The therapy dog specially trained to be in contact with i children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, we literally love the world not only to ASD children but also to parents. This was stated in a recent research by the researchers of theUniversity of South Australia.
The results of the study have been published in the scientific journal Health & Social Care in the Community.
ASD Children’s Therapy Dog: Here are all the benefits
According to the research team of the University of South Australia, the presence of a specially trained therapy dog specially trained for children with autism helps both children and the whole family to have the confidence to enter new places away from home.
The doctor Shelley WrightUniSA researcher and qualified occupational therapist, who oversaw the research, stated that the freedom to explore new places is something most of us take for granted, but for children with autism and their parents, this experience has multiple sensory dynamics.
“Impulsive and unpredictable behavior is a characteristic of autism and taking children out of their usual environment is often too stressful for both the child and the parent.“Said Dr. Wright.
The researcher Rebecca Appleby conducted interviews with eight families mated with an autism therapy dog (AAD) as support for their child. The results were very encouraging:
• On average, families visited 8.5 more places and traveled 20 kilometers further from their home after having had the therapy dog for more than a year.
• Parents reported greater freedom for young children with severe autism who were normally tied up in a wheelchair for safety when they left the house. A therapy dog replaced the wheelchair but still acted as a natural brake.
• Before receiving an autism therapy dog, parents were reluctant to leave the family home due to the stress this action could cause, which however led to feeling trapped and isolated. The therapy dog allowed them to venture outside because their baby proved calmer and more confident in the presence of his little dog.
• Parents reported fewer breakdowns among their children who searched for the dog when they felt overwhelmed.
Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder often feel lonely because they find it difficult to socialize and communicate – the therapy dog has given them much-needed companionship.
“In summary, many parents weren’t sure how they would do without the dog“, Dr. Wright explained:”The parents we interviewed were much happier and more comfortable leaving their home with their baby after receiving an autism therapy dog. A new discovery of this study was the sense of freedom and tranquility that comes from the dog sleeping with the child, improving sleep for the family as a whole and alerting the parents when the child wakes up ”.
The only difficulty reported by the parents was the lack of public understanding about the rights of access in relation to a therapy dog, in some places that did not understand the law and refused them entry.
Chantel King, resident of Mt Gambier, whose 13-year-old son James diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, vouched for the positive impact of Winter, a black Labrador who was assigned to the family in 2011: “James was just a kid when we had Winter, but the difference he has made over the years has been breathtaking“, Chantel said:”We were able to go on a trip as a whole family rather than being separated and someone who had to stay home and watch James. James had a whole new world of freedom that he had never had access to before, thanks to Winter ”.
Now retired from full-time therapy dog duties, Winter is no longer legally able to accompany James indoors, but has more than fulfilled his role: “Over the past 10 years, Winter has expanded James’s world in countless ways, giving him the confidence to perform in an eisteddfod, graduate in front of his peers, travel interstate and venture into public places. He transformed our lives “, Chantel concluded.
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