Autism support, in particular for children with autism, is one of the many incredible ways Assistance Dogs support humans. They can also provide emotional regulation to those with Post Traumatic Stress or help clients with physical disabilities by picking up dropped keys or opening doors.
One of these star pups is Letty, a chocolate Labrador who’s been trained by Assistance Dogs Australia (ADA) to provide incredible support to a child with autism – and her family. Find out more below.
In this article
A winning match for autism support
Meet Letty, a six-year-old Autism Assistance Dog. After graduating from Assistance Dogs Australia in July 2020, she was placed with a young girl with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Letty was carefully matched with her teammate after displaying the perfect temperament and set of skills required to support a young child with autism.
Letty’s new teammate is constantly challenged to complete regular daily tasks on her own. These include daily commuting to school, bathing, and grooming. She also has difficulty sleeping by herself and relies on co-sleeping with her parents. One of the main goals of Team Letty is emotional regulation through providing a solid routine and stability skills.
Letty’s teammate struggles with her morning routine, where she’s frequently over aroused and finds it difficult to regulate herself. Letty plays an important role for her teammate, who now has the responsibilities of ensuring Letty is fed, groomed, and dressed before getting herself ready for school.
How Letty offers autism support
Since Letty moved in, her young teammate now sleeps through the night on her own. Her morning routine is much better as well, as Letty models the tasks that need to be done so her teammate can then do the same. When it’s bath time, Letty’s collar is removed so she’s “undressed.” This provides a visual cue for her teammate to understand that it’s now her turn to get undressed.
Letty’s teammate now sits calmly and unassisted in the car with Letty sitting next to her. Before Letty arrived, a second person always controlled her impulsive behaviours, and she sat in a disability-specific car seat and harness to stay safe.
Says her mum, Corentine: “Letty goes everywhere with our daughter and the family. She recently came on a camping getaway, it was amazing to see them settled curled up sleeping together… Those are just few of the changes we have noticed in the few months that Letty has been in our lives, we can only be excited about the future. We are forever grateful for the amazing gift that you have given our family.”
More about autism
Autism is a developmental disorder that affects the way people behave and experience the world around them. Approximately 1 in 100 Australians have autism and each person will have different levels of needs and support.
People with ASD often have problems with communicating and in social situations like reading social cues. They have heightened sensory awareness and have restrictive or repetitive behaviours and interests.
What are some of the signs of autism in children?
Children with ASD show signs of difficulty in social situations and with their behaviour, which can include:
- Delayed speech or preferring to point to things instead of speaking
- Repeating certain words
- Lack of eye contact
- Finding changes in activity distressing
- Repeating movements like wringing hands or rocking back and forth
- Delayed toilet training
- Food aversions with whole food groups that go beyond “fussy” eating
- Strong reactions to loud noises or crowds
As an aside, here’s why autism in girls might be harder to diagnose.
How does autism affect a child and their family unit?
Raising a child with ASD can be a wonderful thing. They have a refreshing approach to the world that neurotypical people might not necessarily consider (read more about neurodiversity – here). They can express thoughts and their creativity in unique ways.
When a child with ASD has higher needs, however, it can put a strain on internal family relationships. Children with complex needs might lead to their siblings feeling like they get less attention, and their parents can feel pressure on their emotions, finances and time.
How do Assistance Dogs offer autism support?
Internationally accredited Assistance Dogs support their teammates with Autism Spectrum Disorder in many ways, including:
- Helping a child feel calm and regulating their emotions through physical contact and closeness. This allows the child to sit or lay with them and give them pats.
- Motivating their teammate to practice language, voice volume and clearly articulating words when giving cues during games, dog training and obstacle courses.
- Encouraging confidence and independence.
- Providing routine and stability.
- When out in the community, Assistance Dogs actively serve as a supporting anchor by sitting or lying down when their physically tethered teammate attempts to wander off or run away.
If you’d like to get an Assistance Dog for you or a family member, you can approach ADA to find out more. ADA train Assistance Dogs that can help and offer emotional support to people with physical disabilities, ASD and post-traumatic stress.
Insurance for Assistance Dogs
Blue Badge Insurance understands that whether a pup is an Assistance Dog for autism support or purely a companion, they can make a world of difference to people’s lives. If you have a dog, you’ll know you rely on them for support and love just as much as they rely on you. So when they get sick or have an accident, you want to be able to help them back to their feet. Or is that paws?
Instead of having to worry about the bill, a pet insurance plan can provide you with security and peace of mind. If your dog needs an unexpected vet trip, you can take them with fewer financial concerns. Blue Badge Insurance offers 25% off assistance dogs insurance and 15% off regular pet insurance for disability parking permit holders.
Click below to get a quote.
