A four-year-old little girl, Hao Hao, jumped and cried with joy while playing with a dolphin Monday in a zoo in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, becoming the first mentally retarded patient to undergo such treatment in the region.

Hao Hao was diagnosed as mentally retarded six months after birth. The family took her to many hospitals but failed to get effective treatment. The girl still has problems in talking to others and concentrating her mind and has a lower intelligence than normal children.

The family learned by chance that some studies showed that the ultrasonic waves emitted by dolphins might help treat the condition, so they contacted zoos and aquariums in the region and were received by Nanning Zoo, which begun staging dolphin shows earlier this year.

The zoo accepted Hao Hao as a guest and covered the cost of treatment and accommodation.

"Hao Hao appeared more active and focused in the morning with the dolphin," said her aunt. "At least she had fun with the lovely animal."

The dolphin treatment was expected to prompt more public awareness and scientific research into the treatment of children like Hao Hao, said the manager of the zoo.

(Xinhua News Agency February 24, 2004)