Judy Vorfeld’s Office Support Services

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.

Two years ago Whit was diagnosed with Autism and Global developmental delays. Autism is a neurological disorder that affects 1 out of every 156 children in the U.S. How it manifests in each child varies. Whit does not understand danger. He cannot be trusted to stay near us while in public. He must either be in a stroller, shopping cart, or be held tightly by the hand. He is old enough now that he dislikes all of these options and avoids them whenever and however he can. Whit often runs away when we get him out of the car, sometimes going straight into the street. Other times he runs away without any clear direction.

Unlike other kids, he will not always come back when his name is called. Instead, he may run away faster. Whit does not recognize strangers as potential danger. Simple day-to-day acts that we take for granted like brushing our teeth or wearing clothes are often too much for Whit to handle. When Whit is overwhelmed he screams. If we can’t fix whatever is bothering him fast enough he escalates to hurting himself, hitting his head or biting his hands in frustration.

We recently applied and were approved for an Autism Assistance dog for Whit. 4 Paws for Ability is a 501c3 non-profit that works to place highly trained service dogs in the hands of disabled children and adults. An Autism Assistance dog is trained in Behavior Disruption. When Whit is engaged in repetitive or self injurious behaviors the dog intervenes by nudging him or comforting him by snuggling. The dog is trained to have Whit tethered to him when out in public. This serves the dual purposes of keeping Whit safe and giving him the independence he so desperately wants and needs. Autism Assistance Dogs are trained in tracking (search and rescue skills) which could be the difference between minutes vs. hours of looking for Whit should he run away or hide from us.

Other organizations that offer Autism assistance dogs have 3-5 year waiting lists, but 4 Paws for Ability has found a way to speed up the process. Parents commit to raising the $13,000 needed to train a service dog rather than waiting for the organization to raise the funds for them. By taking on this responsibility, we avoid a long waiting list and get Whit the help he needs now. Whenever possible 4 Paws for Ability trains dogs found at rescue groups and shelters, providing a second chance for a dog who otherwise might never have a home.

We can’t raise $13,000 alone; we need the help of our community. Please consider making a tax deductible donation to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of our son Whit Warren.

For more information on Whit, click here, and to see a video of his story, click here.

Note: I highly endorse 4 Paws for Ability as a source for extremely well-trained service dogs. The organization is sound and its goals exceptional. Judy Vorfeld.

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 7th, 2009 at 8:54 am and is filed under Animals, Community Service, Disabilities. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.