Elephants vs. autism in Thailand

Can elephant therapy help autistic kids? An innovative program in Lampang, Thailand aims to find out. It's enlisted a pair of playful pachyderms, Nua Un and Prathida, to interact with autistic children.

In this photo, an autistic boy interacts with Prathida.

An autistic child rides Prathida, a female elephant. "The elephant is such a big stimulus it can keep the attention of an individual longer, and since it is such a wonderful animal bonding can occur," says therapist Nuntanee Satiansukpong.

Nuntanee Satiansukpong rides Nua Un. Nuntanee worked out six key activities for therapy sessions, from feeding the elephants to playing games with them and creating elephant-themed art. Each activity is designed to improve a specific skill.

An autistic boy rides Nua Un. In addition to riding the elephants, the children clean the elephants and play ball games with them.

Autistic children feed Nua Un. They also have to draw up shopping lists for the elephants and buy their food at a mock store.

An autistic boy splashes water on Nua Un. Elephants are woven into the fabric of Thai culture, familiar to children since birth. Their intelligence allows for a wide range of interaction with humans, and they are especially attention-grabbing to autistic children.

An autistic boy helps to clean Nua Un.

elephants, autism, thailand, therapy — AP

Autistic children ride Nua Un through the forests of northern Thailand. Although autism is incurable, therapy and medication can improve speech, learning and social problems, and reduce behavior like tantrums.