There have been some recent studies finished recently which have helped support the argument that having a pet offers children with autism many positive benefits. One of the studies, which was published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing, studied and surveyed the parents of children with autism who had daily interactions with the family dog. Out of the parents surveyed, 94% of the parents found that their child had bonded strongly with the family dog. Of the families surveyed which didn’t own dogs, almost seven out of every ten noted that their child enjoyed interacting with other people’s dogs.

Some of the findings from this study, and also previous studies, found that children who came from a home with a family pet were more likely to have better social skills. Some studies have shown that immediately after interactions with animals, children with autism are more likely to see a temporary improvement in behavior.

Dogs have been found to be one of the best animals for children with autism to interact with due to their high levels of companionship, and also unconditional love and affection. There are also programs which help children with autism interact with horses.

Parents will need to establish how a pet could affect their child, and also consider all the added responsibilities of introducing a new pet into the family. Take careful consideration when choosing the type of pet, especially in regards to dog breeds. If you enjoyed the article, then please feel free to comment and share your experiences below.