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ASSISTANCE DOGS FOR ADHD AND AUTISM SPECTRUM DISODER (ASD)

(An Occupational Therapist’s Perspective for OTs, Parents, Teachers & Caregivers)







Occupational therapists are trained to support individuals in achieving independence and maximal participation in activities of daily living. For individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), especially those with moderate to severe symptoms, service dogs remain to be a powerful yet underutilized support tool that can complement therapeutic strategies and enhance occupational performance.

The following is an article on how assistance dogs can help children, teens, and even adults living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Understanding the Challenges of ADHD

People with ADHD often experience difficulties in areas such as:

  • Sustaining attention and focus
  • Managing impulsivity
  • Emotional and sensory regulation
  • Maintaining routines
  • Managing social interactions

While medications, behavior therapy, and environmental supports play a crucial role, assistance dogs can offer a unique and consistent presence that helps individuals navigate daily challenges more independently and effectively thus reducing dependence on too much human support.

What is a medical assistance Dog?

An assistance dog is a specially trained animal that performs specific tasks directly related to an individual's disability. There are many categories of such dogs including mobility, guide, psychiatric, diabetes alert dogs, among others. ADHD and Autism assistance dogs fall under the category of psychiatric assistance dogs. 

Note: There is a difference between an emotional support animal (ESA), which provides comfort, and a service dog which is trained for task-based assistance.


How Service Dogs Can Help Individuals with ADHD

1. Interrupting Impulsive Behaviors

Service dogs can be trained to gently nudge or block a person from:

  • Running into unsafe areas (especially helpful for children). People with ADHD are known to cross roads without checking on traffic
  • Engaging in harmful self-stimulatory or impulsive behavior
  • Interrupting emotional outbursts


2. Assisting with Transitions and Routines

Many individuals with ADHD struggle with transitions between tasks. Dogs can be trained to:

  • Alert when it's time to start or stop a task (paired with alarms or cues)
  • Help create structure during daily routines like getting ready for school or bedtime
  • Serve as a calming presence during overwhelming moments of transition
  • Develop a sense of routine through feeding, grooming, playtime and movement breaks with the dog


3. Reducing Anxiety and Emotional Dysregulation

Children with ADHD often experience high emotional reactivity and anxiety. Service dogs can:

  • Perform deep pressure therapy (e.g., lying across the lap) to regulate the nervous system
  • Sense rising anxiety and intervene with calming behaviors
  • Provide emotional grounding in public or stimulating environments
  • Sensory regulation through gentle stroking of the dog’s fur on its back
  • Alert and interrupt when behaviors that precede sensory dysregulaton are exhibited thus helping the individual take appropriate steps before an overload or break down occurs.

4. Enhancing Safety and Supervision

Especially for younger children and those with Autism, dogs can:

Stay physically tethered to the child in public to prevent wandering or bolting

Alert caregivers if the child moves too far or engages in unsafe behavior

Track lost children

Guide to safe areas


5. Supporting Social Skills and Confidence

Due to interference from some of the symptoms, many children with ADHD struggle with developing peer relationships. A service dog can:

  • Act as a social bridge, encouraging interactions with others and reducing stigma. This works to reduce emotional and sensory overload.
  • Boost self-esteem and reduce feelings of isolation.
  • Encourage responsibility through care routines (feeding, grooming)
  • Become a safe route to taking a break during times of sensory overload in crowded places.

KIRANGI ASSISTANCE DOGS PROGRAM

Kirangi Dogs is a kennel that has been breeding and training dogs in Kenya since the year 2008. The founder and head trainer happens to be an Occupational Therapist (now retired from active OT practice) who has worked with many cases of ADHD and ASD over the years. In his earlier years of practice, he was seconded to the ministry of education, (Education Assessment Resource Center) in Nakuru County, where he worked with many of these cases within the, integrating OT practice into the school system for persons with disabiities.

Over the years, he developed interest and acquired the necessary skills of training medical assistance dogs. His combined expertise as an Occupational therapist and medical assistance dog trainer makes him a unique and an unmatched professional who is motivated, and passionate in bringing this new and powerful tool of assistance dogs into the management of psychiatric and physical disability conditions that interfere with an individual’s occupational performance. 

His unique roles include:

  • Assessment of the individual’s functional needs to determine if an assistance dog is appropriate
  • Collaboration with families and service dog organizations during the matching and training process
  • Educating caregivers, teachers, and peers on how the dog supports daily activities
  • Integrating the service dog into goal areas (e.g., routines, transitions, emotional regulation)
  • The training of assistance dogs and their handlers
  • Connecting patients with therapists, educators and other relevant professionals in order to develop a more integrated approach that incorporates a service dog 


Important Considerations for Families and Educators

  • Service dogs require significant training, cost, and responsibility
  • Not all individuals with ADHD or Autism will benefit—a thorough evaluation is essential
  • In Kenya, we do not have legislation that guides the use of assistance dogs in public places. 
  • The child must be able to interact safely and consistently with the dog

ASSISTANCE DOGS IN KENYA

The use of service dogs in Kenya is a new concept to many people. Our program aims at creating awareness on the benefits of having assistance dogs pared with those who can benefit with their services. We are seeking partnerships with therapists and educators so that we can educate Kenyans on the benefits of integrating service dogs into our intervention programs.

We still face a lot of stigma around having dogs staying close to people. Many Kenyans keep dogs for security and do not allow them into their homes as would be required with assistance dogs. There are many of us who believe dogs are dirty and should not stay in the house. However, with proper training on cleaning, grooming, feeding and dog training, many Kenyans are embracing keeping their dogs as pets who live in their homes.   


 Final Thoughts

Service dogs are not a one-size-fits-all solution—but when appropriately matched and trained, they can be life-changing companions that promote independence, regulation, and participation in everyday life for individuals with ADHD and ASD. As occupational therapists, we can play a vital role in identifying when a service dog may be beneficial and guiding families through the process with empathy and evidence-based insight.

At Kirangi Dogs, We are now providing 

  • Training of assistance dogs
  • Assessment for patient assistance dog suitability
  • Puppy/dog selection or assessment of already acquired pets for service dog suitability
  • Dog placement
  • Family, handler education and training

For more details, contact us through:

Call/WhatsApp – 0785535569

e-mail kirangidogs@gmail.com

webpage: @ kirangidogs.com

We will be glad to hear from you.

Like and follow our social media pages for more content.

Instagram @kirangi_dogs

Facebook @ Kirangi dogs/Kirangi Black Russian Terriers

Tiktok @kirangidogs_1 

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