Animal therapy has proven beneficial in the treatment of children with autism and many children with ASD (autism spectrum disorders) learn to communicate with the help of animals.
Fair the catsDue to their peculiar characteristics, they do not seem to be especially sociable, but surprising help children with autism to improve their social relationships. What does a cat have to offer a child with autism? Many benefits that we will talk about next.
The cat is patient, calm and has its own inner rhythm. Offer affection and keep company without hardly disturbing. It is an animal of a reserved nature that does not need constant attention but is always ready for a pampering session. The interaction with the cat helps children with autism to leave their private world and enter, even a little, the world of others.
According to a study by the University of Queensland, autistic children who have a cat as a pet are more likely to talk, look in the face and smile. Cats help regulate the anxiety level of these children, they help calm down and gain greater self-confidence.
Another study published in PLOS Journal in 2012 conducted with 260 families with autistic children revealed that the arrival of a pet in the family after those children turned 5, a key age, made these children more likely to share and socialize with the rest.
Iris and her cat Thula
Some time ago we introduced you to Iris, a 5-year-old autistic girl who moved us all with her paintings. In the photos we showed you, the little girl appeared painting accompanied by her faithful hairy assistant, her cat Thula.
Before having Thula, the parents had pointed the girl to horse therapy, but they didn't notice results. One day, by chance, Thula came into his life and connected from the start.
"Cats are like me"
Another case that is not exciting is that of a widowed father and his two children, one of 9 and Richard of 4, with autism. They have taken Clover in a shelter, a black and white cat that immediately caught the little boy's attention.
They have become great friends and have long conversations in which the feline does not ask questions or correct the little one. Just listen patiently.
"Cats are like me" Richard once told his father. "They look at everything around them and analyze it when everyone thinks they are not paying attention, and only talk when they have something to say.".
Cats can become an ideal pet for a child with autism. Scientific studies and these cases in particular show us that cats and children with autism are a perfect combination.
