Hello, i posted this in the SEN section but was advised that I might get more advice and answers here!
Over lockdown 2 of my sons have finally received their confirmed diagnosis of autism, my boys are DS1 aged 13 and DS2 aged 9, we have known for many many years they had autism but the waiting list and such and lack of support mean we are only at this point now.
Apart from getting an EHCP for out youngest (DS1 has one already) nothing has really changed we have been an autism family for years!
For a few years ago we were at the jorvick center and saw a child with a support dog and it is something we have been talking about since
Now for "official" support dogs the waiting list is long and likely our boys have already missed the boat with age ( they prefer children to be aged 7 due to waiting lists),
So we changed tack to more of a fanily pet dog, leaving the support element but knowing that animals provide support and companionship in many ways no matter ehat!
I wondered If any family's have pet dogs the they use as emotional support and companionship for there children with autism? and if you can tell me a little about your dog journey, how they have perhaps help your child? How your child/children reacted?
Any and all advice would be wonderful and suggested breeds? Is there better breeds for temperament for understanding or not overly reacting to meltdowns?
We have both grown up with family dogs so the standard puppy and dog life is not new to us so no worries there!
Its just this step feels full of so many questions for us and we do not know any other families with dogs and children with any SEN needs we know our boys want this and we know companionship of the dog would focus on our youngest he is very vocal on feeling alone at times yet he has issue been around people or having others in his space, he has recently been through the loss of his guinea pig and the heartache he made me feel when he said he had no one now just broke me, i feel the best friend of a dog would make his world
Plus it is nothing we want to rush in to not that we could at the moment as rescue dogs are not suitable for family's with other pets (we have 1 cat) and new puppies well the cost has gone crazy at the moment and even without been set on what breed, we know we would want fully registered breeders and we are priced out of the market right now!! But any recommendations of breeders would be lovely
So sorry for the million questions! Hope someone can offer some help and guidance
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The doghouse
Dog for family's with children with autism
44 replies
givemebooks · 30/08/2020 12:32
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