Service Dogs for Children with Disabilities

[responsiblek9]

Service Dogs for Children with Disabilities
http://www.deltasociety.org/TextOnly/ServiceArticlesChildren.htm
 

When are they the right prescription?

There is no question that a service dog can be a tremendous benefit to a person with a disability. When the person is a child, it might be especially difficult to locate a trainer that will best meet the child's needs. Some service dog training centers do not train dogs for children at all, and most have minimum age limits ? some as young as 7, but the majority are age 12.

In general, children with disabilities who want a service dog will encounter many of the same stumbling blocks that hinder adults. Many training facilities have waiting lists ? some up to 6 years or longer. The expense of training a dog can be prohibitive, with estimates ranging from a low of $350 to $10,000 or more. Some trainers require that the person receiving the dog come to their facility and stay for an extensive training session (some as long as 6 weeks) with the dog before bringing it home. This can be expensive, if costs for travel, room and board must be paid by the individual. Since most children would need the supervision of an adult, it could also mean lost time at work for the parent. A check with the U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division found that the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act does not cover this type of situation since it does not fit into the specific criteria for "serious illness."

Evaluating the Benefits
If these obstacles can be overcome, the next item to consider is how a service dog would enhance the child's quality of life, both physically and emotionally. Several papers were presented in 1995 in Geneva at the International Conference on Human Animal Interaction: Animals, Health and Quality of Life. One, entitled Forward, Heal! ? The Dog as a Healthcare Option for People Who Have Disabilities, Susan Duncan, RN, details how to evaluate the benefits a service dog could have for a person with a disability. The areas to consider include: activities of daily living difficulty level, stamina, activity level, social integration, safety, nutrition, ability to work/attend school, support systems, and cognitive ability. This paper, with selected other papers from the conference were published in Companion Animals in Human Health (C. Wilson & D. Turner, Eds., Sage, CA, 1998).

Often, one major benefit of having a service dog is increased independence as the dog performs tasks that were formerly impossible for the child. The ways a dog can help are far too numerous to list in this article, but a few examples follow:

The child who uses a wheelchair can now retrieve dropped items without having to call an adult for help.
The child with a hearing disability is alerted to the school bell signaling a class change.
The child with a visual impairment can walk in the park without holding on to another person.
This independence can be accompanied by an increase in self-esteem as the child no longer has to rely solely on other people.

Research has shown the general health benefits of companion animals are improved psychological well-being, facilitated learning and improved communication and a source of humor.

The service dog also becomes a constant companion for the child, and can facilitate the child's social interaction with others. Too often a child with a disability is shunned by other children and some adults who feel uncomfortable in the presence of a person with a disability. A service dog can be a great icebreaker, encouraging conversation and the formation of friendships.

Factors to Consider
Despite the many benefits, not all children who have disabilities are good candidates for a service dog. Developmental age and abilities must be carefully evaluated. The individual child must be carefully evaluated for aspects such as emotional maturity and the potential for dog handling ability. Bonnie Bergin, PhD, is developing a curriculum specifically to train children to handle service dogs. This curriculum will be made available to other trainers and will be geared toward the child's level of learning. The goal is to improve the rate of success of selecting the proper dog for each child. A test class of 5 to 6 students was planned for August, 1996.

Dr. Bergin believes that inconsistencies in children's behaviors prevent some children from becoming capable handlers. She hopes to remedy this by teaching the child the necessary behavior patterns so commands and praise will come naturally and consistently. She also notes that the dog and child must be carefully matched. Just as children have different levels of emotional maturity, so do dogs. The personalities of the child and dog need to complement each other, and the dog must be physically capable of doing the work the child needs.

The need for a minimum level of maturity on the child's part is one reason so many trainers set age limits. While it might guarantee physical age, this arbitrary limitation penalizes the individual who is younger but may be developmentally capable, and does not ensure readiness in those who meet or exceed that age. This screening also

[Laura]

My eight year old recently got a service dog. He will respond to alarms and bark (to attract help) on command. She was the youngest person to get public access without being part of a parent-dog-child team. The testing was geared towards adults so it was difficult for her. We used a reputable agency. It took 13 months from meeting the agency until placement. The dog is working beautifully. He's allowed Katie to come into her own. She's doing things she never did before. I'm so proud of them.

Laura