Feb. 27, 2013 — The presence of an animal can
significantly increase positive social behaviors in children with autism
spectrum disorders (ASD), according to research published February 20 in the
open access journal PLOS ONE by Marguerite E O'Haire and colleagues
from the University of Queensland , Australia
The authors compared how 5-13 year old children
with ASD interacted with adults and typically-developing peers in the presence
of two guinea pigs compared to toys. They found that in the presence of
animals, children with ASD demonstrated more social behaviors like talking,
looking at faces and making physical contact. They were also more receptive to
social advances from their peers in the presence of the animals than they were
when playing with toys. The presence of animals also increased instances of
smiling and laughing, and reduced frowning, whining and crying behaviors in
children with ASD more than having toys did.
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