Service dogs are a teaching opportunity

RE: Autism service dogs

I am deeply saddened to read recent articles denying autism service dogs in the classroom.

I feel as if service dogs for autism should be considered on the same level as service dogs for the blind. Would a parent of a blind child be told “The service dog is unnecessary. We have EAs to walk your child everywhere”? I suspect not.

As a person working closely with children of differing abilities, I would think it would be more beneficial for a child with autism to connect with an animal trained to calm and soothe than it would be to place an iPad in his/ her hands.

An autism service dog is an excellent teaching opportunity. Classmates can be taught about autism and its effects, they can also be taught about service dogs and how/when it is appropriate to approach them. What a great learning opportunity for the principal, resource teacher, classroom teacher and educational assistant as well! With proper training and a positive team approach, I believe that any potential problems can be quickly overcome. Donna Brown, Hamilton