Chicken Therapy for Special Needs Kids

LONG LAKE, Minn. - We've heard of dog and horse therapy, but would you believe chickens are also helping kids in need? The Education Director of MN LINC says chickens can give kids confidence and self esteem.

16-year-old Alexa Gasiorowski has a very rare disease called moyamoya. The condition restricts blood flow in the arteries of her brain. When she was 9 years old, Alexa had a stroke. Six months later, a second stroke wiped out her ability to talk, walk, read and write.

As she struggled to get back those abilities, her mother says she become frustrated and very angry, sometimes even violent, because she felt trapped inside her own body.

Alexa now goes to chicken therapy to work with animals that some consider stupid and stubborn, but the therapist teaches the chickens are intelligent and calm.

The patient relates to the chicken and learns good social behaviors. Alexa's mother says the therapy gives Alexa a reason to wake up in the morning.

"It was quite a very years that everything was difficult school home life everything," Rhonda Gasiorowsk said. "What brought Alexa through was her animals the dogs, cats, the animals that would give her love that people wouldn't."

Alexa says she lost all her friends when she had the stroke, but now has new friends. She says she has more self esteem now.

Therapist Tanya Welsch sees that in many of her patients. She says the ones that have autism don't like to be touched or touch other things. Being on a farm helps them adjust to over-stimulation.

If you would like to learn more about the program go to www.mnlinc.org.