New Film Shows How Service Dogs Empower Children With Autism

Takeaways

• A new documentary, “Unleashing Hope,” highlights the positive impact of service dogs on children with autism, showcasing how these dogs help reduce anxiety, improve social engagement, and provide emotional support.
• Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines offers autism service dogs to families free of charge, significantly improving the quality of life for children with autism and their families, as seen in the experiences of families like Rosie O’Donnell’s.

Parents of children with autism are all too familiar with the challenges and rewards of raising a child with autism. Children with autism may struggle in social settings and with feeling comfortable leaving their homes. This creates a challenging situation for their parents and any siblings they may have.

A new documentary titled “Unleashing Hope: The Power of Service Dogs for Children With Autism” is shedding light on the transformative role service dogs can play in the lives of children with autism. Through moving interviews and intimate footage, the film follows the lives of families whose children with autism have been matched with highly trained service dogs — revealing the emotional, behavioral, and social transformations that follow.

The documentary emphasizes how service dogs can help to reduce anxiety, interrupt self-harming behaviors, and provide a consistent source of comfort and emotional regulation for children with autism.

The film highlights the experiences of two families in particular: that of talk show host, comedian, and actress Rosie O’Donnell and her child, Clay, and Kaleb Robison and his parents and older brother. O’Donnell and Clay get their service dog, a black labrador retriever named Kuma, about a year before Kaleb is paired with a golden retriever named Earl.

At the heart of the documentary is the autism service dogs program that is managed by Guide Dogs of America (GDA), a nonprofit organization based in Southern California that has been training service dogs for more than 75 years and merged with Tender Loving Canines (TLC) in 2020 to expand its reach and capabilities. The program aims to provide expertly trained service dogs free of charge to families with children on the autism spectrum, giving them greater safety, independence, and peace of mind.

What Is Autism?

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of neurodevelopmental conditions that affect how a person communicates, behaves, and interacts with others. The word “spectrum” is used because the signs, symptoms, and abilities of individuals with autism can vary widely, from mild to severe. According to estimates, autism affects an estimated one in 31 children and one in 45 adults in the United States.

How Autism Affects Children

Each child’s experience with autism is unique, but common characteristics often appear, particularly in early childhood:

Challenges With Communication Skills

• Delayed speech or language development
• Difficulty with back-and-forth conversation
• Limited use of gestures, facial expressions, or eye contact

Social Interaction Difficulties

• Trouble understanding social cues or norms, such as taking turns or reading facial expressions
• Difficulty forming friendships or engaging in pretend play
• Preference for being alone or appearing socially disconnected

Repetitive Behaviors and Restricted Interests

• Repeating the same movements or sounds, e.g., hand flapping, rocking, or repeating words or phrases
• Intense focus on specific topics or items, such as a favored toy or video
• Struggling with changes in routine or environment

Sensory Sensitivities

• Being highly sensitive or under-sensitive to sounds, lights, textures, or smells
• Strong reactions to things like the feel of clothing tags, loud noises, or crowded places

Emotional Regulation and Behavior

• Difficulty expressing or managing emotions
• Increased risk of meltdowns, such as extreme emotional outbursts
• May engage in self-soothing behavior or self-injury during distress

Symptoms of autism often appear by age 2, though some may be noticeable even earlier. Early diagnosis and intervention can significantly improve outcomes, especially through behavioral therapy, speech therapy, and other types of therapy.

Though children with autism may face challenges, many also display strengths and special abilities, such as great attention to detail, excellent memory, unique problem-solving skills, and enhanced pattern recognition. Supportive environments and individualized care allow many children with autism to thrive in everyday situations.

The Documentary “Unleashing Hope”

The documentary, which is streaming on Hulu, shows how service dogs are trained not only to offer companionship, but to reduce anxiety and enhance social engagement among children with an autism diagnosis. Parents in the film share successes, such as their children sleeping peacefully for the first time in years or entering public spaces without fear — thanks to their four-legged companions.

Rosie O’Donnell’s autistic child, Clay, who identifies as nonbinary and was diagnosed with autism at age 2, experienced a dramatic shift in their ability to connect and thrive after being paired with their service dog, Kuma.

“My child is completely different because of the dog,” O’Donnell shared in an interview. “They (Clay) have calmed down. They have a sense of connection. I was in shock. At the end of the year, they were getting most-improved student at school.”

In addition to celebrating the courage of the families and the loyalty of the service dogs, “Unleashing Hope” also acknowledges the dedicated trainers, volunteers, and donors who make these matches possible. The film includes interviews with GDA | TLC staff, who explain how the program functions and how it is funded through charitable contributions and community support.

Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines

GDA | TLC breeds, raises, and trains guide dogs for individuals who are blind/visually impaired and service dogs for disabled veterans and children with autism. They also provide facility dogs to professionals in schools, hospitals, and courtrooms. All the programs and services are free for the recipients.

Though the dogs are ultimately for the benefit of veterans, autistic children, and people experiencing blindness, the inmates who train the dogs also benefit from the companionship the dogs offer and from the sense that they are helping people overcome obstacles.

Participating in the program benefits the inmates even after they leave prison and the program. Eighty percent of people released from state prison reoffend at least once in the 10 years after they are released. None of the inmates who have participated in the guide dog training program have reoffended.

Resources for Parents of a Child With Autism

In addition to GDA | TLC, other resources, such as the Association for Autism and Neurodiversity (AANE), seek to help people with autism. Parents of children with autism may also be able to receive support from their state government or the federal government, through programs such as Supplemental Security Income or Medicaid. Contact a special needs planning attorney in your area to learn more about available benefits, how to plan for your autistic child’s future, or help with issues of discrimination.

For additional reading about service animals as well as autism, check out the following articles:

• For People With Autism, New Law Signals Renewed Support
• Disability Rights and Service Animals
• Emotional Support Animals for Children With Disabilities
• Developing Financial Skills in Kids With Autism
• Advancements in Diagnosing and Supporting Kids With Autism
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for Children With Autism