Life is nine parts pain and one part pleasure, at least that’s what it’s like for most people! But it is even more difficult to deal with if you’ve got a certain disorder or disability holding you down. That is why it’s important to find out ways to help kids with autism, just so they can have a somewhat better life than the one they’re already living! Can therapy dogs help out with that? Let’s find out!
Therapy dogs have proven out to be beneficial for most people suffering from different disorders, especially autism. Therapy dogs help autistic kids overcome certain hardships like difficulty in forming bonds with people, short attention spans, etc. With all the therapeutic effects and benefits there are of having a therapy dog, autistic kids can develop better and show great improvement over time.
Autistic kids tend to show repetitive behavioral patterns and habits. They find it hard to communicate and express the way they feel. Connecting with people can often feel like a chore to autistic kids and they can come off as cold or devoid of empathy at times. All of these issues can be worked out to a certain extent by incorporating healthy coping and development activities – part of which is getting a therapy dog!
Getting a therapy dog for autistic kids can improve their communication and social skills. The attention span and empathy of an autistic kid can also be improved by the same. Small details like remembering to use a good brush to groom a Labradoodle, feeding the labradoodle good food, playing with the labradoodle, etc., can help in the overall growth and improvement of an autistic child.
In this article, you’ll get a deep insight into the functioning of an autistic child’s mind. You’ll learn about how therapy dogs can be helpful to kids with autism, along with the ways they can help them improve their condition. All 12 ways in which therapy dogs can be helpful for autistic kids are also discussed further in this article. So, are you ready to know all about it? Let’s go then!
What Is Autism?
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder. It is also known as an autism spectrum disorder. This disorder affects the communication and social skills of an individual. The intensity of this disorder can be as low as it is a solvable issue or as big as the one which requires full-time medical attention and care.
Expressing their own feelings, thoughts and views are some of the major challenges an autistic person has to deal with on an everyday basis. Not being able to express oneself also gives rise to another problem, which is not being able to understand people’s emotions or feelings to a certain extent and not being able to comprehend them.
Some of the common symptoms of autism include not being able to maintain eye contact, being highly sensitive, repetitive behavior, having a robotic manner of speech, not taking changes well, avoiding people’s gaze or not looking at people while talking, etc.
What Are Kids With Autism Like?
Kids with autism usually have trouble expressing how they feel. They might be pickier than most kids and might behave in a repetitive manner. Autistic kids tend to get fixated on certain patterns and mannerisms. They might seem uninterested in most things and have very narrow and specific interests.
Autism in kids can be recognized and diagnosed as early as the age of 18 months. You should be aware of the general symptoms of autism, so you can check for the same in your kid. The sooner you recognize it, the sooner your child will be able to get the help he or she deserves.
Do Therapy Dogs Prove To Be Of Any Help To Autistic Kids?
Thinking about the advancement of medical sciences, you must be wondering what a therapy dog does that medical help for autism can’t? Well, if that’s actually a query in your mind, then I’ve got just the answer for you!
Therapy dogs have proven to act like “social catalysts” for kids with autism. After a lot of research, there’s evidence supporting the opinion that dogs help autistic children improve their communication skills and make them more social. Behavioral changes were also noticed in these children, making them friendlier and more understanding.
Autistic children become more responsive when they mingle with therapy dogs. These children go through sensory and mental interventions when they are around therapy dogs. Dogs tend to work really well with sensitive and repetitive behavior. Hence, a therapy dog proves to be of major good to an autistic child.
12 Ways Therapy Dogs Can Help Kids With Autism
Given below are the 12 ways in which therapy dogs can help kids with autism:-
- Calming Effect
- Improvement In Emotional And Cognitive Growth
- Improves Social Skills
- Betterment Of Communication Skills
- Helps In Building Confidence
- Boosts Up Friendly Nature
- Source Of Sensory Support
- Helps In Fighting Anxiety
- Stress Buster
- Positive Growth
- Improved Sense Of Safety
- Helps In Becoming More Responsible
Calming Effect
Dogs are called man’s best friends for a reason. They’re highly empathetic and tend to feel deeply for the person they’re with. During moments of distress like sensory meltdowns, therapy dogs prove to be of extreme comfort to their owners. They also show affection by cuddling up to their owners and providing warmth to them.
Improvement In Emotional And Cognitive Growth
Kids with autism often end up giving people the cold shoulder. They might seem cold and out of touch with other people’s feelings. A therapy dog breaks through this barrier and manages to form a real connection with the child. The frequent cuddles, hugs, etc., makes the kid with autism more open to both physical and emotional affection. All of this helps the child grow both emotionally and cognitively.
Improves Social Skills
Kids with autism are not that social. They lack social skills and can also seem unfriendly towards other people unintentionally. Hanging out or playing with a dog will make the kid more social and will also help him or her to develop social skills to a good extent.
Betterment Of Communication Skills
It has been found in research that therapy dogs help kids with autism in developing and improving their communication skills. Therapy dogs help autistic kids to communicate in a better way and help them in expressing their thoughts and feelings with more clarity than usual.
Helps In Building Confidence
Therapy dogs have proven to increase confidence in kids with autism. This is because therapy dogs push autistic kids to feel more confident while making small decisions like deciding to play with the dog, being certain about whether or not it’s time for the dog to get some food, etc. All of this contributes to building up the confidence of autistic kids.
Boosts Up Friendly Nature
Therapy dogs are friendlier than usual pet dogs. They are more comforting and affectionate seeking and giving. Being around therapy dogs influence the mood and behavior of autistic children a lot. This can make the kid friendlier. Not only that but having a therapy dog can also create opportunities for children with autism to interact and connect with people.
Source Of Sensory Support
Autistic kids need more sensory support than other kids. It’s very important for them to receive sensory stimulation from somewhere and a therapy dog is perfect for that matter. Therapy dogs can push children with autism to participate in various activities and games like fetch, hide and seek, etc.
Helps In Fighting Anxiety
Autistic kids are usually intimidated by the thought of going out to a public place, like a grocery store, parks, salons, etc. This is because they prefer not to be around people or be in jam-packed places. Having a therapy dog by their side can help autistic kids deal with these situations or surroundings in a better way than usual, which helps them in feeling less anxious.
Stress Buster
Not being able to express their feelings, thoughts or opinions regarding things can be stressful. Autistic kids can be easily confused when faced with other people’s displeasure or discomfort due to behavioral misunderstandings. Therapy dogs provide immediate comfort to autistic children when they’re dealing with such situations.
Positive Growth
Therapy dogs promote the overall positive growth of autistic children. They’re always there to comfort and help these autistic children deal with changes or minor problems in a positive manner. Autistic children also feel way less lonely and more loved when around therapy dogs, helping them in coping with other issues in a positive way.
Improved Sense Of Safety
Dogs, in general, take care of the safety of their owners. It’s the same with therapy dogs as well but in a greater intensity or depth, you can say. Therapy dogs are really empathetic and feel deeply for their owners. They can sense any discomfort and negativity and help in keeping their owners safe.
Helps In Becoming More Responsible
Having a therapy dog ignites a sense of responsibility in kids with autism. The child feels responsible for the well-being and safety of their therapy dog. This sense of responsibility then carries into other situations and helps them be more responsible.
Conclusion
Therapy dogs are beneficial for autistic kids. They help in the overall positive growth of children with autism. The communication and social skills of autistic children improve to a great extent when they spend time with therapy dogs. Hence, being around therapy dogs is super advantageous and helpful for autistic kids.
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Great post, Heather!
Thank you, Karen!
Great post
Thank you.