Tag: animals
Horse therapy found to help children with autism
Cleveland Daily Banner
Through extensive study of research from leading medical schools, SpiritHorse Therapeutic has developed specific methods for treating autism through equine-assisted therapy.
These methods have been utilized in over 30,000 sessions with children with autism during the past five years.
Following a study in 2009 by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center that showed statistically “Significant Improvement” in 24 children with autism through intervention at SpiritHorse, representatives from Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, visited SpiritHorse for its spring, 2009 semester to study the results of the SpiritHorse program.
The study of 47 children with autism spectrum disorder, just released, also showed a statistically “Significant Improvement,” including nine children who, after 10 weeks treatment at SpiritHorse, measured nonautistic on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, a single-blinded measurement.
via Cleveland Daily Banner – Study Equine asisted therapy helps children with autism.
Posted on July 27, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: animals, Autism, children with Autism, horses
Summer Autism: Puppy camp lets autistic children learn about dogs
Democrat & Chronicle
Children with autism often make a connection with animals – especially dogs. A camp near Rochester, N.Y., lets children with autism and other developmental disabilities, as well as neurotypical children, learn about brand new puppies. The camp is run by a married couple who breed Labrador retrievers, and the wife in that couple is an autism specialist at a local school district.
SPENCERPORT — Lauren Erlichman and Martin Yesowitch might not have spent their wedding anniversary how they expected this year, but the date was memorable nonetheless.
The Canal Road couple, who tied the knot on July 7, 2007, breeds Labrador retrievers. Their canine companions made sure their anniversary was extra special — and numerically aligned.
“We had our litter this week — seven puppies on 7/7,” Yesowitch says. That was just days after helping their 4-year-old dog, Macie, deliver her pups. “We got married on 7/7/07, and we had seven puppies on the 7th with our first puppy.”
That’s pretty amazing. Then again, so is the work that Erlichman and Yesowitch do.
For the second year, the couple is running the Labs of Love Puppy Camp for children ages 7 to 15. Kids learn about training and feeding dogs, as well as health issues, caring for the animals and running a kennel.
Some children learn even more valuable lessons.
Many kids in the week-long sessions have developmental disabilities such as autism, and Erlichman, an autism specialist with the Spencerport Central School District, said the puppies help those children socialize and become more confident.
“Animals speak a non-verbal language with people,” Erlichman says, paraphrasing Temple Grandin, a noted author and speaker who has autism and whose life story was detailed in an HBO movie named for her.
“There’s no talking back. They’re more in control,” she said.
via It’s pure puppy love at Spencerport summer camp | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle.
Posted on July 26, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: animals, Autism, camp, children with Autism, Summer autism
Horses, donkeys, sheep help with autism
Traverse City Record-Eagle
Dr. Marvin Anderson picked up a spindly legged lamb and draped it over his shoulders.
The doctor moved to Cedar around 2000; he lives on an organic farm with his wife Jill, sheep, goats, rabbits and miniature donkeys. More recently, Anderson launched a solo practice called Abba’s Place on the farm property. He deals with autism, environmental sensitivity and diagnostically challenging cases.
“(For) years, I went around with a stethoscope draped around my neck, and I’ve sort of replaced it with a lamb,” Anderson, an internist, said.
He is among several local health care providers who are incorporating animals into patient visits and treatment. The approaches range from local ranches devoted to therapeutic horseback riding and equine-assisted counseling to a visit with a bunny or donkey that Anderson can hold out “as a plum” for his young patients.
Connecting with animals is just one method Anderson can use when meeting with autistic children.
via Horses, donkeys, sheep help with autism » Life » Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Posted on July 22, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: animals, Autism, physicians
Therapy dog helps Florida boy with autism
The News-Press
A 6-month-old golden retriever leaps out of the white sedan onto the gravel driveway.
A few yards away, pasted on the front door of the Golden Gate Estates home, is a picture of a dog with a red heart drawn around it. “Welcome Falcon!” it states.
Slowly, Kathy Lowers leads her 3-year-old son Nate toward the dog with the wagging tail.
She puts her son’s hand on Falcon’s back and looks at Nate expectantly.
Nate doesn’t react.
At first he appears the same as his siblings – Abraham, 11; Victoria, 9; Catalina, 7; Isabella, 5; and Maggie, his twin, who all squeal in delight and crowd around the dog.
But when Nate was 2 1/2 he was diagnosed with a severe, regressive form of autism.
Call his name, he does not turn around; toss him a ball, he does not try to catch it; ask him a question and he does not answer.
PAWS for Love Assistance Dogs placed Falcon with Nate and his family July 9. The specially trained golden retriever was bred for five generations for his temperament and training abilities.
via Therapy dog helps Golden Gate child with autism | news-press.com | The News-Press.
Posted on July 20, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: animals, Autism, children with Autism, Florida, service animals
Children with autism respond to horses, hippotherapy
WICZ
Before he started riding lessons with Elvis the horse, Jaden Farnham didn’t say much.
“He just said words, not a lot of sentences,” said his grandfather, Bob Farnham.
Now…
“Tell her what you do at the creek with Elvis,” urges farm owner Linda Fargnoli.
“I throw stones and I see fish,” answered Jaden.
Laurie McNulty had trouble talking and connecting with people outside her immediate family.
“She’s a lot more affectionate,” says her mom, Cathy McNulty. “She seems a little more confident.”
And Max Markosky didn’t speak.
“That moment when he said that sentence, ‘I want ball, please,’ everybody around the horse that was walking with him just was astounded,” said his mom, Catherine Markosky. “They just fell over.”
These are the stories you’ll hear at Fargnoli Farms.
Posted on July 15, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism, Caregiving | Tags: animals, Autism, children with Autism
Helping at animal sanctuary uplifts autistic child
USA Today
We’ve seen many touching stories about how animals – from service dogs to horses – have helped children with autism. Here’s another with a twist. The animals are living out their final years at a pet sanctuary, and the autistic girl is a volunteer. Read her mom’s comment below and then follow the link to the original USA Today story.
If you haven’t seen the photos or read the story on A Chance for Bliss, I hope you’ll find time. The animal sanctuary is a forever home for older and special need pets run by David and Deanna Bartley in Penryn, Calif. This amazing couple not only helps animals in need but also brings in people with special needs to help out with the animals and to share the joy. Here’s a comment from one of the volunteer’s parents.
My daughter was born with Autism. She works there weekly as a volunteer with the help of an adult aide. A Chance For Bliss has changed her. She has volunteered at other nonprofit organizations, but A Chance For Bliss has really captured her heart. Other special needs children and adults have benefited by helping there as well, including a group who volunteer there regularly from Easter Seals. These animals are lovingly cared for. The animals are given a forever home and treated kindly. Woody and Deanna are incredibly warm and caring. Their place is so calm and peaceful.
Posted on June 3, 2010 | 2 Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: animals, Autism
Dog watches over children with autism
CNN
It was the dog trainer’s honesty that won Lisa McMillan over.
When McMillan asked the trainer whether she was able to train a dog to assist with her autistic twin boys, the dog trainer said, “I don’t know anything about autism.”
The mother did. And Kelli Collins knew how to train dogs. Together, they would train and raise a puppy to be a companion to the then-3-year-olds, Eric and James. Collins would work with the puppy, Caleb, on learning the boys’ scent so he could find them when they bolted. He soon would learn to comfort them, almost instinctively, when they needed a friend.
via Puppy watches over children with autism – CNN.com.
Posted on April 2, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism, Caregiving | Tags: animals, Autism, children with Autism, service animals
Service dog goes to school with sixth-grader with autism
Fort Wayne Daily News
Here’s a nice story from Fort Wayne, Ind., about a child with autism and her service dog. A local middle school and other members of the 12-year-old’s community raised $11,000 for the autism service dog. What a nice change of pace from recent news stories about schools banning service dogs for children with autism!
KENDALLVILLE — Wayne Center Elementary School has a new student this trimester.
His name is Jefferson, and he walks the hallways, the classrooms, gymnasium and cafeteria on four paws. When he’s wearing his harness, Jefferson is all business. When the harness is off, he’s like most rambunctious, playful Labradors.
Jefferson is a specially trained autism service dog for 12-year-old Kelsey Fogle, a sixth-grader with multiple disabilities including autism. Kelsey is partially deaf, her speech is impaired and she can see only shadows in her right eye, but she moves about the school like other students with Jefferson’s assistance.
via Service dog goes to school with sixth-grader with autism.
Posted on March 22, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: animals, Autism, children with Autism, fundraising, school, service animals
Dogs and children with autism
The Canadian Press
Seven-year-old Matthew Colombo of Kitchener and his autism assistance dog guide, Cash, are a wicked team.
To start with, both are as cute as a bug so watching the bond gently forming between the pair is heartwarming and affirming.
For Chris Fowler, this bond is critical.
Chris is head trainer for the autism assistance dog guides, part of the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides’ programs where he and his wife, Heather Fowler, apprenticed.
In 1996 the couple launched National Service Dogs, a non-profit organization west of Cambridge that trains dogs for children like Matthew, children with autism.
via TheSpec.com – healthfitness – Dogs guide autistic kids.
Posted on February 23, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: animals, Autism, Canada, children with Autism
Autistic child rides a horse in ‘Dear John’
Based on the novel by Nicolas Sparks, director Lasse Hallström’s romantic drama “Dear John” follows the relationship between Savannah Curtis Amanda Seyfried and soldier John Tyree Channing Tatum as they communicate through love letters during seven years of military deployments. For John’s scenes in the Middle East and Africa, livestock coordinator Dan Hydrick provided exotic background animals to give a sense of place.
But for Savannah’s scenes in the United States involving a young autistic character, Hydrick tackled an even more unusual challenge: teaching a young autistic actor, Braeden Reed, to ride a horse.
via Autistic boy saddles up ‘Dear John’ – latimes.com.
Posted on February 8, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: animals, Autism, children with Autism, movies