Autism and Dogs..

Now, I have said for awhile now that having an autistic child is like having a dog. Autistic children may seem like they can't do what we can, but they will shock you with just how much they are in tune with you when you least expect it.

Of course, we have a 12 week old puppy in the house, and this has never been more apparent than today.

When a dog gets unruly, especially a puppy, it's generally a lack of attention or lack of proper physical and mental stimulation. The dog cannot tell you when it needs to run, so it chews on your shoe. The dog cannot tell you when it's bored, so it tears into your sofa cushion while you are away. The "secret" is: A tired puppy is a well behaved puppy. Keep them exercised and have multiple training sessions, and play sessions, with them every day and watch how calm and well mannered they become. (This is also why it's so important to research the breed of dog that best suits your activity levels.)

How doest that relate to autsim? Well, autistic kids cannot tell you when they are upset, bored, or have penned up energy, either. So, you have to get in tune with their non-verbal signs......just like a dog. When that kid starts getting angry, frustrated, and down right belligerent, it is often a sign of lack of mental stimulation or physical exercise. (Of course, it could be hunger, or a broken DVD, or a number of other things.) But, this is where it is up to us parents to get to know our child on a deeper level. We can't count on, or take for granted, the things that our "typical" children can tell us or infer from just hanging around. WE have to watch for the cues in our autistic kids.

Today, our son was very "on edge." All day long. He screamed, stomped, cried, hit, at the drop of a hat. Our dog was chewing on everything, barking (begging to play), jumping on furniture, etc. Both hit me like a light bulb. They are trying to tell my wife and I to take action......DO SOMETHING. So, I grabbed the leash, and Matthew's snow boots, and we headed out for a nice long walk and jog. Matthew really got into the jogging. He thrives on deep pressure techinques when hyperactive, so a good pounding of the pavement was probably great for him. The dog loves her walks, too.

Within 20 minutes, we had the desired affect. I came home and we had two much calmer family members.

I don't mean to compare my autistic son to a dog. Quite the contrary. But, one can't help but notice what works for one often times works for another. And, tuning in to the non-verbal aspects of communication often times reveals a lot.

This time, we learned a lesson: When one or the other acts up.........go for a walk. It's amazing how theraputic a walk can be on everyone involved. Try it sometime.