Special Needs Children and the Benefits to Having a Pet

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We have known for some time that pets can alleviate stress in individuals. Just the presence of an animal can be soothing and anxiety reducing. Pets have been used to boost both the mental and physical health of individuals in hospitals, prisons, and senior care homes.

Children with special needs, such as ADHD, autism, Aspergers, anxiety, or bipolar, can receive numerous benefits from having a pet.

• Pets provide us with unconditional love and affection. They are fairly predictable and do not engage in the many human activities that generates stress, such as arguing or exhibiting contradictory behavior. The reliability of a pet can bring comfort to a child who sees his day as quite inconsistent and hectic. A pet can generate a calming effect that in turn can reduce your child’s stress.

• Feeding and caring for a pet allows a child to shift his focus from his own life to his pet’s needs. He can receive a sense of satisfaction and competence from learning how to care for his new pet and having this pet depend on him. Your child’s confidence and self-esteem can increase as she acquires new skills and becomes successful in caring for her pet.

• Certain pets can help your child to get outside and be more social. A dog needs to be walked and even trained. Walking a dog provides a child with the opportunity to have others comment on the animal, thus opening up conversation on a topic that your child may love to share. You can check with your local community center for possible dog training classes or ask your neighborhood pet stores for information. If nothing else, your child will get away from the TV and electronic games and gain some exercise by walking her dog.

The Autism Service Dogs of America (ASDA) provides trained dogs to children with autism. Parents have found that having a service dog accompany their child to school aided in their child’s social interaction and eased transitions within the school day. When out in public, parents are more comfortable knowing that their child’s service dog is side-by-side keeping an eye on their child and helping him to avoid dangerous situations.

A Rinty for Kids Foundation (ARFkids) helps special needs children nationwide by selecting an appropriate puppy for their family that will then be trained to be a pet-assisted therapy dog. ARFkids guides the family through training the puppy to prepare him for service. Trainers and ARFkids families are available online for support and questions. A donation is required in order to receive a puppy and the training.

Encourage your child to learn about his pet as much as possible. Fun Times Guide to Dogs offers a lot of tips on training and the overall caring for a dog. There are articles describing how to potty train a dog and teach him to fetch, as well as how to control ticks and fleas and walk him.

Your child will probably need help to determine his pet responsibilities and to remember to complete the tasks. A chart listing his chores would be helpful. Free Printable Behavior Charts provides free pet care charts. Charts are available for not only the obvious cat and dog owners, but also for owners of geckos, toads and ferrets. Daily responsibilities are listed down one side of the chart with the days of the week across the top.

Animal Wow allows you to download a fun, free guide outlining how to have a dog party. The guide lists three parties: a Welcome Home Party for when your child brings his new pet home; a Best Friend’s Dog Show where your child can plan a talent show; and a Special Dog Day Party for your child to show his dog love on a special day. There’s a schedule for caring for your new pet, tips for feeding your dog, vet information, and how to bathe your pet. The guide offers suggestions for decorations, games, prizes, and invitations.

Before you run out and buy a pet, discuss the options with your child taking into consideration your lifestyle. A pet requires work, responsibility, and money. Take into consideration where you live, how often you are home, the needs of various pets, and how much time your child has to devote to a pet. Cats and dogs are the first obvious choice when considering a pet, but there are many options. There are birds, rabbits, and hamsters. Smaller animals requiring much less care include fish, turtles, and snakes. There are many types of pets and the important thing is for you to give this much consideration before making a decision. A pet is a commitment for the lifetime of the animal.