Event to be held from November 20 to 23 in São Paulo will feature courses, a workshop, and a congress, addressing treatments such as hippotherapy and reptile therapy.
São Paulo, October 2024 – Having the company and interaction of animals, including exotic ones, to improve the emotional, physical, and social health of people is a treatment that is becoming increasingly established in Brazil. In addition to the well-known dogs, cats, and horses (equine therapy), reptile therapy is also used. Snakes, alligators, toads, tegu lizards, and other exotic animals such as the Madagascar hissing cockroach participate in it.
Animal-Assisted Therapy will be one of the topics with a broad and deep approach present in 19th Edition of Reatech + Expo Brasil Paralímpico, one of the most important events in Latin America dedicated to promoting accessibility and quality of life for people with disabilities. The fair will take place from November 20 to 23, 2024, at the São Paulo Expo, in the capital of São Paulo.
Reatech's schedule is packed with activities on the subject. On November 22, starting at 1 PM, there will be the “Pet Course | Animal-Assisted Therapy,” featuring practical and theoretical activities (the complete schedule can be accessed HERE). On the 23rd, starting at 10 AM, the “Equine-Assisted Therapy Technical Improvement Workshop” will take place, aimed at professionals in the health or education fields with a higher education degree, students, and those interested in learning about the therapy (full schedule HERE).
Occupational therapy is another topic covered at the Fair. On the 22nd and 23rd, starting at 10:30 a.m., the Tecfisio | TO – Advanced Technologies in Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Seminar will take place, discussing topics such as 3D orthotics, sexuality, virtual reality rehabilitation, experience reports on Parkinson's disease, as well as the theme of this year's Olympics and Paralympics. Access the schedule HERE.
Animal-Assisted Therapy
The Pet Course – AAA (Animal-Assisted Activities) is one of the most sought-after at the Fair, featuring ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and the psychologist's role in AAT (Animal-Assisted Therapy) as one of its topics, led by psychologist Aline Prier de Saone and the Gati Equotherapy Team (Integrated and Therapeutic Approach Group), at 2:00 PM on November 22nd.
Liana Santos, director of Gati, explains that there was a change in nomenclature implemented by IAHAIO (International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations), the international association of organizations that promote human-animal interaction. Animal-Assisted Therapy has been renamed Animal-Assisted Treatment, due to standardization issues used worldwide.
The director of Gati points out that patients with ASD frequently seek out animal-assisted treatments. In the case of the Pet Course, reptiles will be the stars. “They are snakes, caimans, tegus, frogs, stick insects (insects whose appearance mimics vegetation), a series of exotic animals. Reptile therapy, in particular, is highly recommended, and speech-language pathologist Andréa Ribeiro is the one who practices it in Brazil. She uses the continuous movement of the snake to stimulate contact with certain muscles in a child, for example, providing major motor and therapeutic gains.”.
The speech therapist mentioned by Liana will give the lecture “Reptile Therapy – Differentiated Animals,” at 3:00 p.m. Other topics of the course will be “Patas Therapeutas and AAI – experiences in nursing homes and hospitals,“ presented by psychoanalyst Silvana Fedeli Prado, at 4:00 p.m., and ”Animal-Assisted Services and the possibilities of work in the field of Education," taught by psychopedagogue Leticia Cassonato, at 5:00 p.m.
Equine-assisted therapy
Liana Santos is still one of the leading equine-assisted therapy experts in the country and one of the pioneers in coordinating and curating the subject at Reatech. According to her, the advancements of equine-assisted therapy in Brazil are immense.
“The great breakthrough is that equine therapy has become a law, a therapeutic method recognized within the Federal Council of Medicine and recognized by Crefito, which is the Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy,” he stated. Law 13,830, which provides for the practice of equine therapy, was signed into law in May 2019.
Liana points out that equine-assisted therapy in Brazil is a “powerhouse.” “There are 480 centers spread across Brazil. All of them qualified, all operating in accordance with the law. What we want now is for equine-assisted therapy to be recognized by SUS (the Unified Health System) and by health insurance plans. Through SUS it will take longer, but through health insurance plans it's a matter of a short time,” she evaluates.
Liana herself will be one of the speakers at the Equitherapy Workshop, where she will address the topic “The possibilities of the ringmaster figure and equestrian games – ASD.” Other topics such as “Public policies – free equitherapy services – São Paulo,” presented by Eliane Baastch, psychopedagogue and riding instructor, and “Current sports updates after the Paralympics – Disciplines,” by Claudiane Pasquali, Director of the Para-Equestrian Discipline at the Brazilian Equestrian Confederation, are part of the schedule. Claudiane will also bring behind-the-scenes information about her participation in the Paris Paralympics.
Physical medicine and rehabilitation
Also on the Reatech schedule, it will be possible to participate in Reamed (Congress of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation), held on November 20 and 21, in the afternoon. This is the concept of combining traditional medicine with complementary therapies, improving the individual's quality of life and socialization.
Edgard Morya, manager of the Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neurosciences and one of the Congress speakers, states that professionals involved in the rehabilitation and training of people with disabilities (physical therapy, physical education, occupational therapy, medicine, bioengineering) have great opportunities to expand their scope of practice with assistive technologies, innovative processes, and public policies.
“During these two days of the course, we will show the steps for professionals to contribute to the development of technologies, processes, and public policies. These steps range from the integration of the interdisciplinary team, identification of opportunities according to the disability, development of processes and technologies, training of healthcare professionals, to the development of projects and public policies,” she highlighted.
Service:
Reatech Brasil 2024 – International Fair of Inclusion, Accessibility and Rehabilitation
Dates: November 20 to 23
Hours: 10 AM to 7 PM
Location: São Paulo Expo
Address: Rodovia dos Imigrantes, 1.5 km – Vila Água Funda, São Paulo – SP
More information in this link.
Photos from the 2023 edition access here
About Fiera Milano Brasil
Fiera Milano Brasil is the Brazilian branch of Fiera Milano, one of the world's largest trade fair and congress players, which each year attract approximately 30,000 exhibitors and more than five million visitors. In Brazil, ten trade fairs are held representing the most diverse segments of the economy, such as security, clean and renewable energy, pipes and fittings, cables, occupational health, rehabilitation technologies, inclusion and accessibility, among others. Among the main brands in the portfolio are Exposec, FISP, Fire Show, Congresso Ecoenergy, Tubotech, wire Brasil, Fruit Attraction São Paulo, in partnership with IFEMA Madrid, Reatech + Expo Brasil Paralímpico, in partnership with the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB), Esquadria Show, in partnership with NürnbergMesse Brasil, TranspoQuip, and ExpoParking in partnership with BMComm. More information: www.fieramilanobrasil.com.br.
Press Information:
2PRÓ Comunicação – Fiera Milano Brasil
Myrian Vallone | Teresa Silva
e-mail: fieramilano@2pro.com.br
(11) 3030-9463 | 9404 | (11) 99228-7836
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