’s enactments mimic their own distress helps clients become more aware and tolerant of their own feelings.
• For children and teenagers, practicing tricks with the therapy dog helps improve their self-esteem and self-efficacy.
Who is ‘Barney the Therapy Dog,’ and how is he incorporated into your work at The Child and Family Institute?
Barney (my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) has been working with me at the Child and Family Institute since 2012. After becoming certified by the Good Dog Foundation, Barney was enrolled as a volunteer pet therapist. At the Child and Family Institute, Barney co-leads animal assisted psychotherapy groups for children with trauma history, and participates in child and adult individual psychotherapy sessions with me.
Oct 18, 2012 | Holistic Health, Integrative Medicine, Pediatric Care, Pediatrics, Surgery
Guest blog post by Andrea L. Hughie, RN, MSN.
Little Samirawit Hailemariam (Sami) was introduced to the INN (Hyman-Newman Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery) at Mount Sinai Roosevelt in August of 2011. Initially a shy and guarded four year old, Sami left her family in Ethiopia to travel to New York City for advanced treatment of her life threatening venous malformation. If left untreated this dangerous collection of vessels could have caused Sami to bleed to death. In her eight months in the United States the large venous malformation that covered the entire left side of her face and mouth was significantly reduced and stabilized by the advanced technology and techniques of Dr. Alejandro Berenstein and Dr. Milton Waner. (more…)
Oct 2, 2012 | Orthopedics, Pediatric Care
A version of this post was originally published at LiveWellNewYork.com.
The school year has started, which means homework and overloaded backpacks, after-school sports and hours spent hunched over a desk. These are just a few reasons kids complain about back pain during the school year. In one way or another, these factors can place excess pressure on the spine, leading to muscle aches and strains in children.
Since kids are still growing, anything that puts extra strain on their muscles and ligaments near the spine can be painful. Although you can’t be there to carry your child’s books, or remind him or her about good posture at school, you can reinforce good habits to prevent backaches and strains. (more…)
