Chang is the Thai word for elephant, and Thailand has a new project involving the use of animals for kids. Kids with autism use elephants for therapy and play time has brought about amazing changes in the lives of several autistic children.

Using gentle elephants, autistic children are allowed to play with the animals, including hugging and riding on their backs. The children are also taught how to take care of the animals by bathing and feeding them.

Animals have long since been used for therapy like dogs, cats, dolphins, and horses. Animals have a unique ability to be accepting regardless of anything else but trust. It recognizes no physical flaw; passing no judgment except upon initial contact when trust has not yet been developed; and if the animal is well trained, they have an intrinsic impulse to protect people they feel are in danger.

Although elephant therapy is a relatively new approach with autistic children, the initial results are extremely encouraging. The idea was the brain child of the head of occupational therapy in Chaing Mai University in northern Thailand, Nuntanee Satiansukpong. According to her, the sensory-rich skills of elephants allow them to safely interact with humans. Keep in mind that in Thailand, elephants are used as more than just large animals. They are almost the equivalent to a farm horse, and have been used to transport people around. Of course, this does not happen as often anymore but Thais are very much at home with these large animals.

The elephant therapy works with a 6 key strategy and is supervised by the Thai Elephant Conservation Center, which is run by the government. There are activities that work around specific sensory skills, including the care of animals. The children are taught how to feed the animals starting from the point of having to buy the food with real money. If their choice of food is rejected by the animal, they will have to return to the place where they bought the food and exchange it for another. Other activities are bathing, playing games, and learning art.