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Will You Help Make A Dream Come True?
Jaden Cornelius :: David Nahodil :: JC Bowen :: Michael Ewing :: Aidan Kakoullis
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Little Kai needs Autism Service Dog for calming and trackingBy Kai's Parents
Even during pregnancy, we were constantly reminded that Kai was extremely active and strong. We can easily look back now and say that he was adamantly telling us that he, even then, had tremendous sensory needs. As an infant, Kai needed to be cuddled, tightly swaddled, swung, and bounced at all times. However, He often seemed unaware that he was being spoken to. He did not seem to pay much attention to the conversations around him either. It took some time for us to convince a physician that we needed additional help for Kai. At Kai's two year old check-up, we finally convinced his fifth physician that our concerns warranted a referral. Thanks to Early Intervention therapeutic efforts after the age of two, Kai is now amidst the long process of learning to cope with and compensate for the many issues that impact his daily functioning. However, Kai still continues to demonstrate an inability to self-regulate, and is highly dependent upon us to assist him in coping, calming, and comforting processes. Kai even experiences difficulty with the required self-regulation needed to develop regular routine sleeping habits and patterns. He falls asleep with us out on the couch, before he can then be carefully transferred to his own bed. He also typically wakes up two-to-three times a week during the middle of the night. Usually around three or four o'clock in the morning, we can count on him to call out to us to rejoin at the couch for the remainder of his sleeping hours. Predominantly Kai's personal difficulties can be mainly attributed to Sensory Processing Disorder, which has also been known as Sensory Integration Dysfunction. SPD is a neurological disorder which affects the way Kai receives, interprets, stores, and recalls information. This greatly impacts Kai's ability to understand and appropriately participate in the world which surrounds him.
Subsequently, Kai is significantly delayed in speech and language development. His poor command of language makes it extremely difficult for him to convey his wants and needs to other individuals, especially his peers. Additionally, Kai does not have a well-developed understanding of environmental dangers. His behavior is still largely impulsive, and based upon immediate, short term gains and sensory seeking. It would be an understatement to state that Kai is a flight risk. At any given moment he may dart out with absolutely no regard for his own safety. We lovingly describe him as an opportunistic runner. Kai must be watched like a hawk at all times to ensure his safety. We would love to get out into the community, as a family, more often. Kai loves interacting with others and exploring nature, but he needs further assistance to make these sustaining, beneficial, and enjoyable learning experiences. There are so many things and experiences that we want to share with Kai, and we deeply believe that a service dog will significantly enhance Kai's continued progress. With the assistance of a service dog, the following activities would be more beneficial and enjoyable for Kai: errand-running; attending therapeutic sessions; large family gatherings; trips to zoos; trips to various museums; hiking; camping; car trips lasting longer than twenty minutes; engaging in verbal exchange with peers; learning social etiquette; an ability to attend school in a large setting, and eventually blending into a mainstream classroom; and we cross our fingers for any additional sleeping aid that may come from the unique bond between a boy and his dog. There is a long road of growth and discovery in his future, and we truly think that a service dog is the calming, comforting, and protective companion Kai needs to increase his independence, functionality, social skills, and learning opportunities. Kai is extremely intelligent, friendly, happy, curious and excitable. He has an infectious smile, laugh, and energy. A specially-trained companion is just what he needs to facilitate his capacity for individual growth. We would like to thank you for supporting 4 Paws For Ability, and would appreciate that you do so in honor of our son Kai. Thank You so Much - The Foutts Family Carter needs autism service dog to track, stabilize, and love.By Lisette Tackitt
Carter's Autism has been very isolating. He has no sense of danger: escaping/wandering off, restless sleep, breaks household and personal family items, destroys contents in cabinets, floods bathrooms, very difficult eater; difficulty dealing with certain textures, temper tantrums, very low communication capability, extreme single-mindedness, extreme stubbornness, extreme difficulty in focusing on anything that should be relevant/important. He is the youngest of five boys. His older brothers are Cooper 13, Ethan 11, Owen 10, and Brady 7. They love him so much but get frustrated when he goes into their rooms, and destroys their rooms by emptying drawers, dumping out toy tubs, writing on their walls, throwing their game devices over the second-floor ledge onto the entryway floor.
He will often randomly recite dialogue from his favorite episodes for no apparent reason. He loves to play outside and swing. He has difficulty dealing with changes in routine and transition. It's routine for him to have public meltdowns while screaming and throwing himself on the floor. He's getting bigger and harder for Mom to handle. Safety is our biggest issue. Second is independence. He needs more independence, for example, when we go to the grocery store. So that he won't take off running down the aisles, we must place him in the shopping cart with the seat belt fastened. He's growing tall, so that won't work for much longer.
Another major concern is the fact that we are moving from TX to OH this summer and that it will be such a drastic change for him going to a location with no family or familiar people. He'll have new teachers, new surroundings, which is terrifying, so he'll also have new areas to explore. We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency), located in Ohio, and made an application. We were accepted. Our family is partnering with 4 Paws for Ability to raise the $13,000 to raise and train Carter's dog to meet his needs. You can find out more about autism services dogs and help by making a tax deductible donation to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of Carter Tackitt at 4 Paws for Ability's donation page, 4 Paws for Ability - Donation Page, or by mailing a check to: 4 Paws for Ability Thank you from the Tackitt Family! Three siblings needs special service dogBy Nicole DeZarn The DeZarn family needs your help to get a service dog. We have four children, one biological child and three children we adopted from foster care. All three have special needs. Our service dog will be trained to help all three of these children.
As a result of her exposure, Mylie has seizures, global developmental delays, sensory processing disorder, muscular tremors, low muscle tone and some difficulty with chewing and swallowing. She is also beautiful, funny, joyful, and obsessed with all things pink and "princessy." For Mylie, our dog will alert us to her seizures, which are silent and incredibly easy to miss. It will help to calm her when she is in sensory overload by providing companionship, distraction, and deep pressure.
However, unlike Mylie, Conner didn't come straight to us from the hospital, he spent some time in abusive settings that left him with anxiety and behavior issues. For Conner, we can use the tether system as well and our dog will be trained in tracking because he will wander off or sneak off to investigate whatever catches his eye. The dog will also go in to interrupt and distract his meltdown/chaotic behaviors. Conner has a huge tender heart, he loves more deeply and truly than any person I've ever known, and he deserves a big warm fuzzy friend to help him through his tough moments.
We agreed and he actually attended Conner and Mylie's adoption. Isaac has a myriad of issues. He has a musculoskeletal condition called Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, which causes clubbed feet, joint contracture and instability and hip dysplasia, among other concerns for him. His speech is very delayed because his jaw is impacted by this condition as well. He had a bowel resection at birth that left him with food absorption problems which means he eats all the time, is supplemented with Pediasure and still is tiny-however, we are thrilled to say he no longer uses a g-tube! For Isaac, the dog will retrieve things he drops from his chair/walker and possibly hit door pads to open them for him. We also thoroughly hope that he will talk to give his dog commands and throw balls for him to fetch. Needless to say, our dog will be busy, but he or she will also be thoroughly adored and well spoiled. Having an extra set of eyes and hands-er paws, will allow our family to do so many things we struggle with now, like vacations and trips to the park without asking people to go with us to help. Trips in public will be easier and more safe and we can only imagine sleeping all night without worrying about silent nighttime seizures being missed. Our family is so honored to have been blessed with these amazing children who have added more love and laughter to our lives than we could ever express; a service dog will help us open the world a little wider for them. I humbly ask that you would consider a donation to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of Mylie, Conner, and Isaac DeZarn and help this dream come true. Sincerely, Nicole DeZarn & Brandon DeZarn (AKA Mommy and Daddy) Autism service dog will help Maggie in every area of lifeBy Angela Ward
Maggie started physical, occupational, and speech therapy when she turned three months old. She received services until the age of three, then attended the early childhood program through our school district. She now attends public school and still has many therapies and services that the school provides. Maggie has been diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDDNOS), apraxia of speech, and is developmentally delayed. Maggie has trouble with transitions from one activity to another, she is aggressive toward her paraprofessionals, and has tantrums and screaming fits at home and school. She also has a fear of doctors and dentists. She is considered nonverbal and at times gets frustrated when she is trying to communicate.
A dog will help calm her when she has tantrums at home and school. When we go out as a family, Maggie tends to wander and sometimes gets out of our sight. A dog will help keep her safe in this type of situation. The dog will also calm her for doctor and dentist visits.
4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Maggie. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with "in honor of Maggie Ward" in the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Joshua needs service dog to track and help with social issuesBy Patty Caudle
Joshua has social issues. His life is set around cars, trains, and animals. He doesn't make friends. The previously mentioned items are life and friends. He becomes violent towards other people without cause and he is also a child who frequently runs away. He has run away in the middle of the night and has been returned home by the sheriff as well as other neighbors. On one occasion he was two feet away from a rattlesnake. I have applied to 4 Paws for Ability for a service dog that works specifically with Autistic children to assist Joshua when he gets worked up, because the dogs have ways to bring an autistic child down from a frustrated level to having fun just by as simple nudge of a lick or dropping a ball in front of them.
Another good thing that a service dog will do is while in public while I am shopping, the dog is attached to Joshua and so Joshua cannot make mad dashes away from me. The dog will be an extreme asset to me. I am not in the best of health. I can run and chase my son, however, the time that the dog spends with Joshua gives me time to take breathers . . . because Josh has a friend. I have been writing to various organizations to obtain donations to help obtain the dog because my husband and I cannot afford it: we already care for a 34-year-old daughter with cerebral palsy and a nine-year-old granddaughter who had a traumatic incident happen in her life that will take many years to get over. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Joshua Caudle's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Thank You From Joshua and myself Patty Caudle, Joshua's mother and our family. Little Carter needs a Service Dog that tracks, comforts, and more...By Carter's mother, Cristy Barr
At that time, his tantrums became uncontrollable, and he began having horrible uncontrollable diarrhea, and "tummy attacks" or abdominal migraines. We finally received a full diagnosis of his challenges: severe steroid dependent asthma, Subglotic stenosis(30% reduction in his airway), autism, and facial blindness.
Carter loves all animals, and music. He's a very affectionate loving child most days, but he does have times when he doesn't want to be touched. He has never been around any animal that he didn't want to love on. He likes deep pressure hugs, going to church, singing and dancing! An autism service dog will be a great help in keeping Carter safe and out of danger (the ability to track him if he runs). A service dog will also help ground Carter and calm him when his emotions are overwhelming to him. The 4 Paws approach to placement is that they partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. While it will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Carter, we are only committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Carter's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Thank you from Carter's family. Autism Service Dog Needed For Our Adventurous AlexBy Tamara Wood
Alex being our first child we didn't know exactly how he should be acting, but I decided that maybe he just needed to be around other kids more often in order to be more social and therefore started working in a church daycare and took him with me. I immediately started seeing that there was a major difference in how Alex behaved and how the other children behaved. When another child younger than Alex came up to me and very clearly asked me a question I was so shocked! I had no idea that Alex was so far behind! At this point Alex had no words at all and didn't even try to communicate. The other children also seemed extremely affectionate in my eyes, but I realized that it wasn't that they were extremely affectionate it was that Alex just didn't show his affection in the same way they did. We immediately took him to the doctor and by 18 months of age Alex was diagnosed with PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder). He was enrolled in all of the therapy and intervention that was available and was soon thereafter rediagnosed with Classic Autism (aka, severe autism). However, it was actually more of a relief to get the diagnosis and understand why Alex rarely made eye contact, why he would rather us not touch him or interact with him, why he had such huge "tantrums," and why it was becoming increasingly difficult to get him to eat. Now we knew what to research and look for. I am very happy to say that Alex has come a long way since then. He now shows us affection and love in his own way, maybe not with hugs and saying I love you, but by making brief eye contact, grinning, enjoying tickle-time, and by those rare occasions when he is the one to initiate play. He is still non-verbal, but we have been fortunate enough to have received a communication device that we call his "talker." We have high hopes for this! Having Alex in our lives has drastically changed the way we live and how we view things. Constant vigilance is our ally with Alex. He does not yet respond to his name consistently and doesn't understand dangers. How do we explain to him that the street is dangerous if we can't explain what a car is or how it can hurt him? And, how would we get him to come back home if he doesn't respond to his name or crave social interaction? We have about three locks on all doors leading outside, along with child safety doorknobs to keep him from getting out of the house without one of us. We dread the day when he figures out how to get around all of our child safety locks and precautions. We worry about him while he is away from us because he may get away from his caregiver and get hurt or lost. A simple outing to the store could potentially turn into Alex running off and getting hurt. We have to keep a death grip on his hand or keep him on a leash and as he gets older this is getting more difficult to do. An autism service dog trained for search and rescue would give us some peace of mind because he would be tethered to it to help us keep him safe and if he did get away the dog could track him. Besides the obvious dangers outside of the home we have to keep him out of harm's way in the home as well. Alex craves deep muscle stimulation in the form of jumping, spinning, flapping, and unfortunately, climbing. He is constantly trying to find ways to feed this craving and has no fear of heights. He is also trying to find ways to feed his craving of pica. We not only have to hide the obvious things like cleaning products, but also anything we think he might think is edible to him…paper, pencils, erasers, dirt, chalk, soap, lip balm, wood, glue, play dough, toothpaste, etc… He is a very picky eater when it comes to actual food, but not household objects. Unfortunately, he has a hard time accepting things he doesn't like or anything new or different. With Alex, a normal thing like a stomach bug turns into a trip to the emergency room because he refuses to drink anything but juice and chocolate milk and he gets dehydrated. He has sensory issues with his hearing, his mouth, and also to touch and so sometimes he has melt downs when he has sensory overload or frustration. This is where the autism service dog could possibly be helpful through behavior interruption. It is hard for us to get him to calm down during these melt downs because he doesn't want us to touch him and he pinches or hits us. For some reason, Alex doesn't mind it if our friend's dogs lay on him and lick him and follow him around. We hope that an autism service dog will help Alex to calm down when he gets upset and possibly be helpful when we are trying to introduce something new or different to Alex. Through behavior interruption we hope that his service dog can gently redirect him from his stimming or from eating something he shouldn't and avoid so many melt downs. Please help us to add some extra security for Alex in his life and hopefully provide him with a companion. Alex loves animals immensely and we dearly hope that he and his service dog will have a beautiful bond that will give Alex an anchor in his ever changing and stressful world. Please go to www.4pawsforability.org/donation.html and add "In Honor of Alex Wood" in the special instructions box. Or you can mail a check with "In Honor of Alex Wood" in the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Please feel free to visit our Facebook page for Alex at www.facebook.com/fourpawsforalexw God Bless! Tamara, Jeremy, Alex and Hunter Wood Keilan needs a dog for tracking, calming, and seizure alerts!By Kristy Noonan
At that time, we thought his only medical issue was just microcephaly with developmental delays. Currently the diagnosis is microcephaly, ADHD, migraines, and developmental delays. We are currently seeing a neurologist because they suspect a form of Cerebral Palsy. Keilan had his first grand mal seizure Nov 30th. We are thinking he's been having little seizures for a while and we didn't know. Keilan does not speak in sentences. Instead we all play Charades. He acts out words and stories and people guess. Because of this he has frustration: lots of it! Keilan is 11 and will still bite, kick, hit, and spit on us (mom, dad, sis, grandma and grandpap). His handwriting is like that of someone of kindergarten age.
Keilan is going to middle school next year and as a mom I'm concerned. He's never had that much freedom before. I don't know how this is going to work. I want him to be treated like a "normal" kid. We are like all families who have children with disabilities. We wonder what normal really is. Is Keilan not normal because he talks differently than other kids his age? Because he eats differently? Runs differently? Writes differently? My son, Keilan is the normal that we know. He is Keilan and everyone around us treats him as so. He is active in Special Olympics with his favorite sport being golf. He holds the title for the youngest golf skill player to receive a Gold. We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Keilan would be beneficial to him and us.
Keilan's sister, Victoria, who is seven, wrote a special letter to Santa for Christmas. The main thing she wants for Christmas is for Santa to help her raise money for a service dog for her brother. The only she asked for herself was a pair of skates. As a mom I was shocked that she did this on her own. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Keilan We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help. If you are able to help us with a tax-deductible donation, please go to the website or mail a check with "in honor of Keilan Noonan" on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Lend Michael a helping PAWBy Christina Roque
Mikey is a 7 year old loving little boy, who lives in a world of autism. He is 1 in 150 children that are diagnosed with autism, and 1 in 70 boys that are diagnosed with autism today. Mikey was a loving, happy baby who had normal developmental milestones, but around the age of one he started to show signs of autism. We didn't know much about autism and especially Asperger's which he is diagnosed with. When he was 3 years old we were told by his preschool teachers that they thought he might have autism. We were in disbelief, but I came home and started to research and found that he did absolutely show signs of Asperger's. He started to see specialists at the age of 3; he wasn't diagnosed with Asperger's until he was 6 years old. Mikey was also diagnosed with OCD, ODD, Anxiety, impulsive behavior, ADHD, and he now is seeing a doctor for possible bipolar. Children with Autism tend to wander away and are unaware of environmental dangers such as traffic, bodies of water, or the ill intentions of a stranger. Mikey needs a strong companion at his side trained to provide the special assistance he needs. In addition to providing constant companionship and unwavering friendship, these four-legged wonders are specially trained in search and rescue skills. Based in Xenia, Ohio, 4 Paws for Ability strives to provide service dogs to families and children that struggle with life's daily challenges and who would otherwise be turned away by many other agencies. 4 Paws trains a variety of assistance dogs, including but not limited to seizure assistance, mobility assistance, hearing ear dogs and autism assistance dogs. Some of the dogs even serve a little time in the Rover Prison Rehab Program as a stepping stone to becoming certified service dogs. "We have discovered a magic that exists between children and dogs, a magic that can become a life-saving miracle for a child paired with one of our Autism Assistance Dogs," states the Paws website www.4pawsforability.org. You can help bring magic to Mikey's life by making a tax deductible donation to 4 Paws For Ability in Michael's name. For additional information contact Christina or Michael Roque at 253-236-4014 or mikeandchristina10@yahoo.com. To contact 4 Paws directly call (937) 374-0385 or check out their website. Sweet Sofia needs seizure alert service dogBy Sofia's parents
Sofia has Dravet Syndrome, a rare and severe form of epilepsy that is often resistant to treatment and causes prolonged seizures among other issues such as developmental delays, behavioral and anatomical issues. Sofia can never be left alone; we never know when a devastating seizure can strike. Sofia is very daring as she knows no imminent danger . . . as a lot of kids with Dravet Syndrome often do. We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Seizure Alert Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Sofia would be beneficial for her and us. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Sophia. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help. We think that having a service dog will improve her life tremendously! She will be more independent, which Sofia deeply craves, We as her parents will be more at ease when she is at school knowing she has a companion to help her with frustrations and in turn help her feel more at ease. Let's help Sofia get her life changing service dog! We are asking that donations of any amount be sent to 4 Paws For Ability, 253 Dayton Ave., Xenia, Ohio 45385, in honor of Sophia Wilkinson. Donations are tax deductible and can be made in the form of check, money order, or online at www.4pawsforability.org/donations.html. Please be sure to put "In Honor of Sophia Wilkinson" in the memo section or in the special instructions section online. Blue-eyed Brothers Need Autism Service DogBy Mindy Ochoa
Both were happy, seemingly normal babies; but somewhere between 12-18 months we started to see considerable deviations from typical behavior and development. Not responding to their names, perseverating on twirling socks or complete obsession with Michael Jordan. Then came the tantrums, and the self-injurious behavior. Just keeping them out of danger day after day was an arduous job! As boys often do, they are finding new ways of getting into trouble. Joey is very sneaky, and has run away from our home several times. (Once, he went two miles in 20 minutes in only his underwear. With three adults in charge!) We have installed new locks, but now we're afraid he'll use a window. "Where's Reuben?" is the most popular question in our family. He's there one second, and gone the next. Reuben has no fear of heights, or water. (He has climbed 15 feet up a tree and jumped out.) We always make sure to have hold of him when out anywhere. He bolts as soon as he has the opportunity, an action that he finds most amusing. The boys also join forces as a demolition crew; shredding wallpaper and ceiling tiles to make confetti all over their bedroom floor. (Seriously, who has to duct tape their ceiling?) And Joseph puts his head through the wall and door whenever his temper rages. Our family heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Autism Service Dogs. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients, and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. Autism Service Dogs are specifically trained for the individual and their family. Our dog will be trained to help stop repetitive behaviors, calm destructive and aggressive behavior, and help keep tabs on runaways. The boys can be harnessed to the dog in stores and other crowded places, and the dog can track them if they get lost in the cornfield. (Yes, it's happened.) It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Joey and Reuben. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsforAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Ochoa on the memo line to: Safety issues prompt Lauren's need for Hearing Ear service dogBy Suzanne Rust
Although she reads lips well, Lauren Elizabeth has difficulty hearing when people are not facing her. She currently wears hearing aids that work to translate the high/mid frequency sounds to low frequency. While Lauren is a positive child, she sometimes feels sad that she is different. We have talked about how all of us have something that makes us different. And that it is not always evident what challenges someone is facing. She is truly excited about the opportunity of having a Hearing Ear service dog to help her daily.
More recently, she has been sad that she is different and cannot hear many sounds. Because of the loss, Lauren is sometimes unaware of a situation going on around her unless she is looking that way. She doesn't have that sharp sense of sound that alerts most of us to look. Lauren Elizabeth loves animals. She is currently learning to ride and is learning some sign. She has been carrying her sign book with her to school. She speaks well because she has been aided since she was three months old and has had speech services since she was 18 months.
We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Hearing Ear Service Dogs. A furry set of ears is how someone put it! We think obtaining a dog for Lauren Elizabeth would be beneficial to her, and us. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Lauren. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help. Lauren's loss has been progressive. It is entirely possible that she may lose the little hearing she has. Currently, a hearing dog would help alert to high- and mid-frequency sounds that she does not hear. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) and be sure to mention her name on the donation page . . . or mail a check with Lauren's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Brothers need special service dog for calming and trackingBy Cameron & Jeremy's mother
Due to the drug exposure, both boys suffered brain damage. Cameron was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder in 2007 and with ADHD-combined in 2008. Cameron has difficulty with emotional regulation and is socially-emotionally immature. He has trouble understanding others and sharing his own thoughts. Spatial awareness is also a challenge for him and so he runs into people and things. Jeremy was also diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder, and in 2008 he was diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder. He also struggles with General Anxiety Disorder, ADHD-combined, and depression. Both boys receive special education services and the services of a behavior therapist, and Cameron is in occupational therapy. CAMERON
His difficulty with language and social situations can cause frustration that escalates into physical aggression, or he may just decide it's too hard and withdraw. His sensory processing difficulties can lead to overstimulation and so he has difficulties in groups or crowds. Cameron is a very visual guy. He may not understand your point or get the joke, but he can do amazing things with construction toys such as Legos or K'Nex. He is also a very good artist. JEREMY
Although he can be very talkative, his anxiety and sensory processing cause him to avoid new situations or crowds. He is irritable and easily frustrated. When he becomes angry he gets in to a "fight or flight" mode. As a result he has run off or gone missing several times for as long as 20 minutes. He is very argumentative and will often refuse to do something, just because someone in authority requested it. He has a difficult time calming down after a meltdown. Jeremy is a very smart and energetic boy and he is very good at figuring out puzzles. Unfortunately, that same skill has earned him the name "Houdini." Before he was two or three he had even escaped from Sunday School. He is also an amazing climber, scaling an 8 or 10 foot metal basketball pole with his shoes on. At two, he found his way to the top of our 6 foot entertainment center. He has little fear, so his independent spirit and his ability to get away have become a safety issue. For this reason, all exits in our house require a key, to which he does not have access. I heard about 4 Paws For Ability, (a nonprofit agency) and their FASD Service Dogs. I discussed getting a service dog with my boys and they are both excited about the idea. This agency partners with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Cameron and Jeremy. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission, and know it is possible with the help of God and others.
Our service dog will also be trained in behavior disruption. This skill will allow the dog to intervene to redirect harmful or repetitive behaviors and reduce or even prevent meltdowns. A service dog will be able to provide Cameron with the sensory input he seeks. For example, the dog will be able to lovingly apply deep pressure, which among other things will help him get to and stay asleep. A dog trained in Search & Rescue will also ensure that when Jeremy disappears, I will be able to find him. There are things the dog can be trained to do, but there are some things a service dog offers that are not necessarily part of training. Having a service dog with us will make it obvious that there is something different about my boys, and people may be less judgmental and a little more understanding of their behavior. Having a dog with them will also bring questions and maybe open the door to greater social interaction. There is also the calming factor of just having a familiar friend with you during transitions and in new situations. There is someone there who doesn't place any demands on you, but accepts you unconditionally. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation (make sure to note that it's in honor of Cameron and Jeremy) through the 4 Paws Donation Page found at (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Cameron and Jeremy's names on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability, In Honor of Cameron & Jeremy Flowers, 253 Dayton Ave., Xenia, Ohio 45385. You may also email questions or comments to a4paws4theboys@yahoo.com. May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us (Ps. 67:1) - Thank you! Jonathan needs service dog to cope with Autism, CP, PCSD, Asthma, Hearing Loss, & more!By Misherald "Missy" Brown
That is what I see when I look at my son, Jonathan Brown. From the day he was born, I became his advocate and his voice. Jonathan is an adorable five-year-old who has been recently diagnosed with Autism he was already diagnosed with Partial Complex Seizure Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Asthma, Hearing Loss, and a large delay in communication, cognitive skills, sensory issues, as well as his ability not to recognize pain.
Many have asked, "Well what can a service dog do to help him achieve and overcome these issues?" A multipurpose service dog would be a complete blessing to Jonathan and me as well. It will also offer him a variety of opportunities including reducing negative behaviors and tantrum outbursts, decreasing sensory issues, increasing awareness of safety, and the ability to calm him through the day. The dog itself is a great calming mechanism for Jonathan which will allow me to be able to take Jonathan to a public place and possibly elevate the stress of dealing with meltdowns as well as deal with a small child in a wheelchair wondering off.
We would appreciate if you are able to donate to 4 Paws for Ability, 253 Dayton Ave, Xenia Ohio 45385. "In Honor of Jonathan Brown of Goose Creek, SC" goes into the memo line. You may also make an online donation at http://www.4pawsforability.org/donation.html. Please be sure to note that you are donating on behalf of Jonathan Brown of Goose Creek, SC. Thank you! Kennan Brower needs FASD/multi-purpose service dogBy Delmer and Ann Michelle Brower
We discovered that because of nicotine, alcohol, and cocaine exposure in utero, he has the following diagnosis:
The biggest challenges we've faced so far are acting out and disruptive behavior, name calling, difficulty controlling anger outbursts. Kennan has a hard time concentrating, and is very impulsive. He has a hard time learning from consequences, and had a hard time learning to read.
This sweet child struggles with frustration, sensory misinterpretations (kind of like crossed wires). He likes to be read to especially Box Car Children and A to Z mysteries. He likes to be outside. He likes art: PLAY DOUGH, chalk, paint. He likes music. He likes Legos and Star Wars, Phineas and Ferb show. He likes going to the zoo. He is good with tools and baking. He's also good at memorizing and recalling them for skits. He is a happy child and has a contagious grin and can be very funny. He can be a good helper at times. We believe a specially trained service dog will be a calming effect for Kennan in public situations where he is over-stimulated. It can help him calm down at night so he can go and stay to sleep, improve his attention span, improve social interactions with age matched peers, decreased aggression toward others and himself when he is over stimulated, and improve self-confidence and performance in school. He will be trained to be tethered, and can track Kennan if he wanders. This wonderful dog will also be trained to disrupt behaviors and hopefully lessen or prevent meltdowns.
If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Kennan's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability P.S. Kennan was so excited about the service dog that he wanted to fund raise before we were approved. He talks more about the dog more than any other thing he has wanted, and this includes a Wii. Service dog will be the wind beneath Gabe's wings!By Susan Wickham
He is sweet, kind, brilliant, and adorable. His wit is sharp and his uniqueness is endearing. He loves Nintendo, computers, riding his dirt bike, soft things, little things and cute things. He is an excellent cartoonist and story writer. He loves creating and has an unusually mature taste in music. He has so, so much to offer this world. He's bright, and funny, creative, and focused. He has two best friends who are constantly by his side and he has a huge peer group from school who love him and accept him for being Gabe.
I recently discovered 4 Paws for Ability, a nonprofit agency that raises and trains service dogs to provide unique support for people with special needs as they transition through life. Our family has committed to raising $13,000 for 4 Paws for Ability in order to get a highly trained Autism Service Dog for Gabe. I really think this dog will be the wind beneath Gabe's wings, giving him support and strength and joy, greatly improving Gabe's daily life for years to come. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Gabe's name on the memo line to: Thank you. Brain cancer survivor needs seizure alert service dogBy Ron & Lori Snyder
Our first-born son loves baseball, football, coloring and swimming. There's also something magical about his infectious laugh and crooked smile that touches everyone around him. William is also an amazing big brother to his 4-year-old twin sisters, Megan and Marissa, and would do anything to protect them. But William is far from your typical 8-year-old little boy. William is a brain cancer survivor. William's journey began on May 23, 2003. On that day, after years of infertility, we were given our angel, William Daniel Snyder. Even though he was born four weeks premature, he was small but healthy - or so we thought. William's first year flew by. We loved being parents and holding William was the best feeling in the world. But shortly after his first birthday we started to worry that he was not interested in walking. Several doctors told us not to worry that he would eventually reach all the proper milestones. But, parental intuition told us otherwise. He soon began to regress, woke up each morning with tremors and soon began having seizures. William suffered a 15-minute grand mal seizure on Labor Day 2004 and was hospitalized with a third set of doctors finally willing to figure out what was wrong with our angel. Then, on Sept. 9, 2004 doctors walked into his hospital room in Baltimore and changed our lives forever with the news that all parents fear: he had a tumor that was "big and in a bad spot."
At one point, doctors told us to take lots of pictures so "we will always have the memories." At that point he was given two months to live. Undeterred, we felt we had no choice but to seek a second opinion, which offered our little boy a glimmer of hope. At 16 months old, William underwent a 12-hour surgery to remove the tumor. Surgeons removed about 90 percent of the tumor, but complications arose almost immediately. William had a stroke the next day and was in a coma for a week. He finally woke up on Oct. 10, which just happened to be his mommy's 28th birthday, a birthday gift we will never forget.
Again, William's doctors were pessimistic in his chances of survival. Again, we were not going to let our boy down and begged to try one round of chemotherapy, which the doctors grudgingly agreed to try. Thank goodness they did. That treatment helped clear up the cancer. But, that was just the start of what has been a daily battle for William and all of those that love him over the last seven years. Over the following year after his diagnosis, William underwent a dozen surgeries and many rounds of intense chemotherapy during a time when most other kids his age were learning how to walk and play. An outdoor adventure for him meant taking a short ride around the hospital floor in a wagon with an IV pole attached. This only came on days when he wasn't in an isolated room due to a compromised immune system. Those treatments led to hospitalizations that lasted for weeks, including long stretches in the pediatric intensive care units and several near-death experiences. There were strokes, four to be exact, intestinal bleeding, seizures, infections and countless other setbacks during the course of William's chemotherapy treatment. He also required numerous blood and platelet transfusions. Some of his chemotherapy even required William to get multiple baths a day just so his skin wouldn't suffer severe burns in the process. As horrifying as those treatments were, William pulled through them like a true warrior and has been in remission for six years. However, that did not come without a price as such intensive treatments took their toll on his little body.
In addition, William also is developmentally delayed, has balance issues and suffers from severe anxiety, afraid of his seizures. Doctors have told us that William would greatly benefit from a service dog. The dog would assist William with hearing (especially in crowded places), alert others when he has a seizure and provide him with a constant companion, especially at night when he has become so scared that he told his parents and neurologist, "I'm scared of having a seizure and dying." Having a specially trained service dog will help William live a more productive and independent life as he continues to deal with the long-term effects of his surgeries and cancer treatments. We have committed to raise $13,000 to help William with this cause. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page or mail a check with William's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Down Syndrome & Autism keep Ella on the run!
![]() ![]() ![]() Help Aarilynne McConnell from Summerville, SC Receive a Service DogBy Christina McConnell
Aarilynne was born 6 weeks prematurely after a complicated pregnancy. We knew Aarilynne was a very special child the moment we laid eyes on her. She was not breathing at birth and had to be intubated for several hours, then she was placed on a nasal C-pap for several days while she was in NICU. While she was still in the hospital we noticed her whole body would tremble and vibrate spontaneously. The doctors said that the tremors were due to her having an underdeveloped nervous system from her prematurity. We accepted this response for the time being. When Aarilynne was 2 months old the tremors were still present, so her pediatrician referred her to a neurologist who diagnosed her with Clonus. Aarilynne began physical therapy at 4 months old to help with her gross motor development, which was already showing delays. Her physical therapist noticed that Aarilynne was having staring spells. Her neurologist said they were absent seizures. Then at 5 ½ months old Aarilynne had her first Grand Mal seizure. This seizure was accompanied by a high fever and lasted 55 minutes nonstop. Once the doctors were able to get the initial seizure to stop Aarilynne continued to have seizures every 5 to 10 minutes lasting 10 to 15 minutes each for the next 4 hours. That was the longest night of our lives! We were so afraid we were going to lose our precious angel. After a week in the hospital following several MRI's, CT Scans, and EEG's, Aarilynne was released. As time went on, Aarilynne continued to suffer from numerous Grand Mal seizures monthly averaging 40 minutes per seizure. She has had multiple inpatient and outpatient EEG's, MRI's, and CT Scans performed as well as several hospital stays and ER visits due to her seizures. Her neurologists felt Aarilynne needed to be seen by a specialist. At the age of 2, Aarilynne was referred to a neurogenetisist in Atlanta, GA. During our stay in Atlanta, Aarilynne had a mitochondrial test performed as well as a muscle biopsy of her left thigh, and a lower lumbar puncture. The results of these tests were devastating to our family. It was found that Aarilynne has a gene mutation called SCN1A. With this finding, Aarilynne was diagnosed with Dravet Syndrome. She was also diagnosed with Mitochondrial Dysfunction. Dravet Syndrome is a very rare neurological disorder that has global effects on the nervous system, mostly presenting in various forms of seizures. There are several triggers to Aarilynne's seizures. Being too hot, too cold, over exerted or too sleepy are just some of the triggers that puts Aarilynne into seizures. Everything has to be carefully monitored for her, including bath water temperature. There is currently no cure for Dravet Syndrome. To date Aarilynne has suffered from over 2,000 seizures of various types. She averages 6 to 8 Grand Mal seizures a month. She has multiple absent seizures and seizure clusters daily. Aarilynne has been on 11 different medications in a variety of combinations to help control her seizures. Unfortunately we haven't had much success. We have been lucky enough to be able to help bring some of her seizure lengths down to 5 to 10 minutes with some medications. This is something Aarilynne will always have to live with and this is a challenge we will face as a family! She will always have constant visits to doctors, therapists, and hospitals. But Aarilynne is proving she is a fighter and she is determined to overcome this disability. Aarilynne has fortunately been approved to receive a service dog from 4 Paws for Ability located in Xenia, Ohio. 4 Paws for Ability is a non-profit organization that trains service dogs for children and adults with special needs. Aarilynne will receive a service dog who will be trained to alert us if she is in a seizure, perform search and rescue should she get lost, tethering (where both Aarilynne and the service dog will wear special harnesses to prevent Aarilynne from running off into parking lots and in public places), as well as assist with behavior control. Aarilynne receiving this service dog will be a true blessing to our family! It will allow Aarilynne to gain more independence and provide a safety net for her, as well as peace of mind for us, her parents. In accepting this service dog, we have agreed to become volunteers for 4 Paws to help raise $13,000 to support their mission of being able to place service dogs to families who need them. We are asking that donations of any amount be sent to 4 Paws For Ability, 253 Dayton Ave., Xenia, Ohio 45385, in honor of Aarilynne McConnell. Donations are tax deductible and can be made in the form of check, money order, or online at www.4pawsforability.org/donations.html. Please be sure to put "In Honor of Aarilynne McConnell" in the memo section of checks and money orders or in the special instructions section online. Please help us reach our goal of $13,000 so Aarilynne can receive her service dog and move forward to a more independent and safe life. For a further look into what life is like for Aarilynne, please view a video made by her family - Life with Epilepsy and Dravet Syndrome. Autism & CP make Delaney a perfect candidate for a service dogBy Kayla Bugher
We noticed that there were issues with Delaney at her first doctor appointment one week after she was born. When the doctor did the exam she told us that Delaney had low muscle tone. Later that year Delaney did not reach any of her developmental milestones. She could not sit up, lift her head, roll over, or hold her own bottle. Delaney didn't sit up or crawl until well after her first birthday. When Delaney was two, we finally were able to get an appointment with a developmental pediatrician. She was given the diagnosis of Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy, Global Delay, and Autism. Delaney has a very limited vocabulary. She gets frustrated when we don't understand what she is asking for or needs, so she does a lot of screaming and has many meltdowns. Throughout her four years Delaney has had chronic ear infections and has seen many doctors. She has developed a fear of any kind of appointment where she may be examined. She screams from the time that we get out of the car at the appointment to the time we get home. We now work with the doctor's office to schedule her appointments near the end of the day or after hours so we don't disturb the other patients. Delaney wanders and has no sense of danger. She LOVES to play and splash in water, but she can't swim. Delaney also stims or bangs her head when she is overwhelmed. Delaney has always been supersensitive to sounds and certain sounds seem painful to her. She doesn't sleep well, waking many times a night.
We don't take vacations, eat out, or go to the grocery store as a family because Delaney gets overwhelmed and has severe meltdowns. We avoid any new places or situations because taking Delaney becomes a struggle. Yet Delaney is loving, strong willed, sweet, and has a wonderful sense of humor. She enjoys splashing water (at us!) in her baby pool, watching Elmo and The Sword in the Stone. She loves to sing, listen to music, and play outside, especially in the water, dirt, or sand. She also enjoys riding the bus and going to pre-school. Delaney likes playing with her twin brother - on her own terms. 4 Paws for Ability, a nonprofit agency, has accepted Delaney into their program and will be training a multipurpose service dog specifically for her needs. We are excited that Delaney has been approved for a service dog because we feel that it will assist her in some very difficult tasks that many people take for granted. Her dog will be trained to: 1. Alert us track her if she wanders away Having a specially trained service dog will also give our family a chance to enter into some activities (e.g., vacation, community events, shopping, or just a walk in the mall) that we've been unable to together. We have committed to raise $13,000 so that Delaney and her future friend will be united as quickly as possible. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Delaney's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Seizure Alert Service Dog would help keep Alyssa safeBy Monique Volkman
Alyssa has many challenges, including family challenges caring for Alyssa. Alyssa sleeps in a bed next to her Mom and Dad but does not always sleep at night so that usually means Mom doesn't sleep either. Alyssa needs to be monitored at all times so that means there is not much free time for Mom. It is difficult to find other people to watch her as they are hesitant because of her seizures. A seizure service dog would really be a help in allowing Alyssa the independence to sleep in her own room and know that the service dog will alert the family that she is having a seizure.
She loves the games on her new iPAD. She loves the water and is going to swim school and is very close to swimming on her own - a big accomplishment. She can't walk for long distances so she needs a wheelchair for long distances. She is unable to attend school because of her seizures but does very well being taught at home by her teacher, Maria. She also receives speech therapy for her speech delay, occupational therapy for sensory issues and attends hippo therapy for physical therapy. She loves working out on the horses! A seizure alert service dog would help identify when one of Alyssa seizures is coming on so she can go to a safe place and be attended to quickly. She could be more independent and would have friend/companion since she doesn't have many friends due to not attending a regular classroom. We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Seizure Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Alyssa would be beneficial for Alyssa and us. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Alyssa. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help. Having a special needs child is a blessing, but it takes a lot of work and energy. Having a seizure alert service dog to help identify when the next seizure is about to happen would really help ease some of the worry about not knowing and keeping Alyssa safe. We look forward to making the seizure service dog a well-loved member of our family. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Alyssa Davilla's name on the memo line to: Little Lock Picker Needs Autism Service DogBy Laura Henderson
Shane can undo any lock. For example he waits until I have gone into the bathroom and then he goes outside or gets into the cabinets/refrigerator and goes straight to the food he is allergic to (I have caught him on more than one occasion using the shelves in the refrigerator to stand on so that he can reach the bread on top of the refrigerator). In addition to lock picking, he climbs very well, which gives him great access to forbidden food. If he eats the food he is allergic to it is like he is on drugs and he obsessively tries to hurt people (this is the only time he gets aggressive).
Shane is a very intelligent, independent, creative, sneaky, determined young man. His favorite activity is swimming. He enjoys anything he can manipulate (wheels, electronics, etc.). He is full of energy and is very happy. He wants to try everything, but does not want help. He loves to strum the guitar and pluck notes on the piano (he loves music). He will draw on everything and loves to use scissors when he can find them. He would live outdoors if he were allowed. Shane has a very infectious laugh and smile (he has another laugh that he only uses when he is getting ready to break a rule). He can be mischievous at times. He is very observant (but watches from the side, he tries not to let you know he is watching), and as soon as you leave the room he will try to imitate what you have been doing. But if you acknowledge that he has done it, he will stop and not do it again while you are near. Everyone who knows Shane falls in love with him (we have to watch that too, as he will leave with anyone who seems nice. He manipulates people into sneaking things to him he wants that I don't allow). An autism service dog would help Shane feel more comfortable when in surroundings he can't control. A service dog could help encourage him to not do certain behaviors. I would also be more at ease, knowing I have help to find Shane when he takes off (I worry about him leaving the house or getting into things every time I go to sleep or take a bath).
I am a single Mom. I have Shane and his seven-year-old sister, Hannah. She has her own medical problems, but nothing as severe as Shane's (asthma and allergies among many other things). Between the two kids I am at a medical office at least once a week (shots or checkups or procedures). We live in a low-income farming community with a population of 170 people. I work two jobs. My children are also homeschooled (public school times simply do not work with all the appointments and I am fortunate enough to be able to bring my children to work with me). We are doing what we can to raise the money. I know we can do it. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page found at (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Shane's name on the memo line to:
4 Paws for Ability Kabuki Syndrome means Devon needs a service dogBy Leslie Mann
I have taken great steps to ensure that Devon has every chance in life including taking him to speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and equine therapy. I drive to Plano, Texas two days a week, and Hannah's Horseshoes of Hope on Saturdays. I homeschool Devon because he cannot handle the routine in public school, as well as the tremendous amount of people that he would be surrounded by in the schools. My concerns for his independence and quality of life are many. I believe that a service dog would greatly improve both. His doctor recommends a service dog because she believes that a service dog would help integrate him into the community he has lived in for all of his life, which is Bonham, Texas. She also believes that it would help him with his seizures as well as with his independence. Overall, she feels a service dog will improve every part of his life. My goal is for Devon to have as much independence as possible and integrate him into the community. A service dog will be trained for tracking (Devon tends to wander), tethering for independence, behavior disruption, and seizure alerts. Being accepted has become a major issue, as he is very hurt when others treat him differently and do not accept him. I am willing to do whatever it takes to help Devon, as well as commit to a lifelong responsibility to an animal that would provide help for my son. I will leave no stone unturned. Devon is my priority. I have found a nonprofit that offers service dogs to people with disabilities. The training for a service dog usually is around $22,000. But with 4 Paws for Ability, the family volunteers to raise $13,000. I would greatly appreciate any help that you can provide. I would like to thank you in advance for reading this letter and for your compassion and donation. Please help my son get the service dog needed to improve his quality of life. You can help Devon get his service dog by making a tax-deductible donation to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of Devon Mann-Leathers. This can be done by check, through mail, or through the 4 Paws for Ability website http://www.4pawsforability.org/donation.html. 4 Paws For Ability, Inc. I would greatly appreciate any help that you can provide. I would like to thank you in advance for reading this letter and for your compassion and donation. Little locksmith needs Search & Rescue Autism Service DogBy Karen Bidwell
Tyler was due to be born on Mother's Day of 2006. However, because I came down with severe preeclampsia, he was born 12 weeks early. His first two months of life was spent hooked up to wires and tubes in the NICU at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, Texas. He learned to eat and to breathe during those two months and we learned to help him as best we could. There were ups and downs, but we never gave up hope of him being able to come home and live a normal life with us.
We went ahead and enrolled him into the Head Start Program here in New Braunfels, TX. They were wonderful and it helped him get used to being around other children and get used to a school-like structure. When he neared the preschool age, our local school district did some testing of their own and gave us a probable diagnosis of Tyler being on the spectrum of Autism along with the speech delay. So, we took him to a clinical psychologist and sure enough, she officially diagnosed the Autism. So, now, here we are, trying to find all possible ways to help our little buddy. He is a very loving and sweet boy. He loves animals and has a wonderful belly laugh. There are many frustration tantrums, but not near as bad as some I've seen. Poor baby just can't seem to tell us what it is he wants, but he's working on it.
We saw a story on our local news about how dogs were being trained to aid people on the spectrum and we jumped right in and applied after searching many different organizations. 4 Paws for Ability has the only tracking plus Autism service trained dogs we could find. So, we are now in the process of fundraising for them in order to qualify for a service pal for our Tyler.
God has a very special plan for Tyler and we see some of it each and every day. Josh and I are volunteering to help raise $13,000 for training a dog for Tyler from 4 Paws. 4 Paws has a wonderful approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Tyler. And we can reach our $13,000 goal with your help. (They pay for the rest of the costs.) If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Tyler's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability We Need A Helping Paw For CJCharles J Neuman, known as CJ, turns eight in August 2011. He and his family live in Junction City, Kansas. CJ is a very outgoing child and loves to play sports. He has, however, been diagnosed with the following:
We believe a FASD service dog would be a tremendous help to CJ and the entire family. In addition to providing companionship, they are also trained in Search and Rescue, help soothe the child's tantrums and anxiety, and give some independence to the child. 4 Paws for Ability is a nonprofit organization based in Ohio. They specialize in placements with people who are turned away by many other agencies. Many children with FASDs have sensory issues causing involuntary repetitive movements or behaviors that seem out of place in a social context. These movements thus become the "signal" or "command" taught to the dog. The dog is then trained to disrupt the behavior by nuzzling the child or putting a paw on the child. FASD Service Dogs provide support in a variety of environments, which result in improved communication and social skills. The training for a service dog usually is around $22,000. But with this organization the family volunteers to raise $13,000. You can help CJ get his FASD service dog by making a tax-deductable donation to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of CJ Neuman. This can be done by check, through mail, or through the 4 Paws for Ability website http://www.4pawsforability.org/donation.html. 4 Paws For Ability, Inc. Caden Green needs Search & Rescue service dogBy Polly Green
Born with Down syndrome, Caden's speech is very delayed. He can't communicate in an age-appropriate way. Caden prefers to play by himself, sort of in his own world, and to do his own thing. He doesn't respond in any way when someone calls his name, and tends to wander off quickly and quietly. We live in a very large house, and because Caden is very active, he doesn't stay in one place for long periods of time. You can imagine all the hiding places that are available to him. Caden loves music, his stuffed animals, and any live animal. This brings us to the idea of getting an Autism service dog from the nonprofit agency, 4 Paws for Ability. This dog would be trained in Search and Rescue, and could at some point mean the difference between life and death to our boy.
Though we watch Caden very closely, it never seems to be enough. A service dog will provide the added protection we need. Our family is volunteering to collaborate with 4 Paws for Ability to help raise $13,000 for training his Autism service dog. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Caden's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Gavin needs Autism Service Dog for safetyBy Brooke Wright
It took a while but we eventually realized that we could give Gavin the same opportunities as any child without Autism - if only he were given proper treatment and therapy. Realizing the importance of a child's first five years, we did not have time to waste. Opportunities did not exist in the county in which we lived for Gavin to receive the treatment and therapy he needed. Therefore, we made the decision to move to Griffin, GA, where Stepping Stones Learning Center is located. Stepping Stones is a private school dedicated to providing help to the Autistic, it has been successful in assisting many children with severe Autism go from non-verbal to being able to work in a regular classroom in only two years. We know that this is the best thing for Gavin's development and believe that he requires it in order to live the best life possible. Gavin has attended Stepping Stones for one year and has made some progress but now we are challenged with Gavin wandering away from us. He also tries to pull away from me at stores. His repetitive behaviors take hours redirecting him and he has a hard time associating with children his own age.
The 4 Paws approach to placement is that they partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. While it will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Gavin, we are only committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Gavin's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Brooke, Steve, and Gavin Wright Service Dog will be another miracle for Caleb PackBy Caleb's mother, Robin Pack
We chose to not pull the plug. I would like to share with you the amazing story of our son, Caleb Matthew Pack. If we had listened to the doctors, our little boy would not be here right now. Granted, he is not the same as he was before this illness, but he is making improvements daily: improvements that doctors still will not acknowledge. Here is our story: When Caleb was four, he was diagnosed as having Systemic Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Although this can be a crippling disease, it never slowed Caleb down. He still enjoyed riding bikes, showing horses, playing basketball, and video games. Since JRA is actually an autoimmune disease, Caleb's immune system had to be suppressed, making him more susceptible to viruses and illnesses. Other than that, life was pretty much normal for him and us. When we moved to Kentucky, Caleb was able to attend public school for the first time. He absolutely loved being with his friends (which he made so easily!) and learning about any and everything. During the course of school he caught colds and viruses, but a quick trip to the hospital, some IV fluids, and he was back to life as usual.
When we got to the ER, he got in the wheelchair and was still talking to us. Once we got in the lobby however, I noticed his lips were blue. I told the receptionist he needed help now but the nurse on duty said he could wait his turn. I grabbed the first person with a uniform on and begged for help. One look and they rushed him to the trauma room. After 20 minutes of frantically working on my baby, the doctor came over and told us that they had lost him and she was very sorry. While we were trying to process this information, one of the workers who had not finished unhooking Caleb from the monitors, yelled that he had a heartbeat! Our little boy was still holding on! Another rush of activity and they moved Caleb from the trauma room to the ICU. They said he was in a coma and might never wake up. After several tests over the next couple of days, they informed us that Caleb had suffered an anoxic brain injury, was completely and totally brain damaged, and the best, most humane thing we could do was to unhook him and let him go peacefully. We prayed and prayed, and knew without a doubt that God had a plan for Caleb or He never would have given him his heartbeat back. Of course the doctors did not see things our way, but we know the Great Physician who does not depend on "reports" or medical technology.
We spent almost 12 weeks in the hospital. Now that we are home, Caleb is still improving. The therapists are amazed at his progress, especially considering the initial assessment described him as being in a vegetative state and that he was "unrehabilitatable"! Our world has been turned upside down. I no longer work, so that I can stay home and take care of Caleb. My husband has finally been able to go back to work full time. The hospital had told us that if we chose to bring Caleb home, we would be on our own and we would not qualify for help. It is my understanding that there are programs and waivers out there for cases like this, but the government makes it difficult to qualify. One lady actually told me it would be easier for us to get help if I would leave my husband! Because we chose to honor our wedding vows and chose to bring our son home instead of letting them "legally and medically" euthanize him (my words, not theirs), we do not qualify for any type of financial help.
I tried contacting our local television stations and newspapers, but they do not see Caleb's story as "a miracle" because his "quality of life" is not good. They do not see all the miracles God has already worked in this one small life. But they will. 4 Paws has a unique approach: they partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Caleb. We are committed, as volunteers, to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Caleb's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability To read the entire story, we invite you to visit Caleb's website at http://www.calebsmiracle.com The Pack Family: Richard, Roberta, Cody, Alana, and Caleb Hearing Service Dog Will Help Keep Nikki Hardin SafeBy Nikki's father, Dallas Hardin
Nikki also loves animals of all kinds, and has an older brother Tyler, age 11. She has also been attending public school from the age of 3. One of the biggest challenges we face is in the area of education, and safety is also high on our list. To understand why a Hearing Service Dog would be so valuable, you need to understand that I'm legally blind and suffered a stroke about a year ago. As a dad, I am her protector, and it's a challenge to keep her safe.
We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Hearing Service Dogs. Dottie and I are volunteering to help raise $13,000 for training a dog for Nikki from 4 Paws. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Nikki. We can reach our $13,000 goal with your help. They pay for the rest of the costs. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Nikki's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Taylor Needs Service Dog for Tracking & LoveBy Taylor's parents
But sometimes life can be pretty hard for Taylor. He has PDD-NOS, an Autism Spectrum Disorder which makes establishing social connections and communicating difficult. Taylor is completely non-verbal, relying on sign language and a specially programmed iPod for communication. His lack of communication and his tendency to make odd sounds scares other kids his age away. He has yet to make a friend so he spends his time playing with Mom and Dad. We worry about Taylor wandering off while he is lost in his own thoughts. He can be a bit impulsive and run off without warning. In fact, in the time it took to check on dinner he recently unlocked and slipped out the front door only to be retrieved by a neighbor. Since he cannot talk and has no concept of the dangers of traffic or strangers, we worry that Taylor could become lost. Particularly since he has no way to tell people who he is or where he lives.
The great people at Texas Children's Hospital make a big effort to make us feel welcome and provide play areas, but it is still pretty hard spending all that time at the hospital. Particularly when you have social issues that cause you to shy away from the activities they provide. This can make the hospital a very lonely place for a little boy who is hungry and in pain.
Recently Taylor was accepted by 4 Paws for Ability, a non-profit agency that specializes in the training and placement of service dogs. 4 Paws provides highly trained dogs specifically trained to support each individual's needs. While we realize that a Service Dog is not a cure for Taylor's conditions, we feel that the friendship and unconditional love provided by a dog that is trained to help him cope with some of his challenges would be a blessing in our lives. Some of the specific ways the dog would provide help for Taylor are:
All money donated in Taylor's name is tax deductable and will go for the training of his service dog. Please make donations to the following address and indicate in the memo line that the donation is In Honor of Taylor McCraw. 4 Paws for Ability You may also donate online at: http://www.4pawsforability.org/donation.html. For additional information you can contact Taylor's family at friend4taylor@consolidated.net To learn more about 4 Paws for Ability, go to http://www.4PawsForAbility.org. Autism Service Dog Will Help Aidan and Family! ![]() Aidan Alexander Agront, age five, was diagnosed with a number of medical issues when he was two. Aidan is on a lot of medication. He has autism, is usually non-responsive, and has almost no interaction with family and children of his age. He's sleep deprived, very hyperactive, has Sensory Integration Disorder, ADHD, and Apraxia Disorder. There are many ways an autism service dog could help make Aidan's life better. The dog could keep an eye on Aidan to make sure he doesn't run out into the streets or run off. It would keep him safe from danger. It would also alert us if there is something wrong. The dog could also help Aidan keep calm by putting his head (or a paw) on Aidan's lap. Whenever we are out in public the dog would help Aidan behave with the behavior disruption touch. The dog would benefit us by giving us a break from the meltdowns that Aidan has on a day to day basis. It would also give us a peace of mind that the dog could find Aidan if he should ever run and hide from us which he likes to do sometimes. One other thing we are hoping the dog would be able to help with is his ADHD and sleeping meds. If the dog would allow him to calm himself down and sleep by himself without taking meds that would be a huge step in the right direction. Aidan also has a lot of blood work because of his chronic illness. We are hoping that the dog will help make this easier by keeping him distracted and calm. We heard about the nonprofit agency 4 Paws For Ability and their Autism Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Aidan would be beneficial for everyone concerned. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Aidan. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http://www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Aidan's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Little Animal Lover Needs Autism Service Dog
Shy (as we call her) is four years old, and was diagnosed with autism in September 2009. However, we knew something wasn't right for a long time before. Shy has meltdowns, will pull her own hair, bite herself, flap her hands, and she has a hard time socially. With these issues, it's difficult for her to make friends with other children. Shy has also wandered away from home, and this is a deep concern. Loud noises are also a problem. She also has low speech, which can make it hard to understand what she wants. Plus she gets upset when she's not understood. Outings are a big challenge because of the meltdowns and her social withdrawal. She has been lost twice.
There is only a small group of food that she will eat, and she also takes meds to help her sleep. Otherwise, she doesn't sleep. We think having an Autism Service Dog would be very important in Shy's life. She needs help that such a dog can give. I'm hoping the dog will be that best friend Shy needs. This will also give me peace of mind by knowing she'll be tracked when she runs off. We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Autism Service Dogs. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list.
It took a long time for Shyanna to be diagnosed with autism. She was almost three before we found someone who would listen. But getting the diagnosis has been so helpful: it has led us to many programs for Shy. This includes 4 Paws for Ability. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page or mail a check with Shy's name on the memo line to: Malachai needs calming, loving Search/Rescue service dogBy Leanna Hatfield, Malachai's Mother
Malachai was born June 15th, 2001. He was always a very joyful, happy and easy-going baby. He hardly cried. He was my perfect little shopping buddy. Malachai, before age one, met only a few of his milestones. He was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at age one. Later, at age two-and-a-half, he was diagnosed with Autism and seizure disorder.
He attends school every day. He is in a self-contained severe Autism classroom. He loves going out into the community on their weekly outings, mainly because he enjoys riding the bus so much.
Malachai is a very happy boy, but he requires total assist and one-on-one supervision throughout his daily activities. He requires total assist for feeding, bathing, and toileting. While in public he requires complete one-on-one assist because he has no fear of his environment. If you let his hand go, he would just keep going, not understanding any dangers that may be in his path.
A nonprofit agency, 4 Paws for Ability partners with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Malachai. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help. We would appreciate your making a tax-deductible donation to: Damien needs service dog to track, distract, and also act as his ambassadorBy Damien's mother, Samantha
All of this put together leaves Damien feeling scared, stressed, over-sensitive, angry, and alone. Even though Damien is high functioning autistic, he still has issues going though every day life. He still has episodes of meltdowns where he can not verbalize or be calmed. During these meltdowns, he tends to want to run away and isolate himself. This causes concern for his safety for so many different reasons. To have a service dog trained in search and rescue would be very reassuring to us as we know he can always be found and even tethered to the dog to hinder him from darting off in the first place. He looks like a "normal" kid but does not perform at the same socially acceptably ways that come naturally to most. He has a difficult time making or keeping friends. He still likes to do all the things that other kids like such as swimming, painting, watching movies, and going on family vacations. By giving a service dog to Damien, we hope that it will alleviate his stress and frustration with everyday tasks such as getting dressed, brushing his teeth, and even playing. We hope that the service dog will be able to prevent any future meltdowns before they occur with the behavior disruption training.
"We have discovered a magic that exists between children and dogs, a magic that can become a life-saving miracle for a child paired with one of our Autism Assistance Dogs," states the 4 Paws website at www.4pawsforability.org. You can help bring some magic to a child's life by making a tax deductible donation to 4 Paws For Ability. If you would like to help by making a personal donation: Just use the donation form provided and write Damien Widmer in the memo section of the check. Simply fill out the information and follow the directions to send it in. You will receive a letter of receipt back from 4 Paws for your 2011 taxes. Please make checks out to - 4 Paws For Ability. Please be sure to write: "In honor of Damien Widmer" in the memo portion of your donation check. 4 Paws for Ability If you would like to sponsor a fund raising event for 4 Paws in Damien's please contact Samantha at e-mail at 4pawsforDamien@gmail.com. Man's Best Friend, Ben's Big Wish
Two brain surgeries followed the diagnosis, the first at 14 months of age and the next shortly before his second birthday. Though the surgeries successfully relieved the pressure inside his skull, they also caused a roster of other problems: brain damage, sensory disorders, vision problems, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a g-tube for feeding. Although Ben has suffered from birth, he still has the spark of childhood in his eyes. He loves to play with his seven siblings, who range in age from 5 to 22, and is particularly fond of video games. His mother, along with tutors, teach him math, science, social studies, and English, as well as specialized studies, such as appropriate behaviors. In addition, he attends speech and occupational therapy. Unfortunately, his issues still make everyday life difficult. Ben's sensory disorder compels him to choke himself, while his autism makes it difficult for him to distinguish between safe and dangerous activities. He will stand behind running cars to smell the fumes and will inhale aerosol cans. When scared, Ben hides and doesn't talk, making it difficult for his parents to locate him. Due to the extensive medical procedures he's undergone, doctor appointments terrify Ben, causing him extreme emotional distress. Unfortunately, doctor appointments are a way of life for Ben. He faces the prospect of another brain surgery in the very near future. "He needs the dog; it's a matter of life or death," said his mother, Nancy, of Massillon. The Hillen family was approved for a dog by 4 Paws for Ability just before Christmas. Nancy is working with the organization to come up with fundraising events. They must raise $9,000 before the dog selection process begins. In order to choose a dog that is best for Ben, the Hillen family must videotape him at his best and worst. After a selection has been made, the Hillens must travel to Xenia, OH and stay with the dog 24 hours a day for about two weeks to make sure the dog and Ben are a compatible match. If the pair works well, the training process continues, and is specifically tailored to Ben's needs. Once $13,000 is raised, Ben will finally have his dog. The Hillens have received $529 thus far in donations. They still need $12,471. "To be honest, at times it seems unreachable," Nancy said. Still, she is optimistic. "If 1,300 people donated $10, we could reach $13,000," she said. "It may seem like a lot, but Jesus has done much bigger miracles in Ben's life." Donations can be made online at http://www.4pawsforability.org/donation.html , or by mailing a check to: Donations must be made in Benjamin Hillen's name. 4 Paws for Ability is a 501c organization; all donations are tax deductible. Pint Sized Taekwondo Champ In Need Of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Service Dog
Unfortunately, Coty had a rather rough start to life due choices his birth mother made during her pregnancy. She did not have prenatal care for Coty, smoked cigarettes, drank alcohol throughout her entire pregnancy and also used cocaine and marijuana. Coty suffered six weeks of withdraws from the drug exposure and has permanent brain damage from her alcohol abuse. FAS is the leading preventable birth defect associated with mental and behavioral impairment.
The first several years of Coty's life were difficult. He was constantly sick with various ailments. He wasn't able to interact with many people outside of our family during his infant and toddler years due his persistent sickness and hospital stays. He struggled to reach his numerous milestones including delayed crawling, walking, and talking. Communication was a rather large hurdle. He also had a volatile temper before he was a year old. Coty's temperament can change on a dime; he "feels" frustration even if someone isn't showing their frustrations. Most often he lashes out with unacceptable verbal language and physical hitting. Thinking before you act is not in his makeup. He can be a sweet, cuddly, people-pleasing little boy one second and an aggressive, foul-mouthed, angry boy the next. FAS children also struggle with remorse. Thankfully in the past several years Coty has begun to feel sorry for some of the choices he makes. Coty also suffers from several other issues as a direct result of FAS. He is small for his age, academics are a constant struggle, he lacks social skills, suffers from short-term memory loss, and lives in a very black-and-white world. These issues, combined with his other diagnoses make life for Coty very challenging. Everyday simple tasks at times seem almost unattainable for him. The easiest action is for him to shut down. People assume this behavior is because he is lazy and we need to brush up on our parenting skills. Fortunately we know this is Coty's way of saying I cannot do what you need me to do. We struggle daily, sometimes hourly to get him to accomplish necessary life skills. Thankfully we have a great support system of family and friends who may not truly understand Coty and his birth defects but love him for who he is!
We are applying for a FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders) Service Dog from 4 Paws for Ability. We know obtaining a Service Dog for Coty will help him succeed for many reasons.
We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their FASD Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Coty would not only benefit him but the rest of our family as well. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement: they partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Coty. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page or mail a check with Coty's name on the memo line along with the enclosed donation form to: Heather needs Autism service dog to calm, modify behavior, and trackBy Charlene Donahue
As Heather approached early childhood milestones, she was delayed significantly in developing speech as well as other behavioral developments. At the age of two, she began receiving services through Early Childhood Intervention for her speech and behavioral delays. At the age of three, she spoke at a year-and-a-half-year old level and now at the age of five, she speaks and comprehends at a two-and-a-half- to three-year-old level. Around the age of two, Heather became an escape artist. She would leave the house and wander down the street. Fortunately we have great neighbors, and Heather was returned home to us safely. My husband and I installed latches on all exit doors to help ensure her safety, and even after doing so, she escaped out a window. We found her pushing a stroller in the street in front of our house. Although the escapes have lessened, they still occur. Heather's impulsivity leads her outside without any thoughts of consequences for her safety or surroundings. For example, she left the house to chase an animal through the neighborhood in hopes of petting it, and she left the house and headed down the street with a gallon of milk because she was told she couldn't have that fifth refill.
When at preschool, her levels of anxiety elevate to the point to where she will totally withdrawal from the class or try to self calm by doing such things as stuffing her mouth full of Kleenex while trying to hold back tears. She also constantly demands the teacher's attention by wanting to be held or comforted. Bedtimes are horrible for Heather. Again, she has that constant need for comfort to help bring her anxiety levels down. Many nights I will awaken to find her asleep in my bed or in front of her older sister's locked door. Although we try to get Heather asleep around 7:30 pm, it is not until 10:30 -11:00 pm on the average that we can get her to stay in her own bed and fall asleep. In September of 2010 we were finally able to obtain an appointment at The Children's Center in Salt Lake City, Utah in hopes of having Heather evaluated by a licensed child psychologist to help us determine if there was something we were missing as parents. After a thorough testing and evaluation process, Heather was diagnosed with Autism, Anxiety Disorder, PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and ADHD.
She is very physically active and loves participating in gymnastics and in a weekly special needs ice skating lesson. She loves riding her bike, and during the non-snow months, you can find her pedaling like mad down the sidewalk. Heather also absolutely loves animals. When on a pony ride or petting a goat at a petting zoo, Heather radiates a peace that doesn't exist elsewhere in her life. Another challenge Heather faces is that she has a hypersensitivity to sound. This often turns a fun day at a park into a nightmare where she runs to the car with hands over her ears while crying hysterically in pain. She absolutely hates the sound of somebody going down the slide. There are times at local holiday parades where there is "gunfire" loud horns / sirens, etc., which cause hysterics and absolute panic. At the last parade we went to the sound of gunfire caused her to leap into a complete stranger's lap to bury her face in this poor woman's chest as she (Heather) screamed in terror! Needless to say, 4th of July fireworks are out of the question, as they too send her into hysterics. We miss out on a lot of celebrations and events because it becomes too overwhelming to her physical senses. She also has a hypersensitivity to touch and smell. The unique challenge of touch leads to a constant battle of getting Heather to leave her clothes on and the smell issue leads her to tell people quickly how bad they stink.
I hope that an Autism service dog will afford Heather a sense of safety/security at school and other public places and also lower her anxiety levels. At school, Heather can seek appropriate affection and attention from her service dog rather than seeking the attention from the teacher distracting her from being able to properly attend to the needs of the entire class. A service dog could calm Heather in class allowing her to focus on what is being taught vs. withdrawing from the class and teachers.
A service dog could also be the constant playmate/companion Heather needs to help stimulate and teach self-play. Another huge gift that a service dog could offer is the ability to track Heather should she wander away from home despite our greatest efforts to keep her safe. We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Autism Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Heather would be beneficial to Heather and to us. 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Heather. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission, and can reach our goal with your help. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page or mail a check with Heather's name on the memo line to: Nine-year-old with Asperger's & Social Anxiety needs service dogBy Melinda Khan
When Sarah Ellen Khan was about three, I noticed she had an attachment to maps and jumping up and down and bouncing and sitting up. My older sister had Asperger's syndrome, and I started to see some similar behaviors and yet some were uniquely Sarah. The lack of eye contact was familiar as was the repeating of sentences and the interest in singular subjects to the exclusion of others. I finally put aside my fear and took her to a psychologist and a neurologist. The journey began on a small scale, and then I discovered a foundation that guided me in the direction of more detailed, specific treatment. And more specialists. Finally specialists were in agreement of her diagnosis and treatment. Sarah has Asperger's and Social Anxiety. Yet unlike some people with the same diagnosis, Sarah does have empathy. She likes Science, Spelling and Math. Ballet is her favorite active thing to do and she performs in public well. But the difficulty comes when she is asked to speak. She tends to look down and avoids eye contact with much of the public. Sarah goes to a social skill group to learn how to interact, make friends: all the things that come natural to most people but not to Sarah. Sarah can be selectively mute in terms regarding who she will talk with and who she won't. Also she cannot answer questions right away unless she is positive about the answer. Open ended questions are extremely difficult for Sarah to answer. Sometimes there is not a logic to the way she answers. Sometimes she will answer the harder questions and the easy ones she will not answer at all. While Sarah is great in Spelling and Science, we don't know for sure about the others, because she is not a fully expressed individual. Sarah gets bored easily and always wants to do something different after a short while. One subject she doesn't get bored with is dogs. She has a book of many of the breeds and she has it pretty much memorized the book. You could fall asleep before she has finished talking about dogs and puppies. Her goal now is to become a Veterinarian.
Her elementary school gives her OT and PT. Sarah get speech therapy to open her up more. And she has private counseling in school when needed. I have been told she does cry in class and she says it is because she misses her mom, which may be true. But it is also so hard for Sarah to express herself that she may not be getting what she needs emotionally at school from the kids because she cannot communicate well. In general, Sarah is a happy child when she is comfortable. She likes structure and rules, and boundaries. She also enjoys a system of reward for doing things well and she needs praise consistently. Which is not hard to do because she tries so hard. If she doesn't get something right, she keeps on working. I am enormously proud of her courage, her sensitivity, and her insight will knock you off your feet at times. Because Sarah has little eye contact, she cannot recognize many human emotions on people's faces. She just knows happy and sad. She tends also to be naive and innocent and will not recognize if someone is making fun of her right away. This is the time to mention the problems with bully behavior from Sarah's peers. She also has been pushed to the ground. She's about 49 inches tall and weighs 50 lbs. Her weight has always been on the low end, in part because she gets bored with food and yet is very particular. Lately she has shown more interest but still is a little underweight. Sarah has difficulty speaking. She cannot say hello, goodbye or thank you with any regularity. Sometimes in transition, she can get active with a child after about 10 minutes or so when she gets used to the situation. Hopefully, she'll connect with the person or she will parallel play and not really be involved with a particular peer.
Sometimes it is hard for me to recognize all her challenges because I am so close to her and she is so lovable to me. A doctor and a nurse recently described Sarah as "delicious." She has so much charisma. Sarah had a sense of humor even as a three-month-old…how she wiggled so I could get her diapers on while constantly laughing with her gums showing. Sarah said to me some months ago, "Mom you are so creative and you do so much for me. I don't see you do these things for yourself. What about your writing, Mom?" We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Sarah would be beneficial to Sarah and to us. 4 Paws partners with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Sarah. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page or mail a check with Sarah's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Girl with Autism, Sensory Issues & Emotional/Social Delays, needs Autism Service DogBy Kathleen Gerlach My name is Kathleen Gerlach, and I am married to an incredible man named Jeremy. We have three children: Ally 5, Andy 3, and Alex 2. I knew something was off even when I was pregnant with Ally. I threw up constantly, and I just felt "off."
I started taking her to a playgroup. This lasted three months until we were asked to leave and not come back. Ally's "meltdowns" were upsetting the other children. She was then nine months old. At 10 months of age, Ally got what appeared to be the "flu." They had IVs put in her arms to rehydrate her, and she recovered, but a few days later the "flu" was back. Ally was then diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and dairy allergies.
Since Ally would get overwhelmed everywhere we went, we slowed down where we took her. I took Ally to a neurologist at four years of age, and she thought Ally had Autism and ADHD. The day after Ally turned five, she was officially diagnosed with Autism, as well as Sensory Issues, with emotional and social delays. These are the primary issues Ally deals with today. Ally is a sweet, intelligent, loving child, and even though she appears normal, she is not. She has emotional meltdowns, and is unable to talk when she is upset, she can't explain herself and she parrots what she is saying. She is easily overwhelmed, even at school. She is in Kindergarten, but goes to a private school where she is one of four children in her class.
Ally loves to play dress up, be outside jumping in her trampoline, watch movies, and be with her family. Most of all, Ally loves to hang out with mom one on one. We were encouraged when we heard about 4 Paws for Ability, a nonprofit organization that trains service dogs for people with all kinds of disabilities. We are partnering with 4 Paws as volunteers to raise the $13,000 necessary to get Ally's Autism Service Dog. All donations are tax deductible. Her dog will give her the independence to be able to play by herself and sleep in her own room. Her dog will be trained in tracking so if she runs away (which she does when she is very upset), we will be able to find her. The dog will be trained in behavior disruption to help with her meltdowns, and help her with her social issues. Most of all, the dog will be her constant companion to be with her all the time. Ally's SD will let her have the confidence to be who she is, and to help her to grow to her full potential. Ally's dad is a firefighter in the Bay Area here in California. And over Thanksgiving 2010 we were headed to Los Angeles. We came across a horrific accident. Two people had died, and Jeremy saved three others in critical condition. Long story short, for his heroic efforts he is being nominated as Firefighter of The Year. There are two ways you can choose to make your donation. You can make an online donation, or mail a check to:
Thank you from the Gerlach family. High-risk Chad needs a calming Autism Service DogBy Chad Burke's grandmother, Evelyn
Chad cannot deal with too much confusion or change (such as the excitement of going on a trip, Christmas excitement, etc.). He can be very rigid in routines, and when his routine is disrupted he tends to have a major meltdown. (Meltdowns: He slaps himself, bangs his head on any surface, throws himself around while crying uncontrollably, and is not aware of his surroundings and what he is doing.) Chad started showing lots of obsessive behavior this past year. For example, he was extremely obsessive over finding the right shirt to wear. He would totally melt down and cry for an hour at a time because he could not figure out what shirt he would wear. He just started talking to where we could understand some words this past August when he started Pre K. Now we can understand some of his words. Of course, this causes a lot of frustration for him when he cannot communicate his needs to us. He has a number of challenges which we believe will be less difficult by having a trained autism service dog:
We learned about 4 Paws for Ability, and after studying everything they offered, we are convinced that Chad's life would be different if he had an autism service dog. It would be nice if it was a larger dog like a retriever or lab. A dog to grow up with him. He responds well to animals. A service dog would be a companion and a helpmate to Chad. The dog could help calm him down when he is having a melt down. We worry about Chad getting out of the yard. A dog could help us track him and find him if he disappears. Chad is so active and fast. When we are out and about we could tether Chad to the dog to help us keep track of him. And we would like to get Chad to learn how to sleep in his own room. A dog could sleep with him and let us know when he gets up in the night. Right now we are committed to volunteering for 4 Paws for Ability in an effort to raise $13,000 for his trained autism service dog. This agency is a nonprofit, and all donations are tax deductible. You can either donate online, mentioning Chad Burke's name, or by sending a check to 4 Paws. Thank you for helping make this little boy's life better. Behavioral Issues make a service dog a "must" for Jake PoorBy Leanne Poor
Then the outbursts started happening during the day, when we were at home. We moved into attempting to test for low blood sugar, because it seemed that if he ate, his temper tantrums would be less. This wasn't exactly it either. His violent temper tantrums continued. We saw a neurologist when we finally realized that he generally is not aware of the temper tantrums that occur. This past November, Jake (now age seven) was diagnosed with a form of childhood epilepsy, called Benign Rolandic Epilepsy, mostly occurring in his sleep. Behavior issues can be related to this form of epilepsy. We are also working with the OSU Autism clinic. While we have been put on their wait list, they are anticipating seeing Jake within 3-4 months. Others who have observed Jake can see sensory tendencies, obsessive compulsive tendencies, and as well as being resistant to change and terrified of social situations.
An affectionate child, Jake loves to be held and cuddled. He enjoys being successful at whatever he tries, although he gives up easily because of his inability to become a new member of a group. He's also a very determined individual (as noted in the bike riding in the snow picture). Jake's interests include singing, video games, Tiger Cub Scouts, drawing, and spending time at home. He has a number of challenges. Because he doesn't like crowds, or feeling left out, he doesn't absorb into activities easily. Therefore, we have many activities that we begin, yet can't seem to finish because he attaches to one person in the activity who may already be "established" or have other friends.
Another concern is that Jake's seizures occur mainly at night. He is terrified to sleep alone, although his seizures are not life threatening, they make him uncomfortable enough to require someone to sleep in his room. A service dog will be a companion for Jake to confide in, be bonded to, and be an easy transition into established group activities. The dog will enable Jake to make an introduction of his "new 4- pawed friend." The animal will allow him to finally sleep alone, and be there when he has meltdowns that result in unacceptable behavior. We believe that a seizure dog would be a wonderful companion to our son. We're volunteering to partner with 4 Paws in raising $13,000 for this miracle dog. We need your help. All money is tax deductible and goes to 4 Paws for Ability in Jake's name. If you can help, please either go to the 4 Paws for Ability website, or mail a check to: 4 Paws for Ability Thank you from the Poor family. I want to be free . . . to be me!
Academically I'm behind, I have a hard time keeping friends, I get easily confused, over stimulated and frustrated and at times can get very angry and violent, I don't mean too, it just happens, and I don't like it. I'm really like any other boy, I love Legos, computers, music, animals, outdoors, biking and snow tubing.
Loud noises, especially fire alarms, sirens make me very anxious they really "hurt my ears." I also have a difficult time focusing in crowded places like malls, restaurants, and church because of the noise. I would much rather snuggle with someone, and be somewhere quiet and not so crowded.
An FASD Service Dog will allow me to remain medication free, give me some independence by being my "external brain" sometimes, and a dog could comfort me, calm me, keep me safe and play with me. WE NEED YOUR HELP - 4 Paws for Ability is a non-profit 501(c)(3) located in Ohio. Me and my family are partnering with 4 Paws for Ability to raise the $22,000 to raise and train my dog to meet my needs. You can find out more about FASD services dogs and help by making a tax deductible donation to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of Joey Hruby at: 4 Paws for Ability - Donation Page or by mailing a check to:
Flood devastates family of boy seeking autism service dogBy Sandy Hart
By age three, his pediatrician told me he suspected autism, but wasn't qualified to make the determination. So we started with specialists. Four specialists later, and a move to another state, he finally got a diagnosis of PDD-NOS at age seven. The previous doctors had told me that we may never know what he has, and we would just treat the symptoms. He had (and still has) symptoms of ADHD, OCD, ODD, and Autism. His form of autism closely resembles Asperger's, except for the fact that he spoke late instead of early. He started school at age three. In first grade, Randell's teacher quickly gave up on him. He had speech, OT and a teacher who helped tutor him. But he was too much of a distraction for his teacher to be able to teach class. I couldn't understand how he could start school a year before he was pre-K age and by second grade he was three years behind. Most of his teachers thought it was behavior related. They labeled him developmentally delayed. I didn't realize I had more power over his IEP than I thought. It took me years to find out that I don't have to agree with everything they said, and in some cases, I knew better than they did. But the move to Texas helped with that as well. Randell has been in a great school, and has improved so much. In most classes, he is on grade level work. He has had some great teachers and some great doctors. And I couldn't be more thankful.
Having high functioning autism is harder on the children than most people realize, because they are aware that they do not fit in. It hurts their self-esteem, and sometimes makes them want to withdraw to avoid embarrassing situations. However, they can show love. It is a blessing many parents of autistic children never get. Randell has always been a very loving, affectionate child. He doesn't hold a grudge. Even if he is mad at you one day, every day is a new day. Randell may never be able to drive a car, even though they are his fascination. He has been adamant since he started talking that he wants to be a mechanic when he grows up. Later I decided to watch and try to understand why he broke everything he was supposed to play with. And while I watched him make wings on his cars, take engines out of remote control cars and make working model windmills, etc., it finally hit me. The new toys weren't the toys he wanted to play with at all: they were used as parts to fabricate the toys he wanted to play with. So now we make trips to the hobby store to buy parts instead. I've always said and believed that he was not put here for us to teach: God sent him here to teach us.
In early September a flood hit our area and destroyed every home on our street. It was part of Tropical Storm Hermine. We were home when the levy broke, and both of my children and I, plus several of my neighbors and their children, spent almost four hours on a roof waiting to be rescued by boat. I was very proud of both of my boys. They didn't argue when I had to make them get on a roof to wait for rescuers. Randell has always been terrified of heights, possibly due to poor gross motor skills, but he did it. Overall, the flood was a devastating thing for us all. We lost pretty much everything. And Randell still hasn't quite gotten over the changes that the flood caused. We are staying with my grandmother right now until we can get moved into another place. Randell missed several days of school and wouldn't come out of his shirt much the first day. Now everything is new to him except school. Since the flood, Randell has been very frustrated, and has started sleepwalking frequently again, and his grades have dropped. But he can hold a conversation and look you in the eye and can stay away from danger most of the time.
Randell needs a service dog for many reasons. He doesn't think before going out onto the street. I need an alert for his sleepwalking. And to help keep him from running off in crowds. Help in calming him down when he is frustrated. And most important, he needs a companion that loves him just as he is. One that doesn't get tired of him, and doesn't care if he can't do something. And stays with him to reassure and comfort him all the time, all while looking out for his safety. We are thrilled to hear about an organization called 4 Paws For Ability. 4 Paws is a nonprofit organization that helps families with special needs acquire service dogs. And Randell has been approved for the placement of an autism service dog! As a single mother with two children, one with autism and one with ADHD, I keep pretty busy. A service dog would be a great asset to our home life and family, and will definitely make a significant difference in Randell's life. As a part of the application process, I will be a volunteer for 4 Paws to raise at least $13,000 toward the training of Randell's service dog. All donations are tax deductible and go to 4 Paws for Ability in Randell's name. If you can help, please either go to the 4 Paws for Ability donation page or mail a check to: 4 Paws for Ability Bright, Amazing Tot Needs Mobility Service DogBy Christian's mother, Kristina. Christian Westby isn't even three years old as of September 2010, but it's been determined that because of Cerebral Palsy (from birth trauma), he would be able to function much better with a Mobility Service Dog from 4 Paws for Ability. He was not diagnosed until he was eight months old, and his biggest challenges are mainly walking and talking. Christian is the happiest kid you could ever meet. He is very social, loves everybody. But most of all he loves GOD! He also likes Elmo a lot! He has what he calls his praise GOD guitar. And he loves dogs. He uses a walker to get around. He is walking on his own but his endurance does not keep up with his motivation. He speaks and uses some signing to communicate. He is very bright. His doctor believe he understands at the level of a six-year-old. He is just a joy, absolutely spectacular! If he had the dog he would not have to use his walker, which means much more independence as he grows older. He could go out and play (with supervision) and the dog would let us know if he falls. His pain receptors are not functioning right, so he does not feel as much pain as typical people, so he doesn't always cry out if he falls. Even in the house he falls often if you're not right there with him you may not know. The dog would tell us. When he starts school he will be the kid with the cool dog! Not the kid with CP. He could do stairs, walk in the grass! With a dog I think the possibilities are endless. Well they are for him in our eyes no matter what, but the dog would sure make things a whole LOT of difference in our lives! As Christian's family, we are volunteering for 4 Paws for Ability to raise $13,000 for his service dog. Donations are to be made directly to 4 Paws for Ability, 253 Dayton Ave., Xenia, Ohio 45385 in honor of Christian Westby.
My name is Aidan Kakoullis, and I have Autism. My mommy says I need an autism service dog to help keep me safe and to help prevent me from running. My mom needs to raise $13,000 in donations by December 31, 2010 for 4 Paws for Ability to go toward training the dog. |
| 8q Duplication Syndrome. 9 P Minus Syndrome. 17q21.31 microdeletion syndrome. ADD. ADHD. Adrenoleukodystrophy. Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (ACC). Amylase deficiency. Angelman Syndrome. Apraxia. Araflexia. Arnold Chiari. Arthrogryposis. Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita. Aspergers Disorder. Asthma. Ataxia. Autism. Batten Disease. Benign Rolandic Epilepsy. Bilateral Club Feet. Bilateral Hearing Loss. Bipolar Disorder. Bone Disorder. Brain damage from birth. Brain encephalopathy. Cardiomyopathy. Carnitine deficiency. Cerebral Palsy. Chiari I malformation. Chromosome 15q duplication. Chromosome 18 q-Syndrome. Communication Disorder. Congenital CMV. Cortical Dysplasia. Crouch Gait. Detached Retina. Developmental Delays. Down Syndrome. Dravet Syndrome. Encephalitis. Epilepsy. Facial Blindness. Failure to thrive. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Fine Motor Delays. Fragile X. Gastroesophageal reflux disease. Gastroschsis. Global Developmental Delay. Hearing Loss. Heart Murmur. Herpes Encephalitis. Hydrocephalus. Hypotonia. Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy. Legal blindness. Idiopathic Infantile Spasms. Impulse Control Disorder. Infantile Spasms. Insomnia. Intractable Epilepsy. Ischemic stroke. Kabuki Syndrome. Kidney problems. Laryngomalacia. Lennox Gastaut Syndrome. Low oral muscle tone. Mental Retardation. Metachromatic Leukodystrophy. Microcephaly. Mitochondrial disorder/syndrome. Mood Disorder. Mosaic Turner Syndrome. Multiple Birth Defects Syndrome. Myoclonic Astatic Epilepsy. Neglect. Non-Progressive Encephalopathy. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Ocular Motor Apraxia. Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Osteoporosis. Paralyzed Vocal Cord. Parkinson's. Partial Complex Seizure Disorder. Partial Trisomy 16p 11.2 duplication. Patent Ductess Arteriosis. PDD-NOS. Pertussis. Periventricular Leukomalatia. Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Pica. Pituitary Brain Tumor. Phelan-McDermid Syndrome. Polymicrogyria. Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Profound ADHD. Profound Deafness. Proteus Spinal Meningitis. Pschomotor Retardation Epilepsy. Quadupelegia. Refractory Epilepsy. Respiratory Distress Disorder. Restless Leg Syndrome. Retts Syndrome. Myofacial Pain Syndrome. SCN1A. Schizencephaly. Scoliosis. Seizure Disorder. Sensory Integration Dysfunction. Sensory Processing Disorder. Severe Anxiety Disorder. Severe Intractable Seizure Disorder. Severe Motility Disorder. Severe Reflux. Severe Sensory Integration Disorder. Shaken Baby Syndrome. Short stature. Sleep Apnea. Smith-Magenis Syndrome. Social Anxiety. Speech Apraxia. Spina Bifida. Status Epilepsy. Sturge-Weber Syndrome. Subglotic Stenosis. Temperature Instability. Torticollis. Traumatic Brain Injury. Trisomy P Syndrome. Tuberous Sclerosis. Ventricular Septal Defect. Vesticoureteral Reflux. Visual Processing Disorder. |