Social Acknowledgments for Children with Disabilities: Effects of Service Dogs
JSTOR: Child Development: Vol. 60, No. 6 (Dec., 1989), pp. 1529-1534

Social Acknowledgments for Children with Disabilities: Effects of Service Dogs Bonnie Mader, Lynette A. Hart, Bonita Bergin Child Development, Vol. 60, No. 6 (Dec., 1989) , pp. 1529-1534

Abstract
While service dogs are known to perform important tasks for people using wheelchairs, such as retrieving dropped items or pulling a wheelchair, they may also serve as an antidote for social ostracism. Adults in wheelchairs have been found to receive many more social acknowledgments when a service dog is present than when not. This study examined whether disabled children in wheelchairs with service dogs receive more frequent social acknowledgment than when no dog is present. Behaviors of passersby in response to children in wheelchairs were recorded in shopping malls and on school playgrounds. In both settings, social acknowledgments (e. g., friendly glances, smiles, and conversations) were substantially more frequent when a service dog was present. Social effects of the dog were more pronounced in shopping malls, typical of unfamiliar settings where the child would be likely to experience being ignored or overlooked. Service dogs may assist in normalizing the social interactions for children with disabilities producing social isolation.

Allergies as reason to keep service dogs out of schools
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From:
Sam Paior - view profile
Date:
Sun, Oct 30 2005 10:45 am
Email:
s...@stutley.com (Sam Paior)
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The service dog logic that the school presents is illegal - the ADA specifically states that allergies (and being afraid of dogs) are not a disabilities and can not be used as a reason to prevent service dogs access. Besides, with certain kinds of regular dog washes, the dander issue can be 98% mitigated. A reasonable solution is that any child with a severe allergy be moved to a classroom that does not have a dog. Think of a service dog as a wheelchair - that's how the ADA views it - the dog is a piece of durable medical equipment. Ben has a service dog, but we are not yet a good enough team for her to be useful for her mobility tasks, and her search and rescue skills (I hope) should not be required at school. Ben is also way too young to handle her on his own - I am the certified handler, so LIly only goes to school woith him once a week when I bring her and help out in the class. Ben also does not have an aide, and until Ben is old enough to handle Lily, he would need an aide to handle her, potty her, etc etc, and that would require some training - service dogs need consistency in the way they are handled.