A study of children with walking impairments has highlighted the many benefits of living with the aid of a mobility assistance dog. Led by Trinity College Dublin (TCD), it found that children aged six to 12 gained significant improvements in physical activity, social engagement and family life.
The parents of children who took part in the study report that it helped their children walk for longer periods, with greater endurance and increased steadiness and balance.
Louis Geary (14) from Cork, who has kabuki syndrome, a genetic condition affecting one in 40,000, participated in the study. Louis has poor gross and fine motor skills, as well as low muscle tone, visual-spatial issues and hypermobility. This is where joints are stretched too far.
“He missed all his major milestones,” said his mother, Marisa Geary. “He didn’t start walking until after his third birthday and even then, he was never a stable walker.”
Louis relied on leg braces and constant support from his parents to avoid falls, especially on uneven pavements or in crowded places. “If I wasn’t holding his hand, he would fall,” said Ms Geary. “It got to the point where he didn’t want to go out at all.”
The Gearys approached Irish Dogs for the Disabled and learned about a TCD study focusing on mobility assistance dogs for children. It was headed up by Dr Heather Kennedy.
Dr Kennedy, along with TCD colleagues Michelle Spirtos and Professor Ciaran Simms, designed the study so that it was “fun” for children while also involving family and promoting fitness and function.
“Children with physical impairments often participate in significantly lower levels of habitual physical activity than their peers, below recommended guidelines,” said Dr Kennedy.
Louis’s parents signed him up and were assigned Maisie, a poodle pup, to receive assistance training with Louis and his mother.
“Maisie was matched specifically for Louis’s needs,” said Ms Geary. “She was trained to help him with steps, uneven surfaces and to provide the stability he desperately needed.”
The impact on Louis’s life was immediate and lasting, she confirmed.
“Since walking with Maisie, Louis hasn’t fallen once. He stands taller, looks ahead and is more aware of his surroundings. Maisie gives him the confidence to go places he never wanted to before – the beach, shopping centres, even crowded supermarkets.”
Maisie has also brought Louis social benefits. “People see Louis now, thanks to Maisie. He’s become an ambassador for Dogs for the Disabled and people engage with him in ways that they never did before. It’s done wonders for his confidence and social skills.”
Maisie is now six and will retire when she is about 10. The Gearys are grateful for every day she spends with Louis.
“She’s part of the family,” said Ms Geary. “I would encourage any parent in a similar situation to consider a mobility assistance dog. It’s the best decision we ever made.”
The findings are published in the journal Physical Therapy Reviews.