While many people worldwide rejoice in the benefits of having a pet, it is also known that not everybody is a pet person because owning one implies a lot of responsibilities. However, pet person or not, parents whose kids are suffering from autism should really consider buying an animal companion. As indicated by a new study, autistic children could benefit a lot from the companionship of a pet. So parents who believe that a pet is yet another responsibility in a very challenging situation should think again.
There are extensive studies on how pets enhance the lives of their owners. Pets are known to help with depressive conditions and even with sensing cancer. They are also believed to be able to heal humans with their purring or other sound vibrations and can forecast a coming seizure. But their effect on those for those suffering from autism is even more significant.
As suggested by the recent research conducted at the University of Missouri (MU), pets encourage vital communication and interactive abilities in kids with autism. If pets are siding children at home, at school or in other social settings, kids have an increased tendency to communicate with one another and the grown-ups around.
According to Dr. Gretchen Carlisle, who led the study, while children diagnosed with autism don’t usually interact with others, when there is a pet around, they are more likely to react and engage in some form of communication. Moreover, the research uncovered that youngsters with any sort of pet in the household reported being more inclined to present themselves, ask questions or react to other individuals’ inquiries.
In spite of the fact that it is not clear precisely how animal companions help autistic youngsters improve their social abilities, research on the matter has shown that social abilities for such kids were enhanced if they had a pet around. The best social developments were displayed by children who had puppies. The recent study is not the only one trying to examine the connection between dog pets and better social skills in kids with autism. Another research released in April 2014 showed that the unconditional affection of a dog could be paramount to a child with autism.
The latest study develops Carlisle’s prior work, mentioning that all pets have some advantage to youngsters with autism, even if dogs seem to be the best choice. However, Carlisle warned that bringing a puppy into any family is a huge step that should take into account if the child is affected negatively by loud noises such as the dog’s barks. Also if the child has issues with touching things around him, a dog with a soft fur might be a better choice instead of one that has a rough coat.
Image Source: Huffington Post
