Puppy Love: Autistic Children Could Benefit Developmentally From Having A Pet

As well as being a great way to boost responsibility in children and give them a loyal friend to hang out with, pets are a great development aid for autistic children.

According to research from University of Missouri, pets can dramatically increase social skills in children with the development disibility. Autism affects how a person communicates with, and to, other people - a difficulty that the results of this study may help ease.

“When I compared the social skills of children with autism who lived with dogs to those who did not, the children with dogs appeared to have greater social skills,” says Gretchen Carlisle, research fellow at the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine.

Carlisle revealed that autistic children living with pets were more likely to introduce themselves, ask for information and respond to questions.

“These kinds of social skills typically are difficult for kids with autism, but this study showed children’s assertiveness was greater if they lived with a pet,” says Carlisle.

Pets Are “Social Lubricants” For Autistic Children
The researchers, who surveyed 70 families with autistic children aged eight to 18 years old, discovered that when children with autism are around animals they talk and interact with each other more easily.

“Kids with autism don’t always readily engage with others, but if there’s a pet in the home that the child is bonded with and a visitor starts asking about the pet, the child may be more likely to respond.”

Before you panic about the mess, walks and costs that come with having a dog, breathe a sigh of relief.

According to the researchers, it doesn’t have to be a pooch you purchase – any kind of pet has the same beneficial effect. Yep, even a spider.

While 70 per cent of the families polled had dogs, around half were owned cats and the rest had pets ranging from fish to rodents to farm animals.

“Dogs are good for some kids with autism but might not be the best option for every child,” says Carlisle. “Kids with autism are highly individual and unique, so some other animals may provide just as much benefit as dogs.

“Though parents may assume having dogs are best to help their children, my data show greater social skills for children with autism who live in homes with any type of pet.”

Time for a trip to a pet shop?

If you need help, advice or support about autism, or simply want to learn more about the condition, visit The National Autistic Society's website.

[Mum Diary: What Puppy Training Taught Me About Parenting (Yes, Really)]

[Experience The World Through Autism: 60 Seconds Of Sensory Sensitivity]

Would these findings encourage you to get a pet? Let us know in the comments.