Pets May Help Autistic Children With Socialization Skills, Study Shows

Just more proof of the way pets can help humans: French researchers studied 260 autistic children and found that giving them a cuddly pet after age five could actually aid socialization, suggesting that introducing companion animals to the autistic child might also help with human bonding.

The key seems to be the arrival of the animal; those children who grew up with pets were not affected.

Bringing a pet into the home not only calmed, but increased, the child’s ability to share and to comfort; those are two skills that autistic children often lack, because they depend on the ability to understand people’s thoughts, feelings and emotions–and then be able to empathize with them. While the pet doesn’t necessarily need any extra training, some do use therapy dogs..

While no one really knows why timing is so important,  one thought is that the autistic child may just see pre-existing pets as part of the background, or that the pets may already be more strongly bonded with other family members by the time the child enters the household.

Some also suspect that the arrival of a pet might strengthen the family bond and increases interaction, giving the child the opportunity to see petting, cuddling and other responses.

“In individuals with autism, pet arrival in the family setting may bring about changes in specific aspects of their socio-emotional development,” the researchers wrote in their study, according to Web MD.

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Irene Ross, CHHC, AADP is a certified nutrition and health coach who refers to herself as the wellness expert for both the 2-legged and 4-legged.  Author of the e-book, Sugar’s Sour Story and of the forthcoming book, 25 Ways to Fire Up Your Day:  Increase Energy, Get More Done in Less Time, Balance Your Life, her website is: www.irenefross.com.

Her twice-monthly, free newsletter, “Power Wellness” is full of tips, recipes and other information for healthy nutrition and living.  Subscribe here.

How To Recognize Heat Stroke in a Dog

1 OF A 2-PART BLOG SERIES ON SUMMER DANGERS FOR YOUR DOG

Summer can be the most dangerous season for your pet. While cats are affected by the heat, they mostly stay inside; dogs, on the other hand, love to romp outside. They don’t sweat the way humans do, so their body temperature is regulated mostly through respiration–panting. If a dog’s respiratory tract cannot remove heat quickly enough, heat stroke can occur.

Heatstroke is an emergency and should be treated immediately.

Following are some situations that can cause heat stroke and dehydration in your pet:
■ Being left in a car in hot weather
■  Exercising strenuously in hot, humid weather
■  Being a flat, short headed breed, such as Bulldog, Pug, or Pekingese
■  Suffering from a heart or lung disease that interferes with efficient breathing
■  Being muzzled while put under a hair dryer
■  Suffering from a high fever
■  Being confined on concrete or asphalt surfaces
■  Being confined without shade and fresh water in hot weather
■  Having a history of heat stroke

Symptoms include:
■  Excessive panting
■  Hyperventilation
■  Increased salivation
■  Dry gums that become pale, grayish and tacky
■  Rapid or erratic pulse
■  Weakness
■  Confusion
■  Inattention
■  Vomiting; diarrhea; and possible rectal bleeding

If you think your dog has heatstroke, get him into the shade immediately. Take the dog’s temperature; a normal, resting temperature for a dog is between 100-102 degrees. Cool off his body with cool, not cold water; use running water, such as a hose. Don’t submerge the dog in a pool or tub–it can cause shock, cardiac arrest and bloating. Whatever you do, don’t try to give him any of those human, electrolyte drinks but, rather, stick with plain, fresh water.

Once his temperature starts to drop, take him to the veterinarian immediately.

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Therapy Dogs Emphasize The Animal-Human Bond

This Golden Retriever/Chocolate Lab mix therapy dog shows a lot of compassion and caring for her clientele.

We’ve known for a very long time that pets can help keep us healthy, both physically and emotionally.  According to the Centers for Disease Control, they can keep our blood pressure and cholesterol levels down.  Over 30 years ago, the Animal Veterinary Medical Association formally recognized the animal-human bond.  And, the National Institute for Mental Health says working with dogs, cats, horses, etc. may help people cope with trauma; sometimes animal-assisted therapy is used as an additional therapy for children.

Animals provide comfort and companionship.  They help with loneliness and can even prompt us to exercise a little by throwing balls, taking short walks or other playtime activities.

That said, therapy dogs are trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, retirement homes and to people with learning difficulties, and stressful situations, such as disaster areas.

It’s important to differentiate the difference between a therapy dog and service dogs.  Although they have many of the same characteristics, a service dog has a few more: The Americans with Disabilities Act defines service dogs as any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal who is trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability.

Therapy dogs come in all sizes and breeds. The most important characteristic of a therapy dog is its temperament. A good therapy dog must be friendly, patient, confident, gentle, and at ease in all situations. Therapy dogs must enjoy human contact and be content to be petted and handled, sometimes clumsily.

To find out more, call your local ASPCA, Humane Society or Delta Society.

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Irene Ross, CHHC, AADP is a Nutrition and Wellness Coach for the two-legged.  Author of the forthcoming book, 25 Ways To Fire Up Your Day:  Increase Energy, Get More Done in Less Time, Balance Your Life, she is also an Ezine Expert Author.