Family Pets are Good for Kiddos By MARIE WOOD We love our pets! But did you know growing up with furry and loyal friends bring children joy, love and some cool health and wellness perks?
Pets can also reduce loneliness and cheer us up. Like adults, many children talk to their pets. While dogs understand many words, they’re even better at understanding how we feel.
Since the age of 10, Amanda Senal has had a dog. Now as an occupational therapist at Mankato Clinic Pediatric Services, she sees firsthand how animals benefit children with special needs.
“When we talk to animals, there is no judgement, no talking back, no telling you how to solve the problem. Children don’t have to worry about – can I tell this truth?” Amanda said. “Dogs give you unconditional positive regard or unconditional love. Animals demonstrate and provide true empathy, one of the most important tools for social skills and emotional well-being.”
In her work to help children gain skills for life, play and school, Amanda sees children who have difficulty with sensory processing and regulating their bodies, heart rate, breathing, movement and balance. When families get an animal, the animal often likes to sleep with the child. “They are getting better quality sleep. They have an easier time falling asleep, staying asleep or going back to sleep. They are not as restless,” Amanda said.
While cuddling with a stuffed animal is a good substitute, a real animal responds to the child. One child explained to Amanda that dogs are different than stuffed animals. The child said, “A dog would smile at me, wag their tail and give me kisses. The dog would actually move!”
At night, the children are benefiting from touch and proprioceptive input with the animal the same as they do during the day. Proprioceptive input is information we gain through our joints and muscles that tell us about our movements and body position. “The animal’s heart and breathing rate can help regulate the child’s heart and breathing rate which in turn improves the body’s natural rhythms,” Amanda explained. Petting or snuggling with a loyal animal helps to calm, soothe and relax us. Bonding with pets has been shown to decrease cortisol, a stress-related hormone and improve the production of oxytocin which is one of our ‘feel good’ hormones! This can lower our blood pressure, improve our breathing rate, and make our whole body feel better overall.
With an amazing capacity to care, Amanda Senal, MA, OTR/L, and her husband adopt rescue dogs with special needs. Currently, the couple has two dogs, Jasper and Gwen. Gwen was a puppy mill mother with anxiety and significant allergies to the outside world, and Jasper has a seizure disorder and severe anxiety.
Kyle & Jelly Bean Kyle Brouwer’s dog, Jelly Bean, helps Kyle with his homework by sitting beside Kyle and keeping him calm while he does his work. When they’re not doing homework, Kyle and Jelly Bean are playing tug-of-war or Jelly Bean is lounging in his favorite chair. Holidays and ordinary days too, Jelly Bean is often spotted in sunglasses, cowboy hat, a Santa hat or bow tie! At night, Jelly Bean sleeps on Kyle’s bed. The family adopted this Bichon Frise puppy just before Easter 2020. That’s why Kyle named him Jelly Bean! “He’s such a fluffy
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bunny,” Kyle said of his Easter dog. Bichon Frises are known to be helpful for children with anxiety. As a breed, they like to be with their humans. In fact, Jelly Bean gets separation anxiety when the family leaves the house. Jelly Bean looks at their shoes and then it’s to the window where he whimpers and watches as they leave. “If he’s an anxiety dog, why does he get anxiety?” asked Kyle. Good question Kyle! When Kyle grows up, he hopes to have a dog and a parrot.
SUMMER 2022 | MANKATO CLINIC THRIVES
his dog, Jelly Kyle Brouwer showed off wall of fame! Bean, on the Pets of PTS
Alena Nyhamm er added her be loved dog Yogi to th e Pets of PTS wa ll of fame! Alena takes he r big dog Yogi, a New Foundland an d Golden Retri ever mix, on walks and plays fetch with him . “He gives me kisses,” Alen a said of Yogi. “H e looks like a bear!” W hen Alena had surgery to treat cerebral palsy, Yogi was her mascot and sported a “Team Alena” t-s hirt!
