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More parents turn to service dogs to assist with their youths' Asperger's

By Staff Writer

While there are many options for assisting students who have Asperger's syndrome, such as enrolling them in a therapeutic boarding school, NPR reports that many parents are turning to service dogs for help.

For example, Nathan Selove, a high school student from Virginia, uses his yellow Labrador, Sylvia, to help him manage his Asperger's syndrome. Sylvia comes to school with the youth every day and can help him manage his stress.

Selove told the news outlet that when he becomes stressed during class he will pet Sylvia, who can often calm him down. If the situation gets worse, the dog will jump onto his lap to remind the teen that he needs to control his emotions.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Asperger's is a developmental disorder that may be accompanied by symptoms such as repetitive routines, oddities in speech, socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior and problems communicating. Research shows that approximately two out of every 10,000 children have the disorder, but boys are three to four times more likely to have it.

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