Dogs Help Children with Autism

Parents of autistic children are marveling at how their kids are responding to working with assistive dogs, and even parents of autistic children that have a traditional family dog say that the dogs do wonders for their child's confidence levels.

Parents are remarking that the dogs make the children feel more like other children, and offer them comfort for things that would normally upset them. Making their tantrum-like reaction to many things greatly reduced.

In order to qualify for a service dog, a child must be diagnosed with a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act that can be mitigated by a dog, be able to financially care for the animal and guarantee the animal's safety in their home. You can find more information from the Canine Companions for Independence website. And, also see the accompanying video below for additional information.

New research shows that children with Autism greatly benefit from Training Dogs as well. Dog trainer Kathy Santo teaches children with autism to train their dogs, which helps the children develop social bonding skills. Dr. Debbye Turner reports. See the below video for details: