Two questions concerned the responses of the children to the cats. A study published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing suggests that cats make valuable companions for children with autism spectrum disorder. Participants all knew that having a cat was an inclusion criterion of the study. doi:10.1145/1349822.1349858, 16. It could even be possible that an autistic child might be educated not only to interact appropriately but also to partially care for the cat and even verbally communicate with the cat (if demonstrated by the parents). In this study, Phase 1 gathered data in a web-based survey on the nature of catchild interactions in families with an ASD child. Assessment of domestic cat personality, as perceived by 416 owners, suggests six dimensions. The children welcomed affection from the cats that provided love and support in some distinctive ways; not surprisingly, the cats affectionate behaviors differ in some ways from those of dogs (24). Service dogs have particular utility in assuring the safety of the child, giving the family respite, taking the social focus off the child, adding stature to the family and assuring safety by keeping the child from bolting and running away (5). 2835., doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2020.11.011. Arlington, Virginia: American Psychiatric Publishing (2013). Only slightly over half of the families had other children in the home. When considering placing a cat with a child with ASD, the cats welfare is sometimes a concern. He had the same deal going on. For instance, cat's don't prefer to make eye contact. HABRI is committed to improving child health and development through the power of the human-animal bond, said HABRI Executive Director Steve Feldman. Parents often recall that their autistic children, as babies, recoiled from contact and avoided being picked up. Cats in households with an ASD child appeared to be affectionate and minimally aggressive with the ASD child. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? And, interestingly, the results showed that bonding was more prevalent in. Check out this perceptive . OHaire ME, McKenzie SJ, Beck AM, Slaughter V. Social behaviors increase in children with autism in the presence of animals compared to toys. The single interviewer who conducted all interviews did not know the category of diagnosis of the child when interviewing the parent. Whatever differences exist appear to be present from early in life. Previous research has focused on interactions of dogs with children who have ASD, but dogs may not provide the best fit for all children and their families, especially given the hypersensitivities to sound that are common among children with ASD, Carlisle said. Punta Gorda police department rescues cat from car engine. Hi! However, the likelihood of the cat being quite affectionate or moderately affectionate with the child did not differ among groups. Comparing percentages of cats rated as moderately affectionate to children and adults: Phase 1 web survey of families with a severe or less severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) child; Phase 2 interviews of parents with child of specified diagnosis. What can I do to get my 5 year old to have respect and self control? One study showed pets of any kind serve as social lubricants. Also conceived and designed Phase 1, edited ms: LAL. In fact, in multi-cat households, respondents were asked to answer the survey with regard to the cat most interactive with the children. Bennett PC, Rutter NJ, Woodhead JK, Howell TJ. doi:10.1111/j.1548-1352.2009.01085.x, 17. The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) and IDEXX held a virtual lecture on the health benefits of psychiatric service dogs for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). doi:10.1016/0168-1591(95)01009-2, Keywords: aggressive behavior of cats, affectionate behavior of cats, autism, autism spectrum disorder, cats and children, anthrozoology, humananimal interaction, Citation: Hart LA, Thigpen AP, Willits NH, Lyons LA, Hertz-Picciotto I and Hart BL (2018) Affectionate Interactions of Cats with Children Having Autism Spectrum Disorder. A minority of cats in each group showed some aggression to the specified child; this was not elevated with ASD children. The following five research projects were awardedHABRIfunding: Research demonstrates that the human-animal bond can confer many health benefits for children on the autism spectrum, and for their families too! Even guinea pigs (14) and robotic animals have been explored as aids in the social development of children with ASD (15). Phase 1 gathered web-survey data from families having an adult cat and a child with ASD (n = 64). Cats in families preferred adult women, with whom they reportedly had their most reciprocal relationships. Reponses of the specified child toward the specified cat were categorized as: indifferent to cat; fearful of cat; sometimes likes to hold or sit with cat; moderately responsive (holds or sits with cat half of the time when the cat is around); usually likes to hold and pet cat when around; always seems to want to hold, pet, snuggle, and sleep with cat; and other (explanation could be provided). We had him long before we had kids, and he has no patience for them and their noise. We appreciate the generous grant support: NICHD #1R03HD066594-01 and Mars/WALTHAM. To attain moksha, must you be born as a Hindu. Selecting a purebred that is genetically predisposed to be affectionate and comforting could play a role in the assessment of which cats would be most likely to be best for a child with ASD. ReCHAI, founded in 2005, operates as a dynamic collaboration between the University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing and College of Veterinary Medicine with a mission of education and conducting programs and studies about the benefits of human-animal interaction. How do we know there are benefits? We find animals that fit those characteristics. When she has them on her lap, I can hold her hand. Reducing snacks prior to bedtime. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). Castelli P, Hart LA, Zasloff RL. I am keenly interested in improving the quality of life among those who are experiencing stress, strains, and challenges of everyday functioning, said the studys primary researcher, Dr. Alan Kazdin, professor of Psychology and Child Psychiatry at Yale University, Ph.D, ABPP. A cat will also lash out if cornered. Figure 1. The same was true for other children in the family (p < 0.05). B. Rhett Rigby, PhD (Texas Womans University):How does 8 weeks of equine-assisted therapy affect older adults diagnosed with Parkinsons disease? Behav Processes (2017) 141:297304. Feline friendship might have a positive effect on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. A majority of households, 52%, had multiple cats over the age of 1 year, so, most homes offered the child a choice between at least two cats. Data of the two studies are reported using descriptive statistics, using medians, and the results of chi-square or Fisher exact tests for significance. The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) today announcedthe initiation offive new research projects focused on the positive effects of human-animal interaction on human health. In this sense, autism cannot be removed from one's identity, and just as it would be strange and offensive to say 'person with tallness' or 'person with queerness.'. These children presumably could benefit emotionally, and perhaps cognitively, from contact warmth and affection that might be supplied by an appropriate pet cat. The possession of the best cat breeds for autistic child is a great way to teach your children critical social skills such as responsibility, respect, and patience. General descriptive information of households having a severe or less severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) child and a specified cat, Phase 1. Read the full paper in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2020.11.011. Teaching my daughter her pets are not toys. Canine companions have been particularly studied for the mental and physical benefits of dogs for children with ASD (3). These findings raise a possibility that predicting the interactions of cats with children may be more challenging. Children's TV Report; FCC Applications . It was clear that the specified cats varied considerably in behavior. Families are highly motivated to seek out optimal experiences for their ASD children. Thisrobustpipeline of innovative researchismade possible through the support leading pet care companies and organizations who https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2020.11.011. Researchers will then employ a series of tests and compare the stress levels in each group. Autism moms are warriors. 21. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. In Phase 2, there were direct telephone interviews of parents having a child with severe ASD (n = 16) or less severe ASD (n = 11), or typical development (n = 17). What are some symptoms that could tell me that my simulation is not running properly? Stanton CM, Kahn PH Jr, Severson RL, Ruckert JH, Gill BT. For example, HABRI is funding thefirststudyto examinethe role of pet ownershipongut microbiota andrisk ofcardiovasculardisease. The web survey responses were entirely anonymous with an introductory description of informed consent provided to respondents. Grandgeorge M, Tordjman S, Lazartigues A, Lemonnier E, Deleau M, Hausberger M. Does pet arrival trigger prosocial behaviors in individuals with autism? Your Ideal Cat: Insights into Breed and Gender Differences in Cat Behavior. Among those who still had a cat and could be reached by telephone, 48 phone interviews with the responsible adult were completed and met the inclusion criteria. They respond to her so incredibly. Unfortunately, there is no known cure to fix faulty genes. At the end of the study, cats were found to have a positive effect on positive social behavior in children with ASD. Shelter cats available for adoption in the study were all required to pass the Feline Temperament Profile with a score of greater than or equal to 20 identifying them as having a calm temperament. Most parents of ASD children reported affectionate behavior to the children by the cat. Autistic children, just like other children, can generally have strong relationships with cats and may enjoy playing with, petting, and caring for felines. Good luck :). The childs feelings for the cat often were described as: loving, enamored, or bonded. Also, just remembered a grown man with autism on the show 'Must Love Cats'. Ferwerda-van Zonneveld RT, Oosting SJ, Kijlstra A. Turner D. A review of over three decades of research on cat-human and human-cat interactions and relationships. Included here are data on 44 childrencat pairs, for children with severe ASD, mild ASD, or diagnosed as typically developing. Children and parents also felt strong bonds with their new cat almost immediately after adoption and despite the responsibilities involved in care for a cat, these bonds did not decrease over time. Thus, high values of the first principal component indicated a positive/deep relationship, and low values indicated a poor/shallow relationship. This is the first lecture of the IDEXX Human-Animal Bond Lecture Series, which highlights impactful scientific research on the health benefits of the human-animal bond and the importance of veterinary medicine in strengthening human-animal bonds. Carlisle and her team monitored shelter cats for 18 weeks after being adopted by Missouri families with at least one child with autism. Front. Agree with the good suggestions from other answerers: take your son to an animal shelter or a friend-with-cats place and acclimatise him a bit first. Assistance dogs: historic patterns and roles of dogs placed by ADI or IGDF accredited facilities and by non-accredited U.S. facilities. Viau R, Arsenault-Lapierre G, Facteau S, Champagne N, Walker C-D, Lupien S. Effect of service dogs on salivary cortisol secretion in autistic children. Institute CHARGE (Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and Environment) study (PI: IHP), we acquired 557 potential participants names and mailing addresses. Six personality dimensions were identified, and one of these, amiability, was strongly correlated with the respondents satisfaction with the cat and the bond quality, and the extent to which the cat was not perceived as troublesome (19). Use of Stein's maximal principle in Bourgain's paper on Besicovitch sets. Being the only cat in the house seemed to be a risk factor for heightened aggression and reduced affection by the specified cat; however, in such cases, the child had only one cat available. OHaire ME. I can't remember the name of it, but I was watching a program on Nat Geo or Discovery the other day and there was a semi-autistic child who didn't interact with the adults much until they got a cat and it really brought him out of his shell. The median time range per day the child spent with the cat each day was 3059 min for typical and ASD children, and 12 h for the less severe ASD children. Older cats (more than 1 yo) have their character defined, if they say: "he/she is very kind", it's 99.9% true. For more information, please visit http://www.habri.org. How can I shave a sheet of plywood into a wedge shim? It's well known that dogs can relieve stress, anxiety, depression, and other human ills.Now scientists have discovered that shelter cats can be helpful to kids with autism. I never had an indoor cat, especially in the UK. Among all cats, 71% of males and 74% of females were scored as never aggressive with the specified child. Despite the childs strong interest in the cat, most of the hours of the day most cats spent much of their time apart from the specified child. Woodgate RL, Ateah C, Secco L. Living in a world of our own: the experience of parents who have a child with autism. Open University of the Netherlands, Netherlands, Institute for applied Ethology and Animal Psychology, Switzerland, University of Southampton, United Kingdom. In some other contexts, cats have been found to be a better lifestyle fit. 9 Articles, This article is part of the Research Topic, Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). Undeniably, cats are very peculiar creatures. 5:39. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00039, Received: 31 May 2017; Accepted: 19 February 2018; Published: 12 March 2018. 4. Our cats have always been indoor cats, and in my mind they behave very similar to outdoors cats, or any cats not 'feral'. From the Phase 1 web survey of families with ASD children (full range of severities), affectionate interactions of the cats with children were common. Cat and child love each other. Child likes to talk to our baby about the cat and bring the cat over to the infant to say hi. Child loves to carry the cat around. Child loves the cat. Cat tries to guard the family. Fun to watch the children loving to interact with the cat. Two parents had no comment. Sometimes, kids who seem "pushy" or aggressive have challenges that make it hard for them to realize they're being rougher than is acceptable. The Pet Connection. Most parents with ASD children volunteered positive comments regarding the cat, such as calming the child, being a soothing protector or a guardian. Specified cats were significantly less likely to be very affectionate with severe ASD children when compared with the specified cats for the less severe ASD or typically developing children (p < 0.040). Jessica Bibbo, PhD (Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging):Uncovering Pet Ownership Benefits, Challenges, and Resources in an Aging Society: Promoting Healthy Aging in Healthcare and Community Environments Most behavioral questions pertained to the extent to which the cats characteristics were: very affectionate, or at least moderately affectionate, low in fearfulness, and relatively non-aggressive with the children. PLoS One (2013) 8(2):e57010. The aggressive interactions were categorized as: very aggressive (family members limited exposure to cat); quite aggressive (family members had to be on alert around cat); moderately aggressive (sometimes acted up when held too much); relatively non-aggressive (occasionally would get irritated); and non-aggressive (regardless of how interacted with). Approval for conducting interviews was obtained from the University of California, Davis, Institutional Review Board as Protocols #201018447-1 and #284059-2. Currently we have two cats, a big black labrador, and two guinea pigs. Is there a place where adultery is a crime? Mirroring the affection results, this leads to the assumption that these cats were more likely to be attached, affectionate, and non-aggressive to the ASD child and often preferred the specified child rather than adults or other children in the household. J Autism Dev Disord (2012) 43(7):160622. St. Paul, MN: Globe Press (1983). Having had cats was even found in one study to be associated with fewer deaths from heart disease than having had a dog or no pets (10). Kevin Morris, PhD (University of Denver):Exploring the impacts of animal-assisted interventions on positive youth development for adolescents in residential treatment Did you know pets can help lower your blood pressure? I think this depends very much on the child. Key points Most commonly, children who abuse animals have either witnessed or experienced abuse themselves. Get a pet, such as an autism companion dog. Walther S, Yamamoto M, Thigpen AP, Garcia A, Willits NH, Hart LA. They are a magnificent first animal for the family because they are maintenance-efficient and easy to look after. doi:10.2466/pr0.1996.78.2.467. The cats were first screened using the Feline Temperament . The effects of early and late handling on the attachment of cats to people. In the Netherlands, animals are used to provide a short break for children with ASD at care farms (23), but having a calming animal at home offers a more consistent and convenient source of affection. Vet. Hall SS, Wright HF, Hames A, PAWS Team, Mills DS. The interview questions were drawn directly from the web survey, but the interviews permitted more extensive responses than the multiple choices possible in the web survey. 6 Answers Sorted by: 8 Both my daughter (16) and son (13) are high-level autistic (would have been called aspie by the old yardstick). You can probably find that on youtube. The two-year laboratory-based experiment on behalf of Yale Universitys Department of Psychology will examine 73 children between the ages of 8 and 13 and randomly assign them support from a dog, support from an object, or no support. Maybe consult your sons teachers? Kids may squeeze too . Persons seeking to acquire a suitable cat for a child in the family could do well to adopt a calm kitten at weaning, assuring that it has frequent gentle interactions with people of all ages, especially ASD children. Most of the ASD children (55%) always or usually wanted to hold, pet, snuggle, or sleep with the cat (Table 2). NJAS Wageningen J Life Sci (2012) 59:3540. doi:10.2752/089279391787057062, 13. They may have felt that they lacked the time to add on something more. Pets For Children With Autism & Special Needs Filed Under: autism, featured Children with learning disabilities can struggle with loneliness, responsibility, and difficulty making friends. 22. Among neighborhood/shelter cats, the least successful interactions were for single cat households, and beyond that, older cats. rev2023.6.2.43474. Karsh EB. Autism in children is a severe condition. Yet, most cats were affectionate with the ASD child, a somewhat surprising result given earlier reports of cats more often approaching and spending longer times with adult females rather than other family members (12). HABRI is a not-for-profit organization that maintains the worlds largest online library of human-animal bond research and information; funds innovative research projects to scientifically document the health benefits of companion animals; and informs the public about human-animal bond research and the beneficial role of companion animals in society. It is relevant to point out that cats vary a great deal in affection and aggressive behavioral predispositions toward family members. In: Anderson RK, Hart BL, Hart LA, editors. Reviewed and edited interim and final draft manuscripts: LAH, APT, NHW, LAL, IH-P, BLH. Ways to find a safe route on flooded roads. So true :). Keeping sleep settings cool and free from extraneous light. Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people communicate and interact with the world. Grants to the UC Davis Mind Institute for the CHARGE Study include: from NIH (NIEHS), #P01-ES011269, and #R01-ES015359; and from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, #R-829388, R833292, and RD-83543201. doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2017.01.008. Although the surveys did not ask about the age of the cat at adoption, half of the feral cat adopters voluntarily mentioned acquiring their cats as kittens (whereas adopters from other sources did not); thus, we attribute the positive results for feral and purebred cats to their younger status at adoption, which is consistent with other aspects of the results. For example, people with AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), who have cats are reported to enjoy their cats, find them comforting, and are spared concerns of many dog owners who are expected to fulfill their dogs needs for exercise and being taken outdoors for elimination (8). Participants were invited to reply through the mail with the signed consent form. Mood regulation of the child was mentioned as an effect of the cat. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0057010, 15. toy play. Melson GF. Of the specified cats that interacted with the specified child the most, the median age range was 46 years. rather than "Gaudeamus igitur, *dum iuvenes* sumus!"? Importantly, aggression was not heightened with ASD children. Most families had multiple pets, so, they were optimizing opportunities for the child to connect with an animal. RELATEDTOPICS. Because relatively little is known about the behavior of cats around children, we conducted this study. Why? Overall, participants reported that ASD childrens behaviors indicated that they valued the relationship with the cat, similar to typically developing children, pointing to the importance and potential usefulness of selecting affectionate and compatible cats for ASD children. Iris, was diagnosed with autism in. Further studies suggest that the positive effects of cats for autistic kids are greater than having a dog for a pet. Why is Bb8 better than Bc7 in this position? The study has revealed the importance of having a cat that is inherently low in aggression, socially outgoing, and affectionate as a family companion for a child with ASD or that is typically developing. When families had multiple cats, the parent responded concerning a specified cat that was most interactive with the child. We found no effect of neuter status or gender related to the aggression or affection shown by the cats. Among feral/purebred cats, the highest quality interactions were for younger cats. Having a cat teaches and heightens one of the most difficult emotional cues for autism suffers to grasp: Empathy. How to make a HUE colour node with cycling colours. A majority of cats in all groups were at least moderately affectionate with the children. They are sometimes rough with the cats. Companion animals and the psychological health of Alzheimer patients caregivers. The sociodemographic information gathered included: gender and age of the specified child; gender, breed, age and source of the specified cat; household information on adults and other children in the household; and information on numbers of dogs and other cats in the household. Lack of Focus or Sensory Abnormalities. The primary node (the first split) depended on the source of the specified cat, with cats from a shelter or from neighborhood breeders having the lowest quality interactions with the autistic child, and cats adopted as ferals (n = 19) or from a purebred breeder (n = 2) having the highest quality interactions. Considering results across the two phases and as summarized (Table 5), 88% or more of the cats for all groups in both phases of this study were at least moderately affectionate to adults. How to accustom a 10 month old baby to interacting with pets? Our study found that children with ASD experienced significant increases in the social skill of empathy, significant decreases in problem behaviors including bullying and hyperactivity/inattention, and also less separation anxiety after the introduction of a shelter cat, said Gretchen Carlisle, PhD, MEd, RN, research scientist at the University of Missouri Research Center for Human Animal Interaction (ReCHAI). Other research has addressed the isolating and stigmatizing experiences for parents who have a child with ASD. These people can: find it hard to understand how other people think or feel Human Animal Bond Research Institute Lauds First-of-its-kind Scientific Study on Shelter Cats and Improved Social Skills for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. They do want to pet them and hug and play with them, but sometimes they forget they can't pull their tails. It doesn't mean they don't care about other kids. They forget that if the cat doesn't want to play, he walks away. The Veterans Day lecture, titled The Efficacy of Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD, featured a conversation with Marguerite E. OHaire, PhD, Associate Professor of Human-Animal Interaction, Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University. Or that they have bad parents. One night I had a few friends over, and he said something to me so blatant and cold that I started crying. Need convincing? doi:10.2752/089279391787057297, 2. 4. Mental and physical benefits of dogs have been reported for adults and children with special needs, but less is known about benefits of cats for children. Among multiple cat households in the neighborhood/shelter group, female cats had somewhat better quality relationships (not significant) with the specified child than male cats. While there was a range in reports of relationships with the specified cat and autistic children, for a majority of respondents, there was a very favorable relationship between the cat and ASD child, as well as with cats and less severe ASD and typically developing children. This is according to a new exploratory study funded by the Human Animal Bond Research . 58, 6 Dec. 2020, pp. I am familiar with their behavior as I had plenty of outdoor cats. Cats are nonjudgmental, allowing children with . By J. Swanson. 147 p. 12. Over decades, Turner (20) conducted extensive studies of humancat interactions, clearly revealing that either the cat or the person can initiate the humancat interaction, that this affects the subsequent duration of the interaction, and that both parties play very active roles in the interactions and relationship. Caring for a cat helps children with ASD learn empathy and compassion as well as teaching responsibility. By helping your child's play develop, you also help your child learn and practise new skills and . The goal of this analysis is to define predictors and threshold values that distinguish between low and high values of the response. Currently we have two cats, a big black labrador, and two guinea pigs. The first factor was also used as the dependent variable in a regression tree analysis (CART) that used a broader array of explanatory variables. The childs gender and the cats gender, intact status, and breed first were found to be insignificant factors. Among the 88 respondents to this web survey, 64 met the following inclusion criteria: responding adults having at least one child aged 312 years diagnosed with ASD (the specified child); having in the household at least one cat 1 year of age or older (the specified cat); completing the 39 questions of the survey; and residing in North America. doi:10.1177/1049732308327088, 6. Families with a child with ASD now have more information and more choices, and we hope that this will also help more shelter cats find good homes.. I'm not saying that it will absolutely work for you, because it depends on the person as well as the cat. I do, however, have quite a but experience with cats, and cats & my kids. The positive interactions of cats with ASD children revealed that cats can provide an avenue of positive relationships. Families in one group adopted a shelter cat immediately and were followed for 18 weeks. They are truly amazing!. Results of interviews are shown in Table 4, rating the catchild interactions on the scales for the cats aggression, affection, and playfulness, as well as the child liking to hold the cat. The Human Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI) announced today it has awarded a $26,000 grant to Yale University for a new study, Interactions with Animals to Reduce Childrens Stress. Qual Health Res (2008) 18(12):16429. In the interviews in Phase 2, for all three groups, most parents characterized cats as at least moderately affectionate toward the child. Among parents of children diagnosed with ASD, nine offered positive comments. Pet dog ownership decisions for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder. Kids with autism play differently from other kids. The study did not randomly survey about cats in the families. Cat. Regression tree CART analysis depicting variables affecting the quality of child/cat interactions. A Kind of Spark is the book for you. Conceived and conducted extended statistical analyses for Phase 1, and drafted text for methods and results pertaining to results and figures that resulted, with specific edits: NHW. Offering a "heads up" that bedtime is coming about 1 hour before bed. Autistic people, whether kids or adults tend to exhibit sensory abnormalities. The data that had been collected pertained to 16 children diagnosed with severe ASD, 11 with less severe ASD, 17 designated as being typical, and 3 with delayed development, as well as 1 child with incomplete diagnoses. Mindfulness Meditation for 6 year old with ADHD, ASD. Service dogs were shown to decrease cortisol secretion upon awakening in children with ASD, and parents reported improvements in behavior of the child when having a service dog (6). How Cats Can Help Children With Autism Become More Social By Betti Wilson August 5, 2021 Cats are lovable and cute, but what most people don't know is that these furry animals can help children with autism improve their social skills. A principal component analysis (PCA) was run on these variables, and the first principal component explained 31% of the variability in the responses. This variability is also evident when comparing purebred cats (11). Setting regular bed/wake times (even on the weekends). cause-and-effect play. The 48 interviews were conducted in January 2012June 2014. Active selection for an affectionate cat could improve the chances of a calming rewarding relationship of cat and child. Also consider getting a three or four year old cat, rather than a kitten. 4.3M subscribers in the cats community. As described in the Statistical Methods, a PCA was run on all responses that pertained to the quality or depth of the relationship between the autistic child and the specified cat. Pictures, videos, questions, and articles featuring/about cats. Teaches empathy - Individuals with autism often have difficulty understanding social or emotional cues that would otherwise seem obvious to those who do not have the condition. Comments volunteered from 19 parents characterized behavior of the cat in being a calming, loving, soothing protector, bonded friend, or guardian for the child. Results from the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Study Mortality Follow-up Study. Table 2. Another described the cat and child ignoring each other, and two said the child was slightly fearful of the cat. The term, ASD, is inclusive and now encompasses the range of mild-to-severe autistic impairments (4). Parents of a child with autism might . Cat ownership and the risk of fatal cardiovascular diseases. A majority of the cats (52%) were domestic shorthair. Psychol Rep (1996) 78(2):46781. December 14, 2020. Of the specified cats interacting with the ASD child, 78% were at least somewhat affectionate, with 30% rated as very affectionate (Table 2). Sci. Most families had multi-pet households, with 38% having one or more dogs. Parents often feel disconnected from their autistic child and other family members and are required to engage in extremely vigilant parenting of the child (17). Among the 11 less severe ASD children, three cats were more affectionate with adults and two with the specified child. Kids may roughhouse because they struggle with: Knowing how much force they're using. Ended up building walkways all through their house for his cats. Consistent with other studies, a somewhat higher proportion of cats were affectionate with adults than the specified child (Table 5). The factor loadings for the first factor were all positive except for aggression toward child, which was negative. IDEXX is proud to sponsor this lecture series which will serve as a valuable educational resource for both the general public and for the veterinary community about the science of the human-animal bond, said Kerry Bennett, Corporate Vice President, IDEXX. Does the Fool say "There is no God" or "No to God" in Psalm 14:1. No matter how they wish to convey their thoughts and feelings. They know their role. This survey was available for responding May 2013 through June 2014. Thesenewscientific studieswill focus onimportant areas of human-animal interaction research,includingchild health, healthy aging, cardiovascular health, andchronic diseasemanagement. These will probably not survive the connection for very long. Hart BL, Hart LA. As parents, we must find creative ways to overcome those challenges. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). For further information, go to www.winnfelinefoundation.org. Although there's no cure for autism, research suggests that pets can be beneficial to wellbeing and may help adults and children with autism cope better. The primary emphasis was to characterize cats behaviors with the children and compare cats interactions with children having ASD, less severe ASD, or typical development. I am hoping to identify ways in which animal-child interaction can reduce stress and, furthermore, wish to understand precisely how that works, how the interaction can be optimized, and how it might translate to whats being done in animal-assisted interventions and also in everyday life. Behav Processes (2017) 141(Pt 3):27383. One in 100 people are on the autism spectrum, and there are around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK. doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2013.09.005. In terms of sex, neutered males were rated as being more affectionate than females. It only takes a minute to sign up. These families already deal with many diagnostics and assessments of their children and face many challenges in providing resources, care, and education for their children. The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. (13)]. 11. Although dogs have the capacity to perform useful tasks and are more interactive with people than cats, they require more attention and care, and some parents reportedly find their ASD child is more compatible with a cat, or that a dog simply would not be a feasible companion for their child (2). doi:10.2466/PR0.89.5.177-187, 9. One parent wondered if the lack of bonding at the beginning, when the child was less than 2 years old, accounted for the lack of interaction 8 years later. We distributed the web-link and solicited participation via listservs and groups serving families that have children with ASD. These findings provide the essential information needed to pursue a controlled prospective clinical study where parents with autistic children could be offered an appropriately reared and socialized pet cat (kitten) of a breed known to be very affectionate, less aggressive, low in fearfulness, playful, and socially outgoing. The researchers conclude that shelter cats may be beneficial for some children with ASD while not necessarily creating a burden for their parents. Of the 64 respondents, 52 parents volunteered comments regarding interaction of the cat and the child: 40 comments were positive, three neutral, and nine negative. Provided access to the CHARGE study families with ASD and typically developing children who met eligibility criteria and volunteered for this study; provided confirmed diagnostic and covariate data for the analysis: IHP. I personally think an older cat only works with older kids or adults, but I know opinions on this wary. However, there are several ways to manage the symptoms. The cats affectionate interactions were categorized as: very affectionate (loved being held or carried around); affectionate (mostly liked being held or carried); moderately affectionate (liked some degree of being held or carried); relatively non-affectionate (preferred not being held or carried); and non-affectionate (did not like being held or carried). Concerning the age ranges of all children in the household (including the specified child), only 17% of households had teenagers 1319 years of age, with higher proportions of households with children of other ages: 44% with children 1012 years, 61% with children 69 years, and 38% with children 35 years (Table 1). Overall, the highest aggression scores of cats with the specified child were for two female cats of typical children (aggressive enough that we have to be alert), and one female cat of an ASD child and another female cat of a typical child scoring as moderately non-aggressive. Figures 2A,B for male and female cats shows the level of aggression of each cat plotted by the cats age and group, showing that aggression to ASD children was no worse than with less severe ASD or typical children. All analyses were run using SAS, version 9.4, except for the regression trees, which were run using R statistical software and the rpart command. Robotic animals might aid in the social development of children with autism. More and more people are becoming aware of what autism truly is and how to recognize it. It is possible that those parents who responded were having more positive experiences with their cats than did parents who were non-respondents. Photo by Daga_Roszkowska /Pixabay. Introducing a petdog, cat, or hamsterto children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was associated with an increase in the childrens prosocial behaviors, as compared with children lacking a pet (2). Jeffrey Kline, MD(Indiana University):Canine-assisted anxiety reduction in pediatric emergency care (CANINE III) Behaviors of cats with severe or less severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children in Phase 1, and ASD childrens behaviors with cats. Cats are more independent than dogs, require less care, and are more compatible with ASD kids. Autism spectrum disorder children generally liked holding the family cat (some always wanted to hold, pet, snuggle, and sleep with cat). Participants were informed that they were participating in a research survey, and by completing the survey, they were consenting to the use of their responses in a study analysis. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Cats likely to be affectionate may provide rewarding relationships for children with ASD. Recruiting participants from the CHARGE study yielded fewer participants than we had expected. by HABRI. I have seen some kids who are naturally more gentle. Van Drie said a good way to keep children with autism safe, is to ask your neighbors for help. Given the nature of ASD, dogs may be less appropriate for providing ongoing contact affection to some children. Other highlighted outcomes studied have included the animals contribution to the safety of the child (4), the emotional connection with the child (16), reduction of the childs problem behaviors, and the childs cortisol levels upon awakening (6). We presumably reached 515 parents with a mailed invitation to participate (mailed packets not returned). Behavioral questions regarding the specified child addressed information on the specified cats interactions with the child, and the childs level of interest and responses to the cat: the child being fearful of the cat; indifferent to the cats affection; liking to sit with or hold the cat; being moderately responsive to the cat; usually loving to hold and pet the cat; or always wanting to hold, pet, snuggle, and sleep with the cat; or other (to be specified). My dd is 14 and currently being assessed for ASD.She was always pretending to be a dog right up until she was 11 or 12 and still does sometimes.She would bark at people who spoke to her,like you i suspected it was an anxiety thing.She is quite obsessed with our pets,2 dogs,a cat and a fish and this is her main topic of conversation especially when anxious. If your child shows any symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, you'll likely be referred to a specialist who treats children with autism spectrum disorder, such as a child psychiatrist or psychologist, pediatric neurologist, or developmental pediatrician, for an evaluation. All of these households had at least two adults except two typically developing childs and one less severe ASD childs households. We know pet owners rely on their veterinarians to deliver scientific information about the health benefits of their pets, and when veterinarians and animal health professionals effectively communicate the science of the human-animal bond, they can strengthen bonds by encouraging compliance and improving animal care and welfare. All You Need to Know By John Carter Last updated: March 27, 2023 Autism and mental health, in general, have been hot topics in recent years. The study will examine the effects of interactions with dogs on children dealing with stress and anxiety. doi:10.1007/s10803-012-1707-5, 14. If your child has aggressive tendencies when around animals (pulling tails, grabbing hair, squeezing too hard), you might not want to start him off with a young or small animal like gerbils, hamsters, or small puppies. When there were limitations in the relationships, these usually appeared to be from the cats unwillingness to be affectionate rather than the child being disinterested. While not approaching the Ragdoll in the absence of aggression, the popular domestic shorthair also was rated as very affectionate. I've known only one, who grew up with a human about the same age as he was, who would voluntarily approach toddlers and give them a welcoming head-bump -- completely confusing them. There is some evidence that children on the spectrum prefer the company of cats to dogs, as cats have a "less intrusive" gaze. For children known to be consistently kind with the cat, the relationship could offer an at-home brief break for the parents. Citation: Carlisle, Gretchen, et al. This study has the potential to provide necessary evidence on the specific benefits of human-animal interaction to childrens mental health.. Cats tend to be patient and tolerant, and autistic kids can benefit from feeling accepted and understood by a non-verbal companion. Fritz CL, Farver TB, Hart LA, Kass PH. It seems that cats in families with an ASD child often provided valuable bonding, attention, and calming affection to the child. Simply seeing the child being calmer with the cat can be comforting to the parents, as indicated in some of the volunteered comments by parents. For the survey data from Phase 1, 12 responses were identified as reflecting the quality of interactions between the autistic child and the cat. My 9-year-old, who is also "slightly autistic", gets along great with other people's cats (we don't have any of our own yet), but it took him some time to learn how to approach them. Care farms as a short-break service for children with autism spectrum disorders. Qual Health Res (2008) 18(8):107583. The way Thula is helping Iris is simply incredible. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2008.01.003, 23. A study where adult cat owners rated personality attributes of their cats also suggests the importance of careful pet selection. Your autistic child may own one of these dogs and never have a problem. Research involving interactions of animals with children having ASD has addressed the animals contributions to the social behavior and development of the child, most often in numerous studies with dogs [reviewed in Ref. When Iris gets distressed during the day, this little kitten doesn't feel frightened, but rather, stays by Iris and distracts her from her difficulties. According to Autism Parenting Magazine, cats help children with ASD improve their social skills. I do recommend a younger cat or kitten, so it can become used to your kid right away. To our knowledge, no studies prior to this have examined the attachment to the cats of children with ASD and their caregivers after adoption. Connecting the dots: W hat all this experimental evidence means is still unclear, apart from generally confirming that, in autistic people, something unusual goes on in type C nerve fiber activity and touch perception. Diagnosis. 6-year-old Iris Grace Halmshaw struggled to come out of her shell until her mom introduced her to Thula, a Maine coon cat. Responses suggested that the cats adopted as kittens were more affectionate and less aggressive to all categories of children than those adopted as adults. A cat that can be held by a child could provide important therapeutic companionship for children with severe or less severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who otherwise may lack prosocial behaviors. How can an accidental cat scratch break skin but not damage clothes? Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Sixty-four of these potential participants replied through the mail, volunteering to participate in a telephone interview. In addition, all specified cats were relatively low in aggression, with 47% never being aggressive to the specified child. The first factor was used as a dependent variable in running several one-way ANOVA models, looking for systematic differences with respect to the childs gender, the source where the cat was acquired, the cats gender, the cats breed (unknown, DSH, DLH, and purebred), and whether the cat was gonadally intact or not. Many families with children have dogs and/or cats as pets, and much has been studied in recent decades about the value of pets for the emotional and physical development of children in the typical family (1). Appl Anim Behav Sci (1996) 47(12):438. Petting a cat relieves stress and anxiety not just for the child with ASD, but the whole family. Furthermore, age is a big factor here with all children (and cats, for that matter), autistic or not. To clarify the characteristics of a cat that make it a desirable companion for a young child, we designed a 39-item web-based survey in SurveyMonkey directed toward families having an adult cat and a child diagnosed with ASD. They take care of themselves, and I think that is good - but you have to be prepared that a scratch may happen. After the 48 phone interviews were completed and the responses were scored and the participants given unique identifiers, the diagnoses of children, among the five types listed above, were provided. The Feline Friends Study was funded by HABRI and the Winn Feline Foundation. Early on, he was too eager to approach the cats, they ran away, and he had a tough time dealing with his frustration. Psychoneuroendocrinology (2010) 35:118793. My boys are 2 and 5, and quite energetic. APT. Some families with ASD children may have sought to facilitate positive relationships with pets, perhaps even to selectively acquire a cat for the child, and our survey was designed to explore how well that was working in those families. And we talked. They cry to be let in her room. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press (2013). Autistic people overwhelmingly prefer identity-first language autistic person over person-first language people with autism.". Should I trust my own thoughts when studying philosophy? Acquiring a pet dog was found to be associated with improved family functioning and reductions in parenting stress with these children (18). HRI 08 Proceedings of the 3rd ACM/IEEE international conference on Human robot interaction. The level of aggression of each female (A) and male neutered cat (B) cat plotted by the cats age and group. No information was gathered on whether a cat had previously been relinquished. 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