When Alyssa Howes was 4-years-old, she lost her sight and
started having seizures. Her grandmother stayed in the girl's room at night,
monitoring her for attacks. That ended three years ago when Alyssa got a
service dog named Flint.
When the golden retriever moved in, life changed for Alyssa's
Los Angeles-area family. He gives the 11-year-old a more normal life by
alerting her family to seizures, guiding her so she doesn't fall and allowing
her to have a bit more freedom.
"It gives her a companion to enjoy the moments when
she is doing things she likes to do," said her mother, Juliette Palomaki.
"And if she is having a bad day, she will call him and they will just be
together."
But not enough dogs are being trained for children with
epilepsy, autism and other disabilities, said Karen Shirk, founder of 4 Paws
for Ability, a nonprofit that breeds and trains service dogs. Other agencies
train dogs specifically to help people with seizures, but Ohio-based 4 Paws is
one of just a few that does not exclude young children.
Most require a minor to be 16 so they can handle the dog
alone in public. Because a younger child cannot do that, 4 Paws trains at least
two adult caregivers, such as parents, teachers and baby-sitters.
To read more on this story, click here: ServiceDogs Help Children with Epilepsy, Autism and Other Disabilities
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