High-functioning Verbal Child Needs Autism Service Dog!
By Jamie Liebzeit. My child Kameron, will be nine this October 2010! He’s beautiful, funny, caring, compassionate, smart, loving, and sociable, 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.
I am very fortunate that my son is high functioning and verbal, although he does have great difficulty expressing his emotions verbally. He shows much affection and empathy, traits usually not associated with autism. Kameron has a hard time making friends, going to school, going to appointments, and he has at least 3 - 5 doctor appointments a month. Kameron is afraid of the dark and has great difficulty going to sleep. He doesn’t want to close his eyes. He is also very scared of bugs - any kind of bugs. This makes it hard for him to go outside without one of his brothers. Kameron is like all other boys in so far as he loves to draw, paint, watch movies, swim, and sometimes even go to the park. He loves to talk and asks a lot of questions.
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.
Kameron loves all animals, especially dogs. It doesn’t seem to matter what the size or breed is. When we’re in public, at a friend’s house, or at a family gathering, Kameron always can be found playing with the family pet(s). While other children are running around the yard or through the house in a burst of energy, Kameron can be found in a corner with the family pet. His behavior is wonderful when he is in the company of a dog. The more responsive the dog is with him, the happier and calmer he seems. And the loud barking noise? His grandma’s dogs (Havanese) always bark loudly when Kameron comes to visit. He no longer covers his ears, but gets down to play with them right away. He has finally associated the “loud barking” with, “I’m so glad you’re here! I want to play!”
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.
The service dog would be trained for behavior disruption - preventing melt-downs before they occur. Anyone who has a child with frequent melt-downs knows how wonderful this would be! Lots of the anxiety that Kameron has that leads to melt-downs is associated with simple daily tasks that most children his age find effortless.
Kameron has “shut down” doing simple things such as; getting dressed, using the bathroom, brushing his teeth, getting ready for the bus, putting a shoe on, eating a meal, taking his daily medications, having his nails or hair cut, wearing a back pack, putting his coat on, transitioning from the house to the car. Having a service dog there to help him cope with his fear, anxiety and frustration could greatly reduce the number of shut-downs Kameron has.
We would like to do whatever we can to help Kameron feel better about himself and enhance his ability to cope in a world he finds extremely stressful. By the way, we all love Kameron just the way he is! His autism is simply a part of him and makes him who he is. We wouldn’t change this loving, caring child for the world! Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Sincerely,
Jamie Liebzeit & Family (Austin & Prestin - The best brothers in the world!)
Parent to: Kameron (age 
Autism Spectrum Disorder
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. Dogs are trained to specifically address the needs of each child.
If you would like to help by making a personal donation, please send your tax-deductible donation to:
4 Paws For Ability
235 Dayton Ave.
Xenia OH 45385
Please write: “In honor of Kameron Liebzeit” in the memo portion of your check…or you may donate online at: 4 Paws for Ability.
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.
December 5th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
When I put my son on a gluten free and casein free diet, he stopped having anxiety, and he stopped getting depressed. He is high functioning and takes his calcium and omega three. No pill or meds. I see him better than ever before. I don’t know what your situation is with your child but it helped my son to calm down his behavior is not as it use to be.
December 5th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
By the way, the diet helps him to ineract with other children because the diet and omega 3 helps his brain to function properly and he is able to interact with other children.