The dog as therapy for autistic children is an excellent option if we are thinking of including an element in his life that helps him in his social communication relationships.
As happens with equine therapy, children discover in the dog a trustworthy animal with whom they have simple social relationships that allow them to be comfortable in their social interaction. Of course, remember that all therapies in which children with autism are treated must always be supervised by a professional.
Discover the therapies with dogs for autistic children in this special article on our site and consider applying it if your child suffers from this disorder.
Why is dog therapy indicated for autistic children?
Having a child with autism is a situation that many parents experience, which is why they look for therapies that help and improve their disorderIt's fundamental.
Autistic children understand social relationships in a different way than other people do. Although autistic children cannot be "cured" we can notice an improvement if we work with them properly.
To write this article we consulted with Elizabeth Reviriego, a psychologist who works regularly with autistic children. She recommends therapies that include dogs:
"Autistic children have difficulty relating to each other and little cognitive flexibility, which means that they do not react in the same way to an event. In animals they find a simpler and more positive figure that helps them work on self-esteem, social anxiety and autonomy These factors of secondary symptomatology are worked on in the dog therapy."
Image of the work of specialists with autistic children from Diarioenfermero.es
How does the dog help the autistic child?
Therapies with dogs will not directly help to improve the social difficulties suffered by the child, but it can improve their quality of life and their perception of their environment
Not all dogs are suitable for working with autistic children, those are selected docile and calm specimens and are always treated under supervision of a professional. This is why these particular dogs can help: they establish a calm, positive relationship that is appropriate for their condition.
The difficulty that autistic children experience in relationships decreases when dealing with a dog since does not show social unexpectedness that the patient himself cannot understand: they dominate the situation.
Some extra benefits can be decreased anxiety, positive physical contact, learning about responsibility and also practicing self-esteem.
We share the images of Clive and Murray an autistic boy who went viral by improving his confidence with this therapy dog. Thanks to him, Murray overcame his fear of crowds and now he can go shopping, to football stadiums etc.
