# GSD Service Dog Allowed in School



## elly1210 (Jan 4, 2009)

Autistic boy wins fight to bring service dog to class | News | Hillsboro News


----------



## Zoeys mom (Jan 23, 2010)

I think that is definitely awesome though part of me wonders how tethering and calming are considered actual "tasks". I guess the term can be used loosely and retrieving the boy should he run is definitely at least one attribute I could see as task related. As a other of an autistic son I have my own feelings on what children should be in a "typical" classroom and which should continue on in special education where the ratio of teachers and students would make it impossible for a child to run off, but I also understand the fear associated with leaving your child in another humans care 7 hours a day where you have to trust they are keeping an eye on him. Having a dog tethered to my son would make me feel more comfortable as well so I hope this is something that does further his education


----------



## elly1210 (Jan 4, 2009)

Another good article about it along with ADA information and changes.
http://www.justice.gov/usao/or/PressReleases/2011/20110307_HSD.html


----------



## Blazings (Jan 24, 2011)

That's great! And what a beautiful dog 

EDIT: I guess he won't get bullied now either hahah


----------



## elly1210 (Jan 4, 2009)

Per the ADA the dog would be providing distruption task

*Service dogs' tasks include the following examples*:
* assisting sight-impaired persons with navigation or other tasks;
* alerting hearing-impaired persons to the presence of people or sounds;
* providing non-violent protection or rescue work;
* pulling a wheelchair;
* assisting an individual during a seizure;
* alerting an individual to the presence of allergens;
* retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone;
* providing physical support /assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility impairments; and
* helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or *interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors*.

These tasks are trained in austism dogs.


----------



## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

good. glad it worked out. i personally think the school was stupid for even trying to keep the dog out. but what do i know.


----------



## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

My husband's cousin's daughter has seizures. They told us their Service Dog can sense when a seizure is coming and warns them. Not sure if thats really true or if simply the dog recognizes early signs not apparent to them. Either way its amazing. She told us a story about how when her daughter was in the hospital the dog appeared to be warning them of an approaching siezure but her duaghter did not end up having a seizure...later they found out a person a few rooms down was having a seizure. They believe the Dog sensed it. I don't know enough about it to make a judgement but its fascinating to me.


----------



## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Mac's Mom said:


> My husband's cousin's daughter has seizures. They told us their Service Dog can sense when a seizure is coming and warns them. Not sure if thats really true or if simply the dog recognizes early signs not apparent to them. Either way its amazing. She told us a story about how when her daughter was in the hospital the dog appeared to be warning them of an approaching siezure but her duaghter did not end up having a seizure...later they found out a person a few rooms down was having a seizure. They believe the Dog sensed it. I don't know enough about it to make a judgement but its fascinating to me.


 
when my mom was a regular epileptic (only has seizures now about once every 8 years or so) my grandparents considered a seizure alert dog when they were still learning about it. my mom is allergic to most all animals though so that would have been tough.


----------



## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

KZoppa said:


> when my mom was a regular epileptic (only has seizures now about once every 8 years or so) my grandparents considered a seizure alert dog when they were still learning about it. my mom is allergic to most all animals though so that would have been tough.


A seizure "alert" dog? Wow...so that confirms exactly what the cousin said. Anyway, I'm glad your mom's seizures have been reduced.


----------



## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

There are seizure alert dogs. Typically seizure dogs are seizure response dogs, not alert. When it comes to seizure alert it seems to be something the dog has or doesn't have, where diabetic and other alerts are more easily trained into a dog (its scent training, which they suspect is behind seizure alert as well but it hasn't been identified yet.)


----------



## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

> And then there’s the issue of what happens if someone’s afraid or allergic.


Am I the only one would would tell my own kid, if he was afraid, to deal with it because the other kid needs the dog?


----------



## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Mac's Mom said:


> A seizure "alert" dog? Wow...so that confirms exactly what the cousin said. Anyway, I'm glad your mom's seizures have been reduced.


 
yeah. my mom had seizures, at least one a day from the time she was about 12 on up until she was about 19 or 20 if i remember right. I only remember waking up one night when i was about 3 and my grandma was in my mom's room while my mom was seizing and my grandpa was calling 911 because the seizure wasnt stopping. the last seizure she had was when she was pregnant before my baby sister and she lost the baby. Hasnt had one since. least that i've been told about. 




Lin said:


> There are seizure alert dogs. Typically seizure dogs are seizure response dogs, not alert. When it comes to seizure alert it seems to be something the dog has or doesn't have, where diabetic and other alerts are more easily trained into a dog (its scent training, which they suspect is behind seizure alert as well but it hasn't been identified yet.)


 
Thanks Lin for clarifying! always good info! when my grandparents were considering it, it was back in '89 and '90 so my understanding was it was relatively new.


----------



## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Jax's Mom said:


> Am I the only one would would tell my own kid, if he was afraid, to deal with it because the other kid needs the dog?


 
no, i would probably tell my kids to work with it as well but my kids are also very used to big dogs. some kids arent. but i understand what you're saying.


----------



## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Jax's Mom said:


> Am I the only one would would tell my own kid, if he was afraid, to deal with it because the other kid needs the dog?


No... I would too. The only time something is equal to the need for a service dog is if it was something disabling as well. In the case of fear, would have to be a disabling phobia under the treatment of a psychiatrist. Or an anaphalaxis type allergy. In which case, the school would need to change classes around to accommodate BOTH disabilities, one does not take priority over the other.


----------



## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

This tread topic is talking about *alert to seizures* --- please look at the new definition per the revision to the ADA.

“Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler´s disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, *assisting an individual during a seizure*, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal´s presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.” 

The above bolding is mine and not of the original definition. Not as clear cut as some might believe. The act of alerting in and of itself so far has not been clarified as an acceptable task. It is what the dog is trained to do during a seizure that is addressed. 

Does the dog position the handler so that they do not harm themself?
Does the dog position the handler in order to keep a clear airway?
Does the dog clear the mouth of vomit in order to keep the handler from choking?
Does the dog stay with the person in the face of distractions?
What is the dog trained to do once the person begins to recover?
Does the dog take on guide dog tasks for a handler that is disorganized and may not be alert enough to stay safe when they try to leave the area?
Does the dog take on mobility tasks and aid the person with walking if the handler is weak?


----------



## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

Another item that must be kept in mind is how often does a person have a seizure and how does the seizures effect the person? One seizure every 6 months or 6 per day? Besides meeting medical definitions a person's condition must be severe enough to meet a *legal* qualification of being disabled.



> EDIT: I guess he won't get bullied now either hahah


I know you meant this to be taken as a joke but it is a very serious aspect for working dogs in the public and one which SD teams must always work on to reassure the public.

Something that must always be remembered -- what Congress (and in an indirect way the people) have voted in may also someday be voted out. PWDs have worked very hard for every milestone they now rightfully receive and we who advocate for them see a need for many improvements. Everytime an individual out in the publlic see an untrained disruptive dog that is one more hit the SD community needs to overcome.



> Am I the only one would would tell my own kid, if he was afraid, to deal with it because the other kid needs the dog?


Not always so easy a thing to do. What if the child is 3 or 4? Remember we have cases of SD requests for pre-school children popping up over the country. As another poster said, they understand what you are saying but please remember if things were so black and white then there would not be cases winding their way through the legal system with some going for and some against.


----------



## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

Lin said:


> No... I would too. The only time something is equal to the need for a service dog is if it was something disabling as well. In the case of fear, would have to be a disabling phobia under the treatment of a psychiatrist. Or an anaphalaxis type allergy. In which case, the school would need to change classes around to accommodate BOTH disabilities, one does not take priority over the other.


Your post really made me change my opinion. I was about to say that pet dander can trigger deadly asthma attacks etc. But ya know what...you're right..."one does not take priority over the other" I guess old dogs (me) can learn...


----------



## TriadGSD (Feb 19, 2011)

Mac's Mom said:


> My husband's cousin's daughter has seizures. They told us their Service Dog can sense when a seizure is coming and warns them. Not sure if thats really true or if simply the dog recognizes early signs not apparent to them. Either way its amazing. She told us a story about how when her daughter was in the hospital the dog appeared to be warning them of an approaching siezure but her duaghter did not end up having a seizure...later they found out a person a few rooms down was having a seizure. They believe the Dog sensed it. I don't know enough about it to make a judgement but its fascinating to me.


there was another story about a not letting a service dog in the school the boy was expelled from school he had seizers.this story i think last month saw it on cnn.


----------



## TriadGSD (Feb 19, 2011)

also forgot to add the parent decided to home school him.


----------

