Dolphin-assisted therapy

When undergoing dolphin-assisted therapy (DAT), an individual with autism swims, touches, and interacts with dolphins. Alleged benefits of dolphin therapy include improved emotional control and communication skills, as well as increased attention. Some proponents also claim that the emotional experience created by DAT helps individuals become more receptive to more conventional treatments. There is no scientific evidence suggesting that DAT is efficacious in the long-term improvement of autism symptoms. Moreover, DAT involves significant safety risks given that dolphins are powerful animals that are capable of harming humans despite extensive training.