Children with cerebral palsy often have difficulty walking, which can affect their relationships with peers and overall quality of life. People with visual impairment can experience similar difficulties with balance, spatial awareness and negotiating obstacles. People with visual impairments have reported that their greatest barrier to improved mobility was the discriminatory attitudes of others. Guide dogs and assistance dogs have tended to improve the quality of life for people with visual impairments, bringing admiration from others and improving confidence and independence.
Author
- Heather Kennedy Curtin
Specialist Physiotherapist in Gait Analysis, Trinity College Dublin
Dogs have been trained as mobility aids for ex-war veterans , while others have been trained to help wheelchair users manage daily tasks , such as picking up a dropped sock.
But for some, a new form of support is offering life-changing assistance: mobility assistance dogs.
Mobility assistance dogs are trained to provide stability and balance, helping a child navigate crowds and different terrains safely. Dogs for Disabled , a charity in Ireland is training and supplying specially trained assistance dogs as a walking aid for children with cerebral palsy and other physical impairments. Pet-loving families apply to receive a dog from the charity. The dogs are personality matched with a child and trained to help with their walking. This is an innovative practice, not previously targeted at children, so little research has been done in the area.
Family friend
My research tests the effects of mobility assistance dogs on the walking pattern, physical activity and the overall effect on the chidren's quality of life - and that of their families.
Many of these children (aged 6-12) report that walking with a dog is more socially favourable than holding their parent's hand or using a metal frame. The dog brings positive attention to the child and gives them a topic of conversation. Parents believe that their children are more motivated to get out and about with the dog, as they enjoy being seen with their new furry friend.
Parents reported that the dog allows their children to navigate through woodlands and on stony paths with more ease than with a standardised walking device. The dog can react dynamically, sensing the child's needs and this significantly aids in circumventing obstacles, especially in crowds. Siblings and parents tend to accompany the child on dog walks, improving family fitness and increasing family time together.
Formal measurement of a walking pattern is performed using 3D gait analysis, a technique using infrared sensors to track the movement pattern of the child. Some of the children with milder cerebral palsy can benefit in their walking pattern by practising walking with the dog, encouraging them to be more upright, to take longer steps and engaging anti-gravity muscles - muscles essential for maintaining an upright posture - more than leaning through a frame. For some children with more walking difficulty, relying on a walker may be more energy conserving, and walking with the dog, although fun, may not be the most practical way for them to get around.
Wearable sensors were used to track the physical activity levels of the children while with their specially trained dog. Most reported that, with a dog, they walked further and were more likely to go for a walk. And children tended to spend more time at a higher level of physical activity, so a dog encouraged them to get their heart beating a little more, improving their cardiovascular fitness.
Growing confidence
For one particular child, a six-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, his overall walking speed and gait quality improved, he was more active after six months with his dog and his quality of life improved . His mum felt her son benefited from positive social reactions from people saying "hello" to the dog, which he loved. He never complained about feeling tired anymore while out walking and he walked further as it became more fun. He now holds onto the dog's handle instead of the parent's hand when out in public and this has boosted his confidence as he feels more "normal".
The bond between children with cerebral palsy and mobility assistance dogs is a powerful one. These dogs offer not just practical help in navigating the world, but also the emotional support that can lead to increased confidence, independence and social engagement.
For families facing the challenges of lifelong disability such as cerebral palsy, these dogs are not just animals; they may be life-changing partners that provide invaluable support, both physical and emotional. As awareness of the benefits of mobility assistance dogs continues to grow, hopefully more children with cerebral palsy will have the opportunity to experience the transformative power of a canine companion.
Heather Kennedy Curtin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
