Puppies Empower Autism Services Dogs T-shirt

Walter is an amazing and caring boy who is challenged by the way his mind has developed. He has always had an affinity for patterns and started decoding (reading) before he was 2. Walter was diagnosed with the learning disorder Hyperlexia. He also displayed behaviors characteristic of kids on the Autism spectrum.

As he has grown up we have done many assessments, tried many therapies (speech, physical, psychological), and used a variety of accommodations to support him at school.

Kids are always growing and changing; as Walt got older, around age 10, we saw him struggle to complete assignments at school. Then we realized his struggles fit the category of Attention Deficit Disorder. We were able to find a medication that was helpful.

Assessments also indicated Walter had significant anxiety. While 4th and 5th grades went by well, middle school was a whole other story. The anxiety was great enough to cause regular physical symptoms such as daily head and stomach aches. 6th grade has been a year of re-evaluating proper accommodations and setting up extra support for Walter.

As 7th grade begins we have a good plan to help Walter where he needs it. From extra support from the school counselor to Autism support group with other Autistic students to daily tutoring to help with language issues, we are doing everything we can think of.

When Walter’s grandma introduced me to Autism service dogs, I started to research. I found that a service dog could alleviate Autistic symptoms that no other accommodation has been able to. The dogs are constant comfort, able to provide compression therapy, and have been the ability to keep kids grounded in the here and now.

Whether it is Science or a miracle, the dog’s presence enables an atypical kid to thrive in a world designed for the majority. I can’t change the world to function in a way that makes sense to Walter. I can provide him with every possible tool to arm himself with so he can adapt. While a service dog is not a fix-all for anyone, they do empower atypical thinkers to live well in the world we have.

My goal for Walter is to prepare him so he can function as an independent and happy adult. He will have different pathways he can pursue as he grows up, and I want there to be very many options he can choose from. Service dogs represent options where Walter can be more independent and not as limited by the symptoms that are prevalent with Autism.

What the mind fixates on and how the senses interpret our surroundings is not easy to control. Research is ongoing to solve the irregularities that make aspects of daily life very difficult for a significant population of the minority.

Which brings the point that I know that Walter is not alone. I also want to point out that no two non-typical minds are the same as the others. Each family does what it can to support the member who lives with Autism. As unique as each one is, they may have symptoms in common with each other. A service dog can be a very effective team member to those who are empowering their loved one to live well.

We are willing to wait months or years so the dogs can be trained to have proper behavior in public. Some of the behaviors the dogs do for individuals are simple and easy to teach. However, the dogs need to not interfere with others while in public. We wait for and pay for a dog that will empower us and respect others’ boundaries. So really the expense is for everyone‘s sake.

Fundraising helps more people get the dogs they need. As importantly, fundraising educates and shows support for Autism service dogs to do their job in public areas. This fundraiser both helps families afford dogs and spreads the word that the donor is ok with service dogs being out and about. These are not adopted dogs who make us feel good. They are trained animals who are providing a service that allows people to participate in life activities that have previously been difficult or impossible.

We cannot see what one struggles with inside while they are trying to go about their day. It is not for us to say that someone looks fine or fits in well. You do not see the tears that are shed everyday after school because of what a peer said or a behavior that doesn’t make sense. We cannot display the discrepancies between knowledge that a student has proved and knowledge shown through testing. Autism and other development differences that make life hard for a good kid are invisible.

We can give a thumbs up to a 12-year old with a dog wearing a service vest. That will show that we get that hidden challenges make life difficult for an individual and a dog has been trained to make their life better. We can help kids get dogs who need them and show everyone around you that you understand what it means when you see a dog with a vest at work.