In 2008, Dogs for the Disabled will introduce a very special project, extending its services to help children with autism and their families. The new service, aims to help families with an autistic child to lead a more fulfilled life through the provision of a specially trained assistance dog.
For a child with autism life can be terrifying, the world becomes a confusing puzzle, a mass of pictures and noise that never makes sense. There is no known cure for autism, and every individual is affected differently, but one thing remains the same, with a child trapped in there own world by a devastating condition, normal life stops for the whole family.
An autism assistance dog is highly trained and socialised to help with the needs of the child and their families. Their role will be to act as a guide, anchor and continuous focus for the child and in so doing will offer the whole family the chance to open their doors to the outside world again.
While the effects on the autistic child are not fully understood, the results can be dramatic; a child with autism can become calmer within just a few weeks of commencing their training, tantrums and bolting behaviour is reduced and the child shows a greater focus that has the potential to offer improvements in learning and communication – sometimes for the first time.
With the presence of a highly trained assistance dog, the family can hope to visit the shopping mall, go to the park and even attempt a holiday, simple things that all too often can become a distant memory for the family with an autistic child.
Over the next two years, the charity plans to pilot a project that will help families with autistic children. Thanks to support from grant giving trusts - including the Hilton in the Community Foundation who funded the training for our first three partnerships - Dogs for the Disabled has secured funding to establish this exciting new project. However, as an organisation wholly reliant on donations we welcome further financial support to this and other areas of our work. Click here to find out more about supporting our work.
