|
|||||
      |
|||||
Will You Help Make A Dream Come True?
Aidan Kakoullis :: Aarilynne McConnell :: Skyler Kratz :: Shane Henderson :: Tyler Bidwell :: Ruben Spice
Autism Service Dog will help Liam with security and safetyBy Liam and his mother
I see and feel the world around me differently than you do: loud noises make me run and cry. Large groups of people, even my family, are more than I can handle. I also tend to keep to myself and need to be drawn out. When I do come out of my shell everyone gets to see what a lovable and gentle little boy I am. My Mommy says I've come a long way but we just need that one last piece of the puzzle. **********
It is a great comfort to a parent of an autistic child to know you have a tool on hand immediately to help track down your child while alerting the authorities that he is missing. 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 Liam, they only ask us to volunteer and raise $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission. One of the other things we love about this organization is that many dogs used come from shelters. 4 Paws for Ability Love, Gerald, Jennifer, Liam and Kate Petri Let's get Leanna an Autism Service DogBy Denise Smith
She also has mental retardation, and school is a serious problem because, among other things, she has tantrums / meltdowns and is very self injurious. Basically, this beautiful child is non-verbal and mentally a two-year-old in an eight-year-old body. Leanna has constant ear infections and serious stomach issues. Right now she has a neodevelopmental specialist, ear specialist, and stomach specialist. She's not potty trained nor is she ready yet. At the same time, she is extremely hyperactive. She has problems sleeping, but is better since she got a new medication about a year ago. Even so, we rock her to sleep at night to relax her.
Our Leanna has blue eyes and brown hair, is very loving. She enjoys playing Ring Around the Rosie and likes to play with her older sister and her dad and me. She loves music and lights are her most favorite things. Favorite videos are those like the Wiggles and Baby Einstein items, and she has a Baby Tad she has loved since she was very small. Like many children with autism we have to watch her all the time because she is very smart is always finding a way to open the locks on our doors. We continue to put new ones on because of her figuring out how they work.
4 Paws partners with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without being on a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Leanna. Our family is 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 Leanna Smith's name on the memo line to: Ryan - with DiGeorge Syndrome - Needs Multipurpose Service Dogby Jeannie Cornett
Since I was breastfeeding, the pediatrician kept telling me to eliminate this or the other from my diet. But Ryan kept crying. He was treated for reflux (which he did have) but it didn't help. After the one-month echocardiogram/EKG and exam and we were told to go home, wait for the PDA to resolve independently and come back in two months if it doesn't resolve. We went back to the cardiologist for more of the same testing with similar results. With more crying and sweatiness I asked to see the cardiologist once more and he told me the same thing. At five months of age Ryan developed croup and developed significant respiratory distress to the extent that I had to call an ambulance. As a nurse (critical care paramedic at the time) I knew how serious it was getting but still did not suspect his heart. An ironic aspect of this story is that my husband, a flight paramedic, was working that night and had to put the helicopter out of service in order to come to the ED with me, the same helicopter we would need to get Ryan to a larger children's hospital (DC Children's - Children's National Medical Center - CNMC). The ambulance took Ryan, me, and my not-yet two-year-old daughter to the local ED, where Ryan was placed on oxygen due to a saturation of 65% (normal is 95-100%). He was intubated soon after my husband got there, and in a twist (blessing) my husband's coworker, a pediatric nurse who also worked at CNMC, came in to relieve my husband John. Tom came in so quickly that the helicopter arrived just prior to the intubation and flew Ryan and me to CNMC.
Every time the docs tried to move him his vital signs would plummet. The team finally got him to the PICU by literally running the whole way. Much later, an echo was done and many people kept coming into and out of the room. Finally the chief of cardiology said that he couldn't find the pulmonary branches of Ryan's heart. My two thoughts were that so many people in Ryan's room meant they cared, and that the cardiologist needed to look harder to find the branches. The people in his room were consulting and learning (it's a teaching hospital) and Ryan had missing parts, big holes in his heart, an aorta that goes the wrong way, no outlet from his right ventricle to his lungs, and therefore no way to get adequate oxygen to his lungs. He has since had three really huge heart surgeries at children's in Philadelphia - CHOP. There have been so many terrifying days when we didn't know if Ryan would live. He has DiGeorge Syndrome and is currently seen at Boston Children's, where the cardiac interventionalist (cath lab doc) is the best in the world, and does angioplasty and stenting for his pulmonary arteries. He is seen at CHOP's 22q and You Center (DiGeorge syndrome affects the 22nd chromosome hence 22q). Kids like Ryan are seen about yearly at CHOP for their 22qa and CHOP's doctors fine-tune local treatment. There is a great relationship with almost every doc within specialty. And Ryan was featured in a health magazine (local magazine) because we used Angel Flight, a non-profit for getting kids to medical help. He sees nine specialists (cardiac, pulmonary, GI, ENT, genetics, developmental peds, rehab, allergy/immunology) and has speech and TO weekly privately plus at school. He is in a self-contained classroom in 2nd grade and is doing really well. A month or so ago we started a gluten-free, casein-free diet and he is doing even better. He has ABA therapy as well. The way his heart works, the local cardiologist does regular echos and updates the Boston cardiologist, who says when it's time to come back for heartwork, like if the pressure is increasing in his right ventricle. We know he has a leaky valve and will need a conduit change where he had no pulmonary artery and one was put in for him. Ryan has low tone (gross and fine motor), for which he wears foot orthotics. He wore something called DAFOs when he was smaller (dynamic ankle foot orthotics) which are like what you see kids who are wheelchair bound wear), he has had physical therapy but doesn't get it currently because it is just too much therapy and he needs speech and OT more. He is at the about five year old level with speech, same with fine motor and six with gross motor but he has dyspraxia and an unsteady gait. He is easily sensory overloaded and wears a suit like a long sleeved speedo bathing suit that gives deep pressure, we have a therapy swing at home for vestibular stimulation which helps him greatly. He has an iPad and loves it, is great on the Wii, has great computer and hand-eye coordination, he gets sick a lot because of his immune issues r/t DiGeorge. Whatever illness is going around, Ryan gets it worse and longer. The biggest challenges I see Ryan face are regarding autonomy. He wants to dress himself, pour himself a glass of water, and feed the dog. He needs supervision with all of this. He wants to tell me things but speech delays make that difficult. He frequently wakes up at night, to the extent that my husband and I "split" each night at 2 am. Whoever's "shift" it is gets him. Whatever wakes him up, he can't seem to tell us. Reflux? Bad dreams? He just cries and, once calmed down, nods his head affirmatively to anything I ask. Are you hurting? Yes. Are you scared? Yes. Are you a llama? Yes. That's our control question to see if he is really listening. My nine year old daughter took to asking him daily if he was a llama, about three years ago, because she thought it was so funny.
My husband has had to work 80+ hour weeks as a flight paramedic and with his own business as I work part-time (pediatric case manager) and be there for his, and my daughter's, needs. Ryan missed over 30 school days last year, plus the normal routine is gone because most outside activities revolve around Ryan's ability to tolerate. He has had 32 aides with about 8 home healthcare agencies. Ryan loves Mario and Luigi, Sonic, he loves Busch Gardens and Water Country (local), he loves swimming and building/stacking/nesting. He does something I call PSP (putting stuff places) where he will pick up, say, Legos and put them in the space between the fridge and counter. He is famous for hiding our stuff. His personality is affectionate, to the extent that a doctor early on told us he wasn't autistic because he was too snuggly. He adores his sister and if we can't find Ryan chances are decent he will have crawled under her covers or is playing with her toys in her room. He is a perfectionist and will yell loudly and frequently if things don't go his way. He is fascinated with TV logos like Viacom or CBS. He says them over and over, and recently erased my grocery list and instead wrote, in great penmanship, "Bohbot Entertainment Presents." How can you get frustrated with that? Of note, we didn't know Ryan qualified for Medicaid under a waiver until he was five so there was incredible financial hardship with his three major heart surgeries. The first year of his life, his treatment cost over a million dollars but our insurance did not, thank goodness, have a cap or we would have been bankrupt. We are applying for a multi-purpose dog because of Ryan's complex healthcare needs. The biggest reason? Autonomy. Even though I will be the handler, Ryan will be safer and I will be less of an anxiety nut because the dog will help to keep him safe. Ryan responded beautifully to his horse when he took therapy lessons. In the same way, I think that his communication will be facilitated because he will need to use his words to communicate with the dog. He will get a very definite and immediate feedback to his words and actions when he is with the dog and this is good for his communication. I also think Ryan may sleep better at night. And I think having a dog with him will lessen the social awkwardness by bringing children toward him as the dog will likely be a focal point of attention. I think Ryan will respond well to having a pet and companion of his own, who's care is in Ryan's hands (with supervision), it will likely increase his confidence. We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Multipurpose Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Ryan would be beneficial to him, 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 Ryan. 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 Ryan's name on the memo line to: Autism Service Dog would calm and track MarilynBy Sherri Mendez
Taking Marilyn on a simple trip to the store has become difficult for us while we are with her. Her tantrums in public have caused us to avoid taking her to the store. It's a challenge to take her to any public place. We can't really go out as a family due to her tantrums. When she throws tantrums, she throws herself without regard to hurting herself, so that's a constant worry for us. We also have a challenge with her talking. And it's difficult getting her to sleep. She cannot sleep without me or her Dad with her.
Whenever people meet Marilyn, they are always intrigued by her. Her interests include, rough-housing with her Dad, watching movies, singing, dancing, playing with her sister, playing with small toy figurines, putting puzzles together, listening to us read to her, playing with sand and water, and playing gym in school. She LOVES animals. She has been interested in animals since she was little. Her personality is a unique one. She is the sweetest little girl. Her smile can brighten up a room. Her laughter is contagious. She acts goofy and tries to get us to laugh at her. If she senses we are upset, she tries to comfort us. She admires and adores her big sister. She likes to take things apart, and put them back together. She is a special little girl.
Although we know an Autism Service Dog won't help 100 percent, we see a service dog as another person helping us with her. A service dog would help calm her down faster so it would be easier for us to go out in public as a family. A service dog could also sleep with her. A service dog would help bring Marilyn out of her shell. We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Autism Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Marilyn 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 Marilyn. Our family is 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 Marilyn's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Autism service dog will help with Tyler's safety issues
Something that causes many problems is the fact that he's a "runner." He runs from adults and has no sense of danger. Tyler has wandered away from us on numerous occasions and left us looking frantically for him. Because he has no sense of danger, he doesn't hesitate to do things like jumping into very deep water at a swimming pool. He has also had a few close calls with running out in front of cars. In addition to Toy Story and Car 2 things, he has a favorite spot to go to: Bass Pro Shops (see picture above right). Going to one of these shops is a real motivator for Ty. These five things are the main reasons we feel an Autism Assistance Dog would make a world of difference for Tyler:
We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Autism Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Ty would be beneficial to him 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 Tyler. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and can reach our goal with your help. 4 Paws for Ability Seizure service dog to give comfort and provide safety for Allison
Ally was a very happy, laid back baby, but it was obvious something was wrong early on. She began having seizures at 8 months, but it wasn't till she was 21 months that she was diagnosed with a rare type of seizure and developmental delays. Since 2010, she has tried over 12 different medications, of which none have been able to control her seizures. Currently she still has 9+ days of seizure activity a month. She has been through countless tests and procedures at renowned hospitals, such as Riley's Children Hospital and Cleveland Clinic. Her seizures have been a big challenge for her. They give her headaches, body aches, interrupt her sleep, and basically don't allow her to function properly or efficiently. After a seizure, Ally is very upset. Sometimes she cries uncontrollably for long periods of time. Once it lasted over 4 hours straight. Often she loses her balance and is unable to walk unassisted. This also is affected heavily by her medications. These disabilities are a challenge for her family as well. Allison shares a bed with her parents because most seizures happen while she's asleep. Which means if she has a bad night, so do they. Ally also has no safety awareness. Her parents have to watch her 24/7. She has to be held onto when going anywhere outside of the house, because she will suddenly bolt out into the street or just run off, not aware of the dangers around her. Besides seizures, Ally has trouble with expressing herself as she does not talk much. She knows a little ASL which has helped, but it takes her a very long time to learn one sign and put it into use properly. She is incapable at the moment to do many things other kids her age can, like dress herself, potty train, or feed herself with spoon or fork. Allison's family has teamed up with 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency), located in Xenia, Ohio. They specialize in training service dogs and Ally has been accepted to receive one. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Allison and her family. The family is going to raise $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and need and appreciate any help. If you can help them with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page (http:// www.4PawsForAbility.org/donation.html) or mail a check with Allison Krupp's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Non-verbal Cameron needs seizure service dogBy Cameron's mother, Lauren Webb
It wasn't until he was two-and-a-half that we realized he was having seizures. His seizures started out as absent seizures, so we had no idea that they were even happening. Since then, he has been on about every seizure medication available and nothing has seemed to help for a long period of time. His seizures have also progressed from absent seizures to grand mal / tonic clonic seizures. Non-verbal, Cameron is completely dependent upon caregivers to provide him with his daily needs. He is confined to a wheelchair and unable to convey when he feels bad or feels that a seizure might be coming on. He loves being around people and is a very happy child. He loves to make friends and participate in group activities. We recently signed him up for a special needs baseball team and he LOVES being around other children with special needs.
Cameron typically has seizures at night. This makes me nervous and I rarely get a full night's sleep because I never know when he might have a seizure. Having a seizure alert dog will help us not be as stressed and uptight just waiting for a seizure. It will also provide Cameron with a companion, and Cameron loves dogs! We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Seizure Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog would be beneficial for Cameron. We applied for a seizure alert dog and are very excited about the possibilities this could provide for our family! 4 Paws has a unique approach to placement. They partner with their clients and by doing so are able to place dogs without being on a long waiting list. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Cameron. 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 Cameron Quinn's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Let's give Corrina a seizure service dog!By Corrina's mother
Corrina was a fine and healthy young girl, got good grades in school, and her teachers enjoyed having her around. I did notice when she was a toddler that she walked late. She also didn't speak, so when she started preschool she wasn't able to do much in terms of following directions and communicating, so she attended speech and language therapy for three or four years. Her seizures started when she was in the sixth grade. She had just had lunch when she fell to the floor. Some teachers were nearby and saw students trying to help her, and ran over to them. Her eyes were rolled back, her face was purple, and she was not breathing. Corrina's coach did CPR on her until she started breathing again.
Now she's in 9th grade Special Ed and all the teachers know and understand the problem, so when she's having a staring seizure they ask if she's okay and what was the last thing she heard them saying, etc. Although they care and help, and although she's trying so hard, she's barely getting passing grades. Although she's 15, it's like she's 11 or 12. This is sad, but I try not to show it around her. I'm not able to give her much privacy or freedom, like being left alone for sleepovers or letting her go to her friends' houses. Or not being able to be outside without someone being with her. Corrina loves to play with games, likes dogs and cats, kittens and puppies, and taking care of animals on the Nintendo 3ds. She wanted to be a veterinarian when she grows up but after I explained a little about it, she changed her mind. She's very tender-hearted.
We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their specially trained Service Dogs. We are applying for a seizure dog because she has epileptic seizures and staring seizures. The dog would make such a big difference to Corrina because she will be able to do more things that a teenager does. Right now she is so limited. For example we don't let her ride her bike unless she wears her helmet and an adult is watching. That's because a seizure could come at any moment and she could fall off the bike. The same goes for other activities like swinging, playing, roller skating, or going outside with her friends. Her sister and her brothers always have to be with her. Corrina does have a difficult time understanding why things are the way they are, and she wishes she could be able to think and act and be like all the regular girls her age. Our family is volunteering to help raise $13,000 for training a service dog, and we would appreciate your help by donating, tax free, to 4 Paws for Ability in Corrina's name. You can donate online at http://www.4pawsforability.org/donation.html or send a check to: 4 Paws for Ability, Inc. Genetic disorder prompts need for a service dog for MassimoBy Massimo Nardi via his parents
It took about three months but we did finally get the spasms to stop but because of all I had been through I developed a strong oral aversion and refused to eat or drink anything anymore. I ended up needing a nasogastric tube for a couple of months but thanks to time, patience and hard work I did begin drinking and eating again and was able to get my feeding tube out. I began lots and lots of therapy but because I had gained so much weight during my treatment (11 pounds in 4 weeks) I was almost completely immobile and at 13 months I could barely even just kick my legs much less roll over or sit up.
Along with this I was also diagnosed with PDD and anxiety disorders. I have a hard time expressing myself because I am still non-verbal and I don't always understand what I need.
Training service dogs is costly. It costs 4 Paws an average of $22,000 per dog placed. At 4 Paws they partner with the child's family who become volunteer fund raisers for 4 Paws and make a commitment to raise a minimum of $13,000 for the agency in order to qualify for a dog. Sincerely, Cathy,Tony and Massimo Nardi and family (Santino, Dominic, Samantha, Leo, and Augustino) If you would like to help by making a personal donation, please send your tax-deductible donation to:
4 Paws For Ability Please write: "In honor of Massimo Nardi" on the memo line of your check and make checks out directly to 4 Paws for Ability Brain damage means Megan needs FASD service dogBy Jeremy & Nicole Painter
She was sent home from the hospital to live with a friend of her biological mother. This caretaker eventually became Megan's first foster mother. While in her first foster placement, Megan suffered severe neglect and suspected abuse. Neurologist suspect Megan was having repeated seizures with no medical attention while in her initial foster placement. Megan was eventually brought into the Painter home because her first foster parent was picked up on a DUI with Megan in the car. When Megan came to the Painter home, she was 14 months old and only weighed 10 pounds. She had double pinkeye and was very filthy. As time went on Megan was diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Her biological mother had admitted to drinking hard liquor nearly every day of her pregnancy. This causes Megan to have significant developmental delays due to moderate brain damage. This damage is permanent and irreversible. Although she is 10 years old, she functions at that of a three-to-four-year old. Her prognosis for progression in her development is poor. Megan is labeled with Moderate Mental Retardation. Megan also suffers from a Seizure Disorder which is currently being controlled with medications. Megan's needs require her to attend school at a neighboring school district rather than in her home district. Megan will most likely never live independently. The Need Megan is in need of an assistance dog to help her become more independent and stay safe when she is out in public. She does not know a stranger and wanders away quite often. Megan is also often very isolated and lonely due to her disability. A specially trained dog will aide in keeping her away from danger and provide the much-needed companionship and encouragement she needs to become as independent as possible. Megan has a prescription for the service dog, but her insurance does not cover it. The Painter family has partnered with 4 Paws for Ability, a nonprofit agency, to get Megan's FASD service dog. The Painters must raise funds to total the minimum of $13,000 to help cover the very high cost 4 Paws incurs when preparing a dog for placement. How You May Help All contributions to 4 Paws for Ability in Megan's name are greatly appreciated. Any amount of monies given will be appreciated as it all helps in achieving the goal. Please talk to your business, church, club, or any group you may think would be willing to give funds. Checks are preferred (please put "Megan Painter" in memo section). All checks are to be made out and sent to: 4 Paws for Ability, Inc. To monitor Megan's progress, please check out her page on Facebook: www.facebook.com/4pawsformegan Seizure service dog will mean more freedom and a new friendBy Joy Gattis
Not only has he been hospitalized approximately 20 times since the onset of seizures, but there have been changes in his moods and behavior that he did not have before. And delays in his ability to learn, etc. John Robert is a sweet, imaginative little boy. He loves movies, animals, drawing pictures for his family and friends, and swimming. He loves going to church with his friends. We would like to raise funds for a seizure alert service dog.
We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency), located in Xenia, Ohio, and applied for a seizure alert service dog. We were accepted. Our family is partnering with 4 Paws for Ability to raise the $13,000 required to raise and train John Robert's dog to meet his specific needs.
We are praying that this will be a great blessing for him and make him feel like he is special and can now do more than he has been able to do to this point. I am attaching pictures. One of them is a picture of him in the hospital with the therapy dog! This was such a delight to him and made him smile when he had been sad and wishing he could go home. You can find out more about seizure alert service dogs and help by making a tax deductible donation to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of John Robert Gattis 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. Autism service dog would calm little BenBy Mary Beth Benken-Riesenberg
We deal with Autism spectrum issues: high anxiety, sensory issues: noise is especially problematic (he used to be afraid of vacuum cleaners, blenders, my hair dryer, hand dryer in public places. Now he just covers his ears with all those things). He has light/dark issues, is afraid to sleep without all lights on, is afraid to sleep alone, is afraid of a hallway at school, is afraid of movie theaters, and afraid of any room that has a TV if the TV is not turned on. Food issues are huge; for almost three years, all he would eat was apple cinnamon cheerios and baby food bananas. We see a food therapist weekly to help increase his foods. He still isn't entirely potty trained. Ben is a very loving, happy boy, always kind to others, although his feelings can get hurt pretty easily. He's a bit shy until he gets to know someone. He loves playing with our cats, he loves Legos, he loves to play with his red ball (sits on it, rolls on it), he likes super heroes, Wii & Video games (he especially enjoys playing these with his friend Anthony who has Muscular Dystrophy and can't run around to play easily). He loves Star Wars, especially light sabre battles with his friend Adam, he likes Japanese Animation - and recently he has started to watch some of the old Disney movies. He and his friends love to act like they are Star Wars or Superhero characters and run around the house battling the bad guys. He also enjoys writing stories and drawing pictures with his stories. He also has taken karate classes after school and really enjoys those classes, and wants to be an astronaut when he grows up. He faces many developmental challenges. School can sometimes be a struggle, he can't write as quickly and has needed a smaller special class environment for math and reading. He struggles to concentrate at school for long periods of time. He is behind in strength development as well, so bike riding, throwing a ball etc. has been more of a struggle. He has some speech issues, he can't always express himself well to others and that causes some frustration. He worries easily, if a friend of his gets in trouble at school he gets very concerned for them. If a teacher or anyone yells (at anyone or the class) he gets very upset/concerned/worried/anxious - if someone yells at him he is devastated and hurt. We are hoping the dog will help calm some anxiety issues; we are also hoping the dog will help him with sleeping in his own bed. Also his food therapist has 3 dogs that he works with during food therapy and that seems to help him be more calm about the food process: he seems more willing to try foods with the dogs around.
Ben is being treated biomedically for his spectrum disorders which requires him to take over 30 supplements a day. This is an awful lot to ask of a child, but he is a real trouper and does it. He also does NAET treatments pretty much once a week as well as endures speech and feeding therapies each week. Ben has lost both of his grandfathers and his one grandmother has Alzheimer's and his other is having some medical issues as well, so life is extremely full. We really feel Ben would benefit greatly if he had a dog. We heard about 4 Paws For Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Autism Service Dogs from a friend of mine, Wendy and from my cousin Dan and his wife Lisa, who used to help in the training/fostering process. We think obtaining a dog for Ben would be beneficial to him, 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 Ben and our family. We are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission and need and appreciate any help you can give us to reach our goal. He is in 3rd grade now and we think having a dog would still be better for him than him needing to hold the teacher's hand to walk down hallways that he is afraid of, but can't tell us why. A dog there beside him, to help calm him might really help. At least that is our hope, and as parents dealing with autism spectrum issues, we need all the help and hope we can get. 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 Ben Riesenberg's name on the memo line to: Help rewrite Kalib and Brandon's futureBy Cyndi Swafford
Jesse and I married seven years ago this year. We knew we wanted to be parents from the very beginning, but that wasn't God's immediate plan for us. We struggled with fertility for almost 5 years before finally giving up on the idea of having a child of our own to pursue adoption. In May of 2008, our lives changed forever when we welcomed Kalib and Brandon into our home. They were, then, almost 3 years old and 18 months old, both very tiny and underdeveloped children; but, we had babies to love, and we were elated! Kalib came home to us very angry and aggressive. Brandon was pitiful, unable to talk and basically still like an infant in development. Over the following year we struggled to reach developmental targets for both of our boys, as well as trying to bond and form attachments with them. In October of 2009, we made our forever family official when we signed our permanent adoption papers with Kalib and Brandon. But, our family wasn't done growing yet. That day, I was also five-and-a-half months pregnant, and in March of 2010 we welcomed our littlest brother, Cole. We were so happy and Kalib and Brandon LOVED Cole from the very start. However, the challenges we faced with Kalib and Brandon were compounded with a newborn baby, and going back to work for me seemed impossible. So, on Mother's Day of 2010, I made my first "mommy move" and resigned from my job to attend to the needs of our boys. The following year was consumed by therapy appointments, sometimes seven a week. We traveled frequently to a specialist in Cincinnati; there was no limit to what I would do if it meant a better future for my boys! The boys began making huge progress. Brandon really started talking well. He began doing some activities of daily living for himself. His attachment improved so much; instead of him running from me when he got hurt, he would come to me and he would look me in the eyes. Kalib began to improve academically, starting to remember his address and phone number, recognizing some letters, and his writing skills slowly improved, where these things had been non-existent before. He also began making improvements in behaviors. We went through a period with severe behaviors, and then gradually made progress over the course of the year. In August of 2011, the boys both started to school. And although we struggle still with some behavior problems, some focus problems, and generalized developmental delays, the boys are much happier now. They are doing well in lots of areas and continue to show promise of great improvement. We still have some work to do with attachment, safety awareness, and self-calming behaviors. Our hope is that a 4 Paws for Ability Service Dog will help us with these things. We know it is a little unconventional, and will require quite a bit of support from others to make happen. But we truly believe making this addition to our family will help to rewrite the future for Kalib and Brandon. We believe that the companionship of any dog, but especially a well-trained service dog, will help nurture the bonding ability of our boys. Maybe for the first time in their lives, they can experience a bond of true companionship that never fails. The calming ability of a service dog and the ability to utilize the dog to remind the boys of basic safety awareness will be welcome tools as well. Our dog will be trained to walk in tether with Brandon, who often wanders away or approaches strangers without concern. It will help eliminate our need to keep him restrained constantly to a stroller or cart in public and allow him natural reminders of boundaries as opposed to constant verbal commands that go unnoticed. Our service dog will be trained to interrupt repetitive behaviors and will help tremendously with their over-active sensory systems as well. Kalib and Brandon are so excited about this dog, and for the first time in as long as I can remember, they are looking forward to something. Please help us make this dream for them a reality. Be a part of helping us to create a beautiful story of rising above and overcoming the demons of the drug exposure to their tiny bodies. We don't want to erase their past, we want to give them a story of hope and perseverance and victory in an almost impossible situation! And here is the link to our brand new blog. Seizure alert dog will help detect Lilly's seizuresBy Christina Oens
When she was about six months old, I noticed she was weak in her legs. As time went on and she started to crawl and pull herself up to stand, her legs would give out on her. Lilly was always tired, and seemed not to want to play much.
Lilly has up to four seizures a week, and is taking meds to try to control them. She also suffers from leg spasms, which happen two to three times a week. She went through testing for chromosome and genetic disorders and they all came back normal, thank God. For now, her smaller seizures are under control with the meds but not the bigger ones, and after those seizures she immediately becomes tired and is cranky.
We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their Seizure Alert Service Dogs. Lilly is a sweet loving little girl who loves books, animals, monkeys, and dogs. Dogs are her favorite: she calls dogs "Ruff Ruffs." We think obtaining a dog for Lilly would be good for her and us. 4 Paws approach to placement is to partner with their clients. It will cost 4 Paws $22,000 to place a dog with Lilly. 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 Lilly's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability Trevor needs service dog for safety and calmingBy Trevor's mother, Leanna
In the intervening years, we have undergone testing, training, failed attempts at controlling the seizures through medication, heartbreak, joy, and all the struggles of parenting, compounded a thousandfold by the challenges and opportunities we could never have foreseen or even imagined when he was born. Today, this beautiful boy is a loving and engaging little guy who deals with huge challenges with life's most seemingly simple tasks. Things that the majority of people take for granted and give no conscious thought to can present a daunting and frustrating obstacle in his world. Trevor has daily incidents of behaviors that seem more attributable to a two-year-old than a 12-year-old, and is often overwhelmed to the point of acting out because he has not acquired the proper skills to deal with things he doesn't understand. These behaviors can include running away (darting), sitting or lying down (regardless of the place), using inappropriate language, shouting, and on occasion becoming combative or self-abusive. These actions are upsetting and off-putting to the casual observer I am sure, and heart-wrenching to those of us who love him because we understand that they are an outward manifestation of his own inner confusion and turmoil. Some of the challenges we face daily include keeping him safe while allowing him to be active and "be a little boy." Trevor loves to be outside, hiking or playing. I (mother) have a particular struggle with being alone with him on outings because of restroom issues.
This is just one of the many issues that we feel a service dog would address, and we have contracted with a nonprofit agency, 4 Paws for Ability, to raise funds to pay for training a dog to meet Trevor's specific need. These dogs may be cross-trained to warn of impending seizures, as well as calm the child to divert meltdowns, provide a bridge of familiarity during transitions, keep the child from darting and quickly track him if he does, prevent the child from going into unsafe situations (such as walking into the path of a vehicle), and help him to wait "alone" for a short time when necessary, such as outside the ladies room or in his own back yard. Trevor is almost 13 years old now, and there are many changes ahead as he moves into adulthood. It is my sincere hope to get his furry companion into place, giving him a stronger sense of security, autonomy, responsibility and love to help him move forward and transition to a more successful and functional life. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page or mail a check with Trevor's name on the memo line to: Non-verbal, Fearless Nicholas Needs Service DogBy Tina Wilder
While he is able to walk and loves to climb, he is not able to talk. He cannot yet do many things a typical five-year-old can. He does not run, jump, and cannot ride a tricycle. Sometimes he tries to get out of the house, and he is able to open doors by himself. Once he wandered over to a neighbor's house. Taking him places is challenging. He "drops" and won't get up. He knocks things over. He swipes food and dishes onto the floor. He's good at getting out of hotel rooms, too. Nicholas has serious behavioral problems,and also has sensory issues. But even with all the frustration in his young life, he is a very happy, loving little boy who enjoys giving hugs and cuddling. He loves to be in his spinning chair. He enjoys interacting with others with Patty Cake and Row Your Boat. He loves any toy with a button, especially if it plays music. He loves being tickled. He also loves music, Elmo, Ernie, swinging, and wagon rides. Nicholas' challenges include not being able to talk; he has started to use the PECS system to help him communicate. Right now he uses the pictures to request food.
He will attempt to walk into the street or wander off in public, and has no fear of strangers. He enjoys getting into any water: he'll walk off the dock into the lake, fall into the waterfall at the mall, and plop into his grandpa's pond. We are applying for a multipurpose service dog so Nicholas will be able to go more places and be more independent. If tethered to the dog we can walk through the zoo, mall, etc. He will not have to be in a stroller all the time. We hope the dog will help Nicholas stop some of his behavior such as hitting himself in the head and throwing things. The dog will also be trained for searching and finding him, and can also let someone know if he is getting into danger. Nicholas' school has occasional visits from a therapy dog. Nicholas does well with the dog, and loves to walk with the dog around the school. We heard about4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their multipurpose service dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Nicholas would be beneficial to him and to us. 4 Paws partners with its 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 Nicholas, and we are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission. We need your help. If you can help us with a tax-deductible donation, please visit 4 Paws Donation Page or mail a check with Nicholas's name on the memo line to: 4 Paws for Ability 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! 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
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 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. 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! 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 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 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. 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. |
The disorders listed here
Hi, my name is Liam and I am a six-year-old boy with autism trying to raise enough money for an Autism Service Dog. See, I don't always pay attention to my surroundings or realize I might be in danger. Mommy calls my name but I forget to answer her or stay with her when in a public place. 
For Liam the missing piece is an Autism Service Dog who is trained to deal with many of the obstacles autism presents. His service dog would be trained to help deal with his emotional outbursts, help keep Liam from wandering in public places, and bark when I call Liam's name to alert me to his whereabouts.
Leanna Michelle Smith was nine months old at the time we found out there was something going on, but we did not know she was autistic until two years of age. She is now eight years old.
She can use a fork and we are working with the spoon now. As far as caring for herself, it's not possible at this time: she needs someone to dress her, give her a bath, and do all of her personal activities she is unable to do this herself. She is like a toddler and puts things in her mouth, flushes things down the toilet. She's even thrown chairs down the steps just so she could play with them downstairs or outside.
I think the service dog would help her communicate with us so she isn't so upset when others don't know what she wants. Her dad and I do know most of the time, but she meets people outside when she is going to school or at school and she is unable to tell them what she wants. Also I think it would help her come out of the meltdowns without hurting herself. 
Ryan Thomas Cornett, was born 12/9/02. He was a fussy baby (we called him "Cryin' Ryan" jokingly) who came home after a normal vaginal delivery with a murmur that we were told was a mild PDA (patent ductus arteriosis), something to follow up with in a month.
Once there, Ryan couldn't be stabilized. He was reintubated, to rule out issues with an inaccurately sized or placed ET tube, he was heavily sedated to decrease anxiety and the ED doctor kept trying to get him stabilized and send Ryan upstairs to the PICU. He set some records by remaining in the ED trauma room for something like 13 hours. 
The other challenge for Ryan is social. I see him run over to other children and just smile and bounce/hop/jiggle in front of them. But he is only now learning to say "Hi," and that's as far as he has gotten. We are lucky to have friendly and kind neighborhood children but I want Ryan to be able to make friends of his own, without parental prompting. He is not even close right now. It's hard.
Marilyn Rose Mendez was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder when she turned four. From age two on, she began changing, avoiding eye contact, being overly hyper, and not crying out when she hurt herself by accident.
Another challenge we have is getting her to wake up in the morning. We also have challenges with trying to get her to take a simple bath. Another area of concern we have with Marilyn is her running into the street. We recently have been having a problem with her biting people when she doesn't get her way.
Her handicaps include inability to socialize with other kids, not talking, not being aware of her surroundings, making eye contact, and behavioral issues. 
Tyler Auten is almost six years old. When he was 15 months old, we discovered that he had a series of issues. Today, we're starting a fundraising campaign for a service dog for Tyler to help with the following challenges:
Tyler loves Toy Story and Car 2 movies and toys. He does a lot of playing on his own and talking to himself in the mirror. He's a sweet, funny kiddo, and he makes people smile when they are around him.
Allison Krupp is 4 years old. She is the middle of 3 girls. Her sisters Emma 6 and Chloe 3 think the world of her!
Cameron Lee Quinn is eight years old, and was slow to develop his milestones when he was a baby. No one seemed to think it was anything serious. He started First Steps therapy program when he was 11 months. 
Cameron attends school every day as well as therapy two to three times a week. He likes reading books, playing outside, riding his special bike, and playing with friends. Because he is confined to a wheelchair, being able to participate in activities around the community is difficult. Cameron also has seizures, so always being on alert for one to strike is difficult and stressful.
Our fifteen-year-old daughter is named Jahayra Corrina Carlos, but she goes by her middle name, Corrina.
Things began getting worse: low grades in subject after subject. The teachers called my attention to the fact that she daydreamed a lot in school and that she seemed to stare at them like she was paying attention, but they when they'd call her name she had no idea what was going on. That's when we found out she also has staring seizures.
Corrina also loves to read books and draw and color, and play with her dolls in her room. She's very sweet and kind and always wants to help but of course sometimes she gets frustrated because of her limitations.
Hi! My name is Massimo Nardi. I am 4 years old. When I was eight months old I began having a serious form of seizures called Infantile Spasms. I went through two very painful rounds of treatment in order to stop these from continuing because if we couldn't control them they would have caused me to have many more delays.
Things were finally getting stronger and at 17 months we decided to have genetic studies done and found out that I had a syndrome called Isodicentric 15 (15q11.2-q13.2). With this disorder I have problems with fine motor and gross motor due to my cognitive delays and low tone.
My mommy and daddy are very excited that we have the chance to get me a service dog from the nonprofit agency, 
Megan Painter is a beautiful ten-year-old girl who resides in Illinois. She was adopted from foster care by Jeremy and Nicole Painter when she was 14 months old. Megan has five siblings (one biological and four adoptive). She was born at 27 weeks gestation weighing in at 2 Lbs. 4 oz. Megan spent the first month of her life in the NICU. 
Our son, John Robert Gattis, was a perfectly healthy little boy until age 6. He suddenly began having seizures in 2007 and despite multiple brain surgeries and every medication available, continues to have as many as 8 seizures a week.
Since he began having seizures, John Robert has lost all independence. He cannot be allowed to play or even sleep in his room alone. His seizures come without warning and are usually pretty severe. This dog would not only be a companion for him, but would allow him a little bit of freedom. He has talked about nothing else since we found out about this possibility for him!
John Robert is the joy of our hearts. His life has changed so much since he began having seizures. He can no longer play sports or spend the night with friends. His entire life revolves around his disorder.
Our son, Benjamin Gerard Riesenberg, just turned nine, and we began experiencing/ noticing delays and problems when he was around age two.
Ben wants to name his dog Max, after the Grinch's dog. He loves Legos so much that we went to Legoland in California for vacation one year, we went to Lego Discovery center in Chicago the next year and we are hoping to get to Legoland in Florida someday.
We are so glad you are here! Let me tell you a little about us: I'm Cyndi, the mom. Then there is Jesse, the dad. Kalib is our oldest son, seated to my left. Next comes Brandon, he is in daddy's arms. And finally, our littlest brother, Cole, is in my lap.
I am a single mom of six kids, two of which have disabilities. We are applying for a seizure alert dog for Lilly Apryl Oens, age 20 months.
About the same time, she had a grand mal febrile seizure, and then had an 11-minute seizure that resembled a stroke. We called 911, consulted with neurologists, and they said Lilly was having atypical and complex seizures.
My biggest challenge is the daily concern that she is going to have a bad seizure in her sleep and I won't be there to help her. She comes to work with me (I work at our family owned group home), and I rarely leave her to be watched by anyone.
Trevor Davidsen began having seizures at the age of four months, and by the age of three had very pronounced developmental delays. Shortly after his third birthday, he was diagnosed with Autism.
At home, it is unsafe to leave Trevor alone on the front porch even briefly because he may dart away, and getting him to come inside often means a complete meltdown. Out in public, I must bring him into the ladies room and often he will decide to leave of his own volition while I am otherwise occupied.
Our son, Nicholas Wilder, is five years old. He was born with Down syndrome. At age three, he was given a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and Autism.
Because he lacks coordination and has low muscle tone, he is not able to put on his own clothes, requires moderate assist with meals, and is not potty trained. He does not play with other children. He has difficulty sleeping at night, and wakes up frequently. Nicholas is in a stroller when out in the community due to his "dropping" and safety issues. He does not understand his limits or danger. 
Our three year old and wonderfully vivacious little boy, Kai, hopes to receive a service dog from 4 Paws for Ability. Kai was officially diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in April of 2011. However, we have been well aware almost since his conception that Kai was a unique individual.
Stemming from these core issues, Kai was additionally diagnosed with dyspraxia and apraxia. These terms describe difficulty in the motor planning involved in gross and fine motor movements as well as those correlated to speech, respectively.
Carter James Tackitt is a six-year-old who has lived with autism most of his life. He has been diagnosed with autism, has delayed speech, incoherent babbling, stemming/arm flapping, and lack of eye contact. 
Carter is extremely loving and gives hugs and kisses. He is a happy child. He is not aggressive or confrontational to others. He loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Dora the Explorer, NickJr., but Blues Clues is his very favorite so we'd love to call his dog BLUE!
The dog would be his companion. I am hoping that this will also help him sleep better in his own bed. Right now he sleeps in Mom and Dad's bed because I always think, what if, in the night, he walks out of the house.
Margaret Ward was born in January, 2002. She turned 10 years old in January of 2012. We discovered that Maggie had medical issues at birth. She spent 5 weeks in the NICU with breathing and eating issues. She was given a G-Tube and afterwards I was trained on how to take care of her, then she was able to come home.
Maggie enjoys being with her family, traveling, and dressing up as a princess. She has a wonderful sense of humor and loves to laugh. Most of all, she wants to be included in everything we do. We heard about 4 Paws For Ability and their Autism Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog for Maggie would be beneficial to her and us. 
With middle school fast approaching, a service dog will be a way for Maggie to introduce herself to new friends. 
I have a seven-year-old son, Joshua Caudle with severe Autism and ADHD. I learned that there was something wrong with my son when he was just a couple of months old. He didn't smile or respond to any stimulation. I took him in to the doctors but it wasn't until he was six months old that the doctors agreed with me. Early intervention wasn't started until he was about nine months old and it wasn't geared towards Autism because his diagnosis of Autism didn't come until he was almost three years old.
The dog will scent the child and help me to seek out the direction in which he went so that I can find him.
When our son, Carter Paul Scott, was 13 months old, he went into respiratory arrest, and was on a vent for five days. Then in August 2010 Carter suffered a severe developmental and behavioral regression where the following began taking place: 
While we've had many emergencies, the scariest were severe asthma attacks with danger of being fatal. Plus running.
Alex was born in November of 2006, our first little boy. He was born healthy and continued developing exactly as he should. Physically he was right on track, he actually started walking at 9 months and hasn't stopped moving since! However, as he got older we started having concerns about his development in other areas. 
Michael Roque is a second grader at Millennium Elementary in Kent, Washington. His family is raising funds on behalf of 4 Paws for Ability, a non-profit agency that trains and places service dogs with disabled children.
Sofia Wilkinson is a vivacious five-year-old who loves to dance, sing, collect rocks, swim, and take bubble baths. 
Lauren Elizabeth Rust, seven years old, was born with a mild/moderate loss in the low/high frequencies and her loss has progressed to severe/profound in the low/high frequencies.
Every school day is challenging for Lauren. When she comes home, she is very tired from having looked for all the visual clues throughout the day. 
She is smart, funny, and hard working. She loves to laugh. She is currently is a regular classroom and has an FM system. Her teachers report that she always gives 100 plus percent because she is always paying attention. She has help in the classroom by a hard-of-hearing teacher who helps her with instructions and understanding things she misses.
Cameron and Jeremy are very close in age. When they were adopted, I was unsure to what extent their prenatal drug exposure would affect their lives. As the years pass, their difficulties are being revealed!
Cameron (right) has some autistic traits, such as difficulty shifting thoughts or activities. It's difficult for him to see that there is more than one way to do something or to switch from one task to another.
Jeremy (left) is very sensitive to touch and sound. There was a time when even turning the faucet on was too much for him.
Receiving an 
Our son, Kennan James Brower, is seven-and-a-half years old. At age three, we noticed some things weren't quite right, but did not know how serious it was until a little over a year ago.
Certain types of textures, noises, and touches send him into meltdown. Writing and homework is difficult for him. He has problems sleeping through the night. It's tough making good friends and keeping them. He misses social cues, and has a hard time sitting still. Doesn't like school. Any change is difficult for him.
We heard about 4 Paws for Ability (a nonprofit agency) and their FASD Service Dogs. We think obtaining a dog, in this instance an 
In 2010, my thirteen-year-old son, Gabriel Kakitis, was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and severe social anxiety. Asperger's Syndrome is also known as High Functioning Autism.
Gabe's anxiety has been the biggest obstacle to his quality of life. There are times when he is unable to do the things he loves to do. We think he deserves the chance to live a much more satisfactory life. But his brain sometimes wants to keep him hostage in an isolated world of anxiety. I think we may have found a way to give him more times of calm.
At first glance, William Snyder appears to be your typical 8-year-old, but he has been our little miracle from the start.
Hearing those words left us feeling helpless, confused, devastated and scared that we were going to lose our precious angel, William, before his life had really began. The tumor was as big as a tennis ball and pressed against his brainstem, actually bending it into a "C" shape. If the tumor could be removed (the doctors were doubtful) it would be tedious and costly to William, likely leaving him unable to breathe or eat on his own for the rest of his life whatever that might be.
Unfortunately, William suffered from an infection before he could start chemotherapy. That delay in his treatment allowed William's cancer to come back in his brain and then spread down his spine.
William, who was three-and-a-half before he could walk, was left completely deaf in one ear and profoundly hard of hearing in the other ear. He is also partially blind in his right eye and suffers from several types of seizures. Hearing aids, special glasses, daily medications and frequent doctor visits along with unpleasant medical procedures are all a part of William's daily life.
The four youngest Wynkoop children have DOWN SYNDROME. They are a joy and a challenge! They live with many medical needs. 
Aarilynne McConnell is a bright, sweet, and very beautiful 3 ½-year-old little girl who lives with her parents, an older sister, and a younger sister in Summerville, SC. However, Aarilynne suffers from several debilitating medical complications as well as global developmental delays (GDD).
My daughter, Delaney Lynn Bugher, turned 4 years old on August 3rd. She has an older sister, Audrie, a twin brother, Gavin, and a baby sister, Seeley. When Delaney was born there were problems with her delivery. She was the second of twins born and there were complications with the umbilical cord. She was in the NICU for four days before she could come home.
Delaney has balance issues due to her CP so she often gets tripped up when she is walking or tries to move at a fast pace. This frustrates her and she gets very angry when she trips and falls. She needs assistance moving though doorways, up and down stairs, and getting in and out of the car or bath.
My son, Shane Henderson, was born Autistic. He was diagnosed at 18 months. The diagnosis would have come sooner, but there was a fire and our home was condemned. We lived in a hotel for a couple of months while looking for a new place and unfortunately had to delay some of the testing as a result. In addition to Autism, he has severe food allergies (particularly to gluten). 
He puts everything in his mouth (as a result he has been exposed to lead poisoning). I have gone into his bedroom in the morning to find the corners on his dresser eaten, or window seals eaten. I have had to remove all wallpaper from his room; he finds a way to peel it off and eat it. Shane is only six and already a little over 4 foot and weighs 60 lbs. (muscle). He's getting too big for me to be able to stop him when he decides he really wants something. He is non-verbal, does not write yet, understands some ASL, but rarely uses it himself.
We heard about 
I am currently trying to raise funds for a service dog for my disabled nine-year-old son, Devon Mann-Leathers. My son has a rare genetic disorder called 
Hi, my name is Karen Bidwell and my wonderful husband is named Josh. We have two beautiful children, Tyler - five, and Micah - three. Josh and I have been married 15 years and cherish every moment we have with our son and daughter! Just a little less than six years ago, we believed we would never be able to have children. However, God had other and bigger plans, TIMES TWO!
I have a condition known as polycystic ovary syndrome ( PCOS), which was the doctor's reason for us not being able to have children. Josh and I were devastated but that didn't keep us from trying. I took all the necessary medication and even added one of my own called "Ovulex." Within a month's time, our sweet Tyler was on his way to being our little buddy. And 18 months after he was born, his beautiful sister, Micah was born. Isn't God great!
At the age of two, we took Tyler to his two-year checkup. The nurse did the usual questionnaire regarding his physical and mental development. A red flag went up when they were unable to get his attention and he was not speaking in small sentences as communication. We didn't think much of it because we expected delays due to his prematurity. So, the doctor referred us to Himmel Home Health for physical, speech, and occupational therapy.
Tyler has run off a number of times without us knowing it and it involved crossing the street to his grandparents' home. The first time this happened, I nearly had a heart attack. I cried and was so scared! We have an alarm on the door, but we don't always remember to turn it on. He knows how to undo barrel locks, dead bolts, and chain locks, so there's really nothing else we can do to keep him in except watch him closely all day. It makes getting housework done and having naptimes nearly impossible.
One thing about Tyler and our relationship, it all seems and feels normal to us. He was our first child and everything he has gone through has been what we would have figured was ordinary life. When we had Micah, his sister (the drama queen), she seemed to be the "different" one. So when people ask us if we are okay or were we devastated by the news of Tyler's diagnosis, we have to be honest and explain to them, "No," 'cuz it's all just normal everyday life to us. Even if it were hard for us, we wouldn't love our little bud any less! 
Some challenges that CJ and his family deal with on a daily basis include tantrums, anxiety, OCD, and impulsivity. Some of the symptoms related to FAS are very similar to Autism. 
Caden Aivars Green, age eight, brightens the day of the people in his life. He is the sweetest little guy you'd ever want to meet, and he always has a kiss and a hug for you.
Our family has tried having a "buddy" with him at all times, which is unfair to our children. We have used an alarm on him, but this too has proven not to be effective. Because Caden is too big for shopping carts, having a service dog will give him the freedom to walk with me when I go shopping and will give me peace of mind as well. 
When our son Gavin was three years old he was diagnosed with Autism. This was one of the most difficult days of our lives, as any parent knows, who has been given a diagnosis regarding their child.
My family and I would benefit in many ways having a 4 Paws Autism Assistance dog. The number one reason is safety! Gavin would not be able to pull away from me if he was tethered to the dog. 
Amber Nicole (Nikki) Hardin is a very active little seven-year-old girl who loves to play outside and loves to dance. She also loves school, and has never met a stranger. She has been deaf since birth. 
Sometimes she plays outside at night, and because she can't hear anything, this is especially dangerous. Also, we need to be able to alert her in case the fire alarm goes off, which brings me back to the dog. It would not only give her mother and me peace of mind in such situations, but we would love to see her bond with a service dog. There are so many advantages and possibilities.
Our son Taylor is a happy and energetic 5 year old boy who loves to swing, play basketball, and take walks around the neighborhood. He has a very gentle soul that melts the hearts of everyone he meets. One of his favorite places is the beach where he is fearless in the waves and will watch them roll in for hours. 
Something else that makes life hard for Taylor is a very rare and very painful genetic condition called Hereditary Pancreatitis. He has attacks where his pancreas starts to digest itself on a regular basis. In 2010, he spent about a third of the year in the hospital treating these attacks. The treatment for these attacks is to provide IV fluids and restrict all food and drink until the attack passes. Imagine the heartbreak as you watch this brave little boy willingly hold out his arm for the 10th IV placement this year because he knows it will help the pain in his tummy.
Due to the chronic pancreatitis, he has difficulty absorbing nutrition. So when he is not at the hospital, Taylor has to have additional help to keep his weight up and rest his bowels. Taylor would be malnourished without the aid of the IV nutrition or through the tube in his stomach. The major downside, particularly for the IV nutrition, is that Taylor is forced to remain inside during the heat of summer.
Training service dogs is very expensive. It costs 4 Paws an average of $22,000 per dog to be placed with a family. At 4 Paws, they partner with the child's family, who become volunteer fundraisers and make a commitment to raise a minimum of $13,000 for the agency to qualify for a dog. We appreciate your support for Taylor and 4 Paws for Ability by making a donation in honor of Taylor McCraw.
By Shyanna's mother, Charla Gretz
Shy loves any and all animals. She has a mini horse at her grandmother's, and loves to ride. One of her favorite things is to pretend to be a dog. She goes to preschool three days a week and she gets speech and Occupational Therapy there. She loves school.
The cost for 4 Paws to place a dog with Shy is $22,000. And we are committed to raising $13,000 in support of the 4 Paws mission. We can reach our goal with your help.
Our fun loving very energetic son, Malachai, is in need of a service dog to help calm, modify behaviors, keep him safe when out in public and to help him through the challenges of having Autism and seizure disorder.
Malachai is significantly delayed in all areas to include communication (non-verbal), adaptive behaviors, cognitive skills, social relationships, and self management skills. Malachai also has sensory issues. He is very oral and likes to chew (preferably his shirts). He is always trying to rip his shirts, pants, and socks, but mostly his shirts. He also likes to pull hair and grab at others, not realizing he is hurting someone.
Malachai enjoys playing outside, swimming, and swinging. He also plays on a special needs baseball team. He expresses enthusiasm when he gets out on the field with the other players, running around the bases and chasing the ball. I assist Malachai when it is his turn to bat and run the bases. He laughs when he hits the ball and runs around to home plate. It is very heart wrenching seeing him and his peers enjoying the game.
Malachai is non-verbal and uses some picture symbols and voice output systems to communicate, but requires hand-over-hand assist. He cannot be left unsupervised for any reason. Malachai is not able to engage himself in any play activities on his own. He does not understand how to manipulate toys on his own, nor does he understand how to join in activities with his peers. Any activity he participates in is done with hand-over-hand assist.
Having an Autism Service Dog would be such a blessing for Malachai and our family. I feel that this would be such a great opportunity for him. I think a service dog would help Malachai reduce negative behaviors and tantrum outbursts, decrease sensory issues, promote safety and calm him throughout his day. I know it won't magically make him better, but I feel that giving Malachai this chance will help him cope with his environment. 
My son Damien will be nine on May 9, 2011. He is a compassionate, loving, and smart boy who also loves animals. He just so happens to also have:
This service dog will make Damien's confidence go up, help socialize and make friends easier, as well as getting the attention of the public to see there can be a disability there even when someone looks "normal."
Every boy dreams of getting a dog, but for seven-year-old Benjamin Hillen, this dream has become a necessity. The problems started in 2003 at his birth: Ben would choke on milk, stop breathing and spend every night screaming in pain. Both his doctors and parents were mystified, and it took 14 long months for the cause to be identified - he has Arnold Chiari, a rare brain malformation that typically doesn't present symptoms until much later in life. Ben is now autistic.
The day Heather Elizabeth Donahue was born, the nurse carried her by the foot of my bed, and there was this look in Heather's eyes that called out to my mind that something was not quite right. I knew it wasn't anything that the doctors could diagnose right then and there, but my heart knew something was different.
Heather also experiences increased anxiety in public places, at school, and at bedtime. In public, she will yell at strangers who address her with a simple hello. Or when overwhelmed and exhausted she'll lie on the floor in front of the shopping cart while screaming. There are times when we're in the store when she will get frustrated and leave my side to run and hide in the store. 
Heather has the most compassionate heart of any child I have ever met. She is very nurturing towards those who have been hurt or are sad. She is quick to get a Band-Aid, give a hug, or give a favorite stuffed animal or toy to someone who appears to be suffering. She will pat them on the back and tell them "That's okay sweetie, you'll be fine." There is this magical twinkle in her eye that, when coupled with her gorgeous smile, can illuminate an entire room. 
Heather also does not know how to self play/entertain and is therefore very demanding of my time and energies. This allows me very little time to attend to other household responsibilities and quite frankly is exhausting me! If Heather is not engaged she will turn to overeating, waking her siblings from naps for entertainment or making HUGE messes by flooding the bathroom, etc.
In public places a dog could help keep Heather close to my side and again help reduce her anxiety, limiting the number of meltdowns she experiences. Also should Heather be over stimulated or frightened by sudden loud noises, the service dog could be an immediate source of comfort or provide a distraction to her surroundings.
We discovered things were different with our daughter, Sarah extremely early. As an infant her motor skills were behind, and yet at six months of age she started to talk. Her first words were "I'm cold," and I couldn't find where the sound was coming from. Sarah said it again, "I'm cold," and I looked into her stroller in disbelief. I took her upstairs where I immediately called my mother and told her that Sarah was talking. When I took her to the pediatrician, Sarah identified different pictures of things and the doctor was shocked at what she was able to do at that age.
One of her many challenges is lack of organization. Things get messy quickly because she turns to other things before she finishes what she's doing. Social anxiety is an extreme fear of other people.She sometimes has a physical response where she freezes completely. She has two main friends in school and rarely has play dates. 
Sarah loves dogs. She also loves dresses and girly things like nail polish and makeup. Barbie dolls and dress up. Sarah can spell much higher than her grade level and recognizes that is something she is good at and likes this. Her personality is bubbly, cheerful, always positive and she never really dwells on what is going wrong. 
Ally was born two weeks early by induction, and the only problem she had was maintaining her body temperature. We went home the next day with our perfect little girl. When Ally was six months old, she had met all of her developmental milestones. She was sitting up rolling over, and doing all the right things. But, she always had to be held, and always wanted to be with mom and dad. 
She ate absolutely nothing voluntarily for five months. I fed her and sprayed water in her mouth. She never lost enough weight to need a feeding tube, but her meltdowns continued to escalate. Everyone told me nothing was wrong with my daughter, but I knew something wasn't right. It was Mommy's intuition. She would kick, scream, cry, and thrash. There were times she would hit or bite herself.
Right after Allyson turned two, we started her in a mainstream preschool class. This lasted two months, and we were asked to have her evaluated. She was diagnosed at 2.5 years with Sensory Integration Disorder, and Communication Disorder with "Autistic-like Tendencies." We started Occupational Therapy, without much avail. We are still doing OT today, and there has been some improvement.
She has trouble making and keeping friends even though she tries very hard. She does not understand personal space, and she is not able to read social gestures and cues. We are getting ready to start her in Applied Behavioral Analysis to help her to gain some of the everyday skills she is lacking, like getting dressed alone, and being able to play nicely with her brothers.
Little three-and-a-half-year-old Chad has been on High Risk since birth, due to the fact that one parent is schizophrenic (plus autistic) and the other is developmentally disabled. Emotionally and mentally Chad is more on the level of a two-and-a-half-year-old vs a three-and-a-half-year-old. He has a 18 months to a year's delay in some areas. He has limited speech which causes him extreme frustration.
Chad is very affectionate and loving. Most of the time (when he is not having his challenges), he is very happy and active. He loves cars and trucks, fishing, and tools. He likes to follow his grandfather around with tools and fix things. He loves to go outdoors, and he loves and relates well with animals (he has dogs and a cat). 
When Jacob "Jake" Dylan Poor was between two and three, Jake started by having what was originally thought to be night terrors. He'd wake up screaming, unable to be comforted, and usually resulted in what I can only describe as pretty violent temper tantrums. The nights that these would occur, even at a very young age, my husband and I both would have to be up to calm him down, to keep him from hurting himself or either of us.
Jake is extremely bright, generally loving and caring, sees the best in everyone. He generally makes friends with those who don't have friends, and cares that each person is included. He's resistant to change, and generally becomes "attached" or "concerned" with one thing or person at a time. 
Jake does not like unstructured or "chaotic" activities where things are not planned, and there is little control by the person leading the activity. There must be structure and consistent routines for him to succeed in an activity. If there is excessive noise, then Jake is likely to ask to leave. If there is an established group, Jake becomes self-conscious and is likely to leave. 
Hi, I'm Joey Hruby and as you CAN'T tell I have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, the "Invisible disorder." So let me tell you what you can't see. I'm 9 years old and in 3rd grade. I go to a special school over an hour from my home, because most schools and teachers where I live don't understand me and my disability. 
I need an "external brain" to help me get through my day. My external brain is usually my mom or dad, a teacher, paraprofessional, or my personal care attendant. They have the job of continually supervising me and making sure that I am safe and that I know what is expected and help me through a skill or task without getting mad. Even with their help I still get frustrated and over stimulated, I throw things, tip over chairs, slam doors, scream, swear and sometimes hit and kick people that are in my way.
I've seen many different doctors and therapists about my behaviors, some have helpful ideas, others just want to put me on medication. My mom and dad say there is no research to prove that medication could or would help me, so I am medication free. Yeah! Then my mom read the book "My Invisible World" by Morasha R. Winokur and said "That's it, Joey needs a service dog, that will be his medicine." So from the book we did some research into 4 Paws for Ability and found our answer.
I noticed Randell was different from other children his age when he was a little over two, but I thought it was my fault because I hadn't made him play with other children enough. He is now a very large 11-year-old. Once he reached puberty, because of a quick temper with caregivers, his size, and because some adult find him intimidating, I had to leave my job to take care of him. Daycare is no longer an option.
He can be extremely vocal when he doesn't want to do something, or when he thinks something you are doing isn't the way it is supposed to be done. He doesn't make friends. He tries very hard, but he is not accepted by other children. He is tolerated in some cases, but not accepted, so he spends a lot of time alone, even when we are around a lot of children. 
Randell has a younger brother named John, who is mostly Randell's only friend. But John is getting to the age were he notices more and more that something is different with his brother. It's hard on them both. John is doing things Randell can't do now, like skateboarding. And John catches onto things much faster like video games and such. It's very frustrating for Randell, and doesn't help his self esteem any.
I expect it to be a long process. It may take him years to get over being scared of heavy rain. And eventually we have to move to a new and much bigger neighborhood. In the little neighborhood we were in, it was very safe. Everyone knew everyone and their children. I didn't have to worry much about him playing outside. There was hardly any traffic and people looked out for each other. This is going to be a big change for us all, especially Randell. Luckily, he won't have to change schools this year. He really likes Eastern Hills, and so far he is doing well in his first year of middle school. I wouldn't want that to change for him too.
Autism Service Dog Will Keep Aidan Safe and Calm
Since I don't talk much I asked my mommy to write this to you in hope that you are willing to help us achieve our fundraising goal for 4 Paws for Ability. Any donations will be appreciated big or small. 
By Jamie Liebzeit. My child Kameron, will be nine this October 2010! He's beautiful, funny, caring, compassionate, smart, loving, loves pets, is full of energy and happens to be on the autism spectrum called PDD/NOS. Unfortunately, Kameron also has a number of other issues like ADHD, ODD, Learning Disabilities, Anxiety, Asthma, and is Emotionally Impaired. This all also makes him feel anxious, irritable, worried, scared, annoyed, over-sensitive, hesitant, angry and alone. He is also very sensitive to loud noise.
Kameron has two brothers; Austin 10 years old and Prestin 6 years old. Austin also has ADHD and tries to help Kameron out as much as he can. Since Kameron refuses to be in any room alone, Austin often goes to bed with him, takes him to the bathroom, and helps him to calm down when he's anxious. Austin said, "I just need a break, I need to play with my friends. I sure hope he gets a service dog!" Prestin also has ADHD. He just loves to play, and is a bundle of energy. I really need to spend more time with Prestin, but Kameron requires a great deal of my time. I am a single mom that can't be in three places at once. I think this service dog would be great. I would be able to spend quality time with all three of my children.
We hope that by providing Kameron an "autism dog" we will all be able to alleviate some of the stress in our lives. The dog would be able to fulfill many of Kameron's emotional needs, by being a constant companion for him. I'm sure his brother's will also appreciate not being followed around all the time! The service dog would accompany Kameron around the house and in his school, allowing him to be less fearful going from room to room. Hopefully, Kameron will finally be able to stay in his own bed the entire night since he will have his "companion" with him. Kameron would never feel alone, or afraid to wake up in an empty room.
My name is Laurie, and I am a mother of an eight-year-old girl, Geneva Powell. 
Hi. My name is Angel Solis. I'm six years old. I love playing soccer and gymnastics, and I enjoy drawing and doing puzzles.
I have hard time at school because I been diagnosed with Hyperactivity Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Learning Disorder, Sensory Hypersensitivity, ADHD and Aspergers, and it's hard for me to communicate and express my feelings. When I can't do this I get very frustrated, and I cry and scream a lot.
My name is Mimi Reyes, I am nine years old I was born with a very rare chromosomal disorder called 9 p minus syndrome, which means that the short arm of my ninth chromosome was deleted when I was conceived. It's how God made me special. With this comes some issues that I face that other children don't face. I have seizures all day every day.
I also have what's called sensory integration disorder what that means is that my nervous system cannot handle all of the sensory stimulation that is in the world all at once. So right now as you're reading this, the a/c might be on, people around you might be talking, a motorcycle might go by and make a roarrrrrr and your brain tells your body, "Hey it's okay..." My brain cannot sort the senses coming in fast enough for me to understand it. Through behavior therapy I am learning how to deal with this part of myself, but believe me it's very tough...
The service dog will cost 4 Paws for Ability $22,000 to train and place. This program has a very unique approach to the placement process and allows the family to raise $15,000 for the agency so the agency does not have to place their kids on a waiting list. 
Written by Stacy Gibbons. Korigan will be 4 in June 2010. She was born three weeks late and was only 4 lbs 15.5 oz. I knew from the begining that she had some problems but no one else seemed to see it. 
She is a tiny sweet little angel with the biggest heart. She is always thinking of others. When a new magazine comes to the house she will open it up and start telling me what all she wants to buy for her friends.
Kathryn Ross-Schmid is one of the 1:150 children in the United States diagnosed with autism. She was diagnosed right before she turned three years old. To the outside world, Kathryn looks like any other five-year-old child, loving and energetic with an infectious smile and gentle spirit. However, spend a few minutes with her and you will see that there are distinct differences. Kathryn is trapped in her own little bubble that few people are allowed in or would understand even if they were allowed in. 
Kathryn is very sensitive to noises and has meltdowns if there is too much stimulation. She is more sensitive to pitch rather than volume. She loves music and is usually calmed by it. Crowds do not seem to bother her since she rarely notices other people unless they get into her "space."
Vinnie Rodriguez is just two years old. In those two years, he has been through a lot. Right before he turned one, he got very sick and was hospitalized with seizures. During his hospital stay, he underwent a series of tests. After the tests results came back, the doctors came in and asked us to have a seat.
Emily Lowe suffers from multiple disabilities ranging from autism, mental retardation, frontal lobe disorder, to sensory overload. And she often acts out by having temper tantrums and throwing herself to the floor. 
Unaware of danger, she couldn't tell you whether something is hot or cold. She would not be able to cross a street by herself. And she would never be able to call 911. She seems at time to be living in her own little shell and needs a best friend.
Written by Benjamin's father. Benjamin Shawa is a special five-year-old who has high functioning autism, or sometimes known as Asperger's. Benjamin has had a rough go in his short life. 
Benjamin is a very active little boy and sometimes just needs some help calming down. This is a hard task since he is our BIG little boy. He weighs about 60 lbs!
A service dog would be a great help for Benjamin in helping with his outbursts of energy and his rambunctious behavior. It is hard for my wife to handle him sometimes, and especially when we are in the public, it is hard to control him.
Written by Melodie Robinson. When my son, Isaac Egan, was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (a form of high-functioning autism) and Attention Deficit Disorder a year ago, the daily struggles we faced with him finally began to make sense. 
Unfortunately these behaviors only further the rejection by his peers, and make him vulnerable to bullying. Thankfully, these are the symptoms that are addressed by Autism Service Dogs.
Andrew Johnson is a non-verbal six-year-old with autism. He was born with a left sided arachnoid cyst. He attends our local public elementary school. With the assistance of a device called Dynavox, he is able to spend one quarter of his school day in a typical kindergarten classroom.
Every parent has hopes and dreams for their children. As they watch them grow, these dreams change and grow. Our dreams for our four year old son Whit are simple. We want him to be able to walk through a store without worrying about if and when he will run off. We want to be able to get him out of the car and not worry that he will run into traffic. We want him to not scream and hurt himself when he's upset. When we take him to the park, we want the other kids to WANT to play with him, and not exclude him because he makes weird noises, or because he doesn't understand their games. 
Eleven-year-old Ruben Spice has faced more challenges in his young life than most face in a lifetime. He was born with congenital heart defects that required his hospitalization multiple times since he was two weeks old (including open heart surgery at three months and heart catheters at two years and again at four years). 
When Ruben was 3 years old, he was taken to another specialist due to severe developmental delays. His family was told he would be nonverbal and so mentally delayed that he would never be able to attend school. They were devastated. 
Recently, Ruben's mother was informed by an online friend about service animals specially trained for children with Autism. Upon further research, it became obvious 
Skyler Kratz is a healthy and active six-year-old boy. Skyler lives in Wisconsin with his mom, fatherly role model, two-year-old sister and newborn brother. He was diagnosed with autism on Dec. 27, 2007. We have always known he was autistic: it just took three years for doctors to agree. 
Michael Ewing is a highly energetic six-year-old boy. At first glance, you would think he is a typical, average child. He loves to climb, to run, and to jump. 
His family wants to get him a service dog to assist him in his daily life and social interactions. Michael has been accepted to receive a Service Dog from 
Two years ago, we started fundraising for an autism service dog for David. His life was further complicated by serious digestive issues and developmental delays. 
Since the initial appeal, David underwent bowel surgery, and then had three hospitalizations during the winter of 2008. It was a rough year, and it saw an end to his parents' marriage. Eventually, he must enter a feeding program. I would like to see his service dog by his side through this process.
He said he spread out David's bowel the best he could throughout his gut but because it is not anatomically correct, they removed his appendix to prevent future complication. David's recovery was tough. I though he would never get better, but what a kid! He had four very painful days and then I saw the fight in him and he started talking and wanting water.
He cannot stand to see sadness, and spreads happiness everywhere he goes. He likes to make sure no one feels pain, and if someone looks hurt, he wants to help. David surely makes a difference every day he is on this earth. I feel so blessed to have him and see him grow up to be so inspirational to everyone.
David has many obstacles to overcome, and having a four-pawed friend will keep him home safe. David's fear of eating and future therapies will be different with the extra security. His friend will be there for him to hug when he is struggling. The benefits are endless for David.
David Nahodil I'd like you to meet a happy, active four-year-old, my son, David Nahodil. He has a certain vibe that seems to make everyone who meets him fall in love. He has such animated body language because he struggles to find words. Born July 4, 2004, he started out life with serious digestive issues that often escalate. David was recently diagnosed with PDD 
We spent six weeks at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in the outpatient feeding program while living at the Ronald McDonald House, but we had little success. We are happy with the tools we were given, though. 
Hi, my name is John Bowen, but my family calls me JC. I am three years old. Mommy says I am different because I live in my own little world and sometimes I can't break out of it. I don't answer my mommy and can't make friends sometimes because in my world it's just me. 
| 8q Duplication Syndrome. 9 P Minus Syndrome. 15q11.2-q13.2 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. |