Today completes National Autism Awareness Month for 2013, but obviously, help for families with an autistic child goes on. I hope by sharing a personal experience I will inspire others to use their pet to help an autistic child. The therapeutic role of pets with a variety of health conditions has been well documented, so it is no surprise that dogs are proving beneficial for children with autism.
About a year and a half ago a friend called and asked if I would consider putting my dog into service to help his 20 year old autistic son overcome a severe phobia of dogs. His son would panic at the sight of a dog even if he was safe inside a car. To encounter a dog on the street would send him fleeing in the opposite direction. His reactions made it nearly impossible to take him shopping, to the park, or even travelling, where a service dog might be encountered.
My dog, Gus, has no training as a therapy dog, but he does have a gentle temperament. The son’s predicament touched my heart, and within days we had set a schedule of visits twice a week, knowing this would be a long-term project. For the sake of the family’s privacy, I will use fictitious names and blur the identity of the young man as I recount our experience.
On January 24, 2012 Gus and I made our first visit. Marc had been told about the visits and their purpose. Although Gus and I remained outside the house Marc locked himself in his bedroom It took 10 minutes for him to gather his courage and come to the family room with his mother. At the sight of Gus through the window Marc became agitated and backed out of the room. We repeated this scenario three times over 3-4 minutes, and then we left.
For the next three months Marc remained in the house, looking at and talking to Gus through the window. Our visits extended to 10 minutes, then 15, and eventually a half hour.
In early April 2012 Marc opened the front door and spoke to Gus for the first time. Over the next few months he began to come out of the house with his mother, inching closer to us with each visit.
Through the summer months we plateaued. Marc would not come closer than four feet from Gus. We broke the plateau by trying a completely different strategy. Although repetition is important to build the familiarity that puts Marc at ease, we know now that each time we stall we need to try something original to move forward.
Fifteen months into our efforts, Marc is kneeling and petting Gus. Marc has responded cautiously but curiously to other small dogs I’ve brought along on the visits. As time goes on we will work on transferring Marc’s ease with Gus to unknown dogs in public places.
Like many dogs, Gus seems to have an innate understanding of the need to be calm and allow Marc to touch him. He tolerates having his ears rubbed, his feet held, his tail lifted, and his back stroked.
This is rewarding work for both Gus and me, and I encourage anyone with a gentle dog to make a difference in the life of a special needs person.
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