Giving “Piece” of Mind, One Family at a Time.
Donate NowImagine living in a world where everything is brighter, louder, often distorted, and being unable to express how this makes you feel. Imagine suddenly running off on to a busy street, mindless of the danger of oncoming cars. Imagine wanting friends and not understanding why no one wants to play with you and even worse, they make fun of you.
This is the life of a child suffering with autism, where every day is like a walk through a minefield of sensory overload, meltdowns and isolation.
Fortunately there are organizations like 4 Paws For Ability and Autism Service Dogs of America that offer help in the form of trained autism service dogs.
According to ASDA, service dogs ” provide physical safety and an emotional anchor for children with autism,” as well as increasing safety and helping families feel secure when out in the community.
A service dog is an autistic child’s best friend. These gentle companions offer a calming influence to help ease sensory overload. They provide unconditional love and help improve social skills which builds confidence. When tethered to a child while out walking they afford the additional security of keeping him or her from running away.
For Lauren and her brother Matthew, a service dog named Brock has turned an otherwise topsy-turvy world right-side up, easing Lauren’s fears of going outdoors and giving Matthew the ability to give love and respond to others.
The additional cost of a service dog, however; more often than not exceeds the financial abilities of these already overburdened families. That’s where an organization like Adys Army comes in. Through their program, Adys Paws, they help raise the money to buy these much-needed companions that make such a difference in these kid’s lives.
For more information on autism service dogs and how you can help, contact us.
Click here to read more about Lauren and Matthew.
