Autism and Dogs

I just came across a great article that I would like to share. Being the mom of a special needs teenager, this article really hit home.  Plus April is Autism Awareness Month so what better way to provide awareness.

The article is about a Maine High School that is implementing a new program. The program named Jumping for Joy, allows high school students the opportunity to work with dogs.  Students on the autism spectrum are paired up with a dog. During the six-week program the students get to teach shelter dogs agility. In return the students learn how to problem solve as well as improve on other important skills in a safe and fun environment.  Students work closely with specially trained animal-assisted therapy teams.  You can read more about the article by clicking here.

If you have a child on the spectrum or know anyone that does, then you know that these type of skills can be difficult to teach. Many of our children need a lot of support and its programs like these that have been proven to be effective.

According to an article by Autism Speaks, “The study, published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing, surveyed parents of children who had autism about the children’s interactions with dogs. Nearly two-thirds of the families owned a dog. Of these, 94 percent said their child bonded strongly with the pet. Even in the families without dogs, 7 in 10 parents said their child enjoyed interacting with dogs. Previous research involving children with autism found that those who had a family pet from a young age tended to have greater social skills. Still other research has shown how social behaviors in children who have autism temporarily improve after even a short play period with a live animal (versus a toy).  You can read more about the article by clicking here.