奇速英语

治疗犬让饮食失调患者放松心情，开怀大笑

A new therapy dog is helping young people who are being treated for eating disorders (饮食失调) to be put at ease and laugh.

Sipho, the 10-month-old labradoodle puppy, goes with his owner, Bronwyne Stott, to The Brambles, in Duston, Northampton. Ms Stott, who works for the service run by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT), said: “He instinctively seems to know who is feeling anxious or vulnerable and will sit with his chin on their foot.” She said when he greets patients at the entrance “they immediately feel more relaxed”.

The children and young people enjoy taking Sipho for a walk around the garden, which makes them more open about how they are feeling. “He makes them laugh and gets them chatting. They can sit and stroke (抚摸) him, which puts the children, and their parents, at ease,” Ms Stott said. Staff also take him for a walk in their breaks to help with their own well-being.

A parent, whose daughter has an eating disorder, said: “It was an opportunity for her to have her views and opinions heard. Although she is often anxious in these kind of situations, she was put at ease and had a positive experience within the group.”

It was hoped Sipho, the first dog to be used at the service, would be fully trained in another eight months. “Dogs are therapeutic anyway, and the benefit of having Sipho here has been amazing,” Ms Stott added. “If you have an eating disorder, or complex feeding issue, he proves a great distraction from the challenging circumstances these children are in, and he helps give them the confidence to take the next steps towards recovery.”