April 14, 2014

Dog Ownership Benefits Families of Children with Autism, MU Researcher Finds




Parents should consider the sensitivities of their children with autism when choosing a pet

Many families face the decision of whether to get a dog. For families of children with autism, the decision can be even more challenging. Now, a University of Missouri researcher has studied dog ownership decisions in families of children with autism and found, regardless of whether they owned dogs, the parents reported the benefits of dog ownership included companionship, stress relief and opportunities for their children to learn responsibility.