How Dogs Help Children With Autism

Someone once said, “Some of our greatest historical and artistic treasures we place with curators in museums; others we take for walks.” Dogs are not only loved by just ordinary people, but they are very loved by those who have mental problems. Having a dog helps ease mental problems as the people take the dogs for walks and care for them, in which causes them to not have time to worry about their own problems, but instead think about the dog and it's needs. Dogs benefit people with many different mental health issues.

Dogs help people who suffer through depression. People who have depression can have suicidal thoughts and anxiety. Depression often stops people from wanting to be social any longer. Dogs can help with that. In the article,

They can also help with autism. Kids with autism often suffer sensory overload. They have a hard time focusing on one thing. Having a dog can make a stop to that. In the article, “How Dogs Help Children With Autism”, they talk about how just having a dog by the child's side will help them ease their autism. “Unlike the guide dog who helps with physical tasks, the autism assistance dog is there more for emotional support. By simply being there, a solid, sound and reassuring companionship can help ease sensory overload, which is a common challenge for those with autism. People with autism are often unable to filter out sensory inputs - these folks hear, feel and smell everything - all at once - and are usually unable to ignore or redirect those stimuli. With a dog by one’s side, an autism assistance dog can help by giving them a focal point, or a way to ground their random, unceasing environmental experiences.” (Project Chance, 2011) Having a dog by their side helps the children get some distraction from their autism. The dog being by their side helps them focus more easily. With the dogs help, the kids will want to go out more since they don't have to worry much about sensory overload. The dog help the children focus more on one thing rather than everything all at once. The article also says, “Most children with autism have no concept of personal safety, and can wander outdoors and into traffic. Autism assistance dogs have a very special ability to help with this. A child can be tethered from his/her harness to the dog's harness to prevent the child from bolting in public. This is a trained ability that starts with the dog and the child acclimating to wearing harnesses and vests and ultimately, the child holds a handle from the dog’s harness and an adult is always holding another leash to the dog.” (2011) Furthermore, this shows that children with autism lose control of themselves