The benefits of pets for autistic children. Dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs are not just cute companions, they're also great for helping autistic children with their social and emotional development.
Labrador Retrievers, Border Collies and Miniature Schnauzers are among the best therapy dog breeds for children with autism, new research has found. Providing safety and companionship, these pups help promote positive changes in behaviour, reduce anxiety and offer a calming focus.
Does animal-assisted therapy help autistic children? Some low-quality studies have found that animals might help autistic people develop sensory, social skills and early communication skills. Animals might also help people manage problem behaviour and stress.
Therapy animals: Therapy animals may be any species; cats, dogs, Guinea pigs, parrots, horses, and many other animals can help people with autism build social communication skills, manage their emotions, and (for children) build play skills.
Butterfly. The butterfly symbol is one that signifies change and represents the diversity of people on the autism spectrum. It also symbolizes the full lives of the autistic community, and the beauty of the differences of autistic people.
A relatively new symbol for autism, the butterfly has been a suggested replacement for the puzzle piece as it inspires thoughts of change and symbolizes the beauty of diversity and continued development.
Greens, blues, pinks, soft oranges and neutrals can be very comforting. Keeping the colors muted, these tones can quiet the mind and create calm.
Some autistic children have stronger relationships with cats than dogs. Scientists suspect that because cats, unlike dogs, don't hold a stare but tend to look away after short bouts of eye contact, this may feel more comfortable for autistic children.
Many autistic children and adults have a special bond with dogs. Through our experience of training dogs for autistic children we've seen the amazing difference dogs can make.
People with Asperger's syndrome often tend to bond more easily with animals than they do with people. Medical research has shown that pets can be highly beneficial for children with Asperger's, as an animal gives affection unconditionally, is non-judgmental and provides emotional and physical therapy.
Autistic kids and adults tend to do very well in socializing with cats, dogs, horses, etc. Interacting with animals brings out more advanced socialization skills, which they can then use, to some extent, with other humans.
There are some pros with Dolphin Assisted Therapy. It provides the opportunity for autistics to have new sensory experiences in water. They will be able to experience the swirling water around them as a dolphin playfully swims by. They will experience the serene feeling of the water cradling their body.
People with autism often have fears that are making their daily lives very complicated. A dog can help them feel safer in many situations and improve their anxiety. It's extremely useful for stressful situations, starting school and so on.
Children with autism, ADHD, or ADD can find socialising difficult, especially if they already feel isolated by their condition. But having a dog with them helps to make social situations easier to deal with, especially as dogs are a natural talking point.
An autism assistance dog or autism service dog is an assistance dog trained to assist a person with autism to help them gain independence and the ability to perform activities of daily living similar to people without autism.
An autism assistance dog works with a team leader – usually a parent, and wears a harness that is discreetly attached to a child. The assistance dog helps to regulate walking speed and is trained to respond to bolting or other unsafe behaviours that are common in many autistic children.
Pet rats or guinea pigs for special needs children
Some pet experts feel that rats and guinea pigs can be great pets for children with special needs as they are often very gentle and calming. They are therefore possibly the best small pet for an autistic child.
Research has shown that about 30 percent of those diagnosed with autism have a co-existing clinical phobia, fearing dogs, and other small animals.
According to Autism Parenting Magazine, cats help children with ASD improve their social skills. Caring for a cat helps children with ASD learn empathy and compassion as well as teaching responsibility. Petting a cat relieves stress and anxiety not just for the child with ASD, but the whole family.
Scientists at the University of Rennes in France observed 23 autistic and 19 non-autistic children and found that autistic children might prefer spending time with cats instead of dogs. The “less intrusive glance” of cats may be why they feel more comfortable with cats, says Marine Grandgeorge who worked on the study.
Best Cats For Autism
The ideal cat is outgoing, friendly and not fearful. Breeds known for these traits include the Ragdoll, Birman and Burmese. For the best results, start with a young kitten so they learn to like the unpredictable behaviour of children.
Scientific Research: Aquariums Have a Calming Effect
Several research studies have been done that looked at the effects of an aquarium on people with Alzheimer's disease as well as children with Autism. It was found that an aquarium with brightly colored fish can be soothing and calming to the person.
Apart from this issue, however, the fact should be noted that children with ASD were certainly likely to avoid yellow and, conversely, to favor green and brown.
Our logo symbolises the rare native Tasmania orchid (Thelymitra or sun orchid).
Light pastel pink has often been chosen as the favorite colour for children with autism in some tests conducted. Cool colors such as blue and green also have a soothing effect. It is recommended that primary and bright colours be used only for toys or play objects in their rooms.