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A 4 - The Oakville Beaver, W ednesday N o ve m b e r 6, 2002 Parents believe service dog would help autistic son (C o n tin u e d fro m p a g e A 1 ) in the home. NSD encourages all families to fundraise for their dog using local contacts. The Shahs are currently brainstorming fundraising ideas, but what they really want to do raise aware ness of NSD for parents with autistic children who have nowhere else to turn. "We tried everything, met with experts, we were willing to pay anything. We did a lot of research, and we still see specialists in the United States every year. You get to the point where you realize all kids are different. What may work on someone else may not necessarily work on your own child," said Sam. Heather Fowler, co-founder of NSD, said the organization has had great success in Canada with this program. "I've seen autistic kids that don't make eye contact, don't speak, and once they are placed with one of our dogs they begin talking, using their hands and utilizing the dogs." She said she has only seen positives with the program. "If I had to guess, I would say that it gives the children confidence." The program also benefits parents, she said. "Many parents feel locked up in their own homes. It's a major stress reliever. The dogs give the par ents the opportunity to relax." Since 1996, NSD has placed more than 50 dogs with families, Until that time, Heather and husband Chris trained service dogs at the Lions Foundation of Canada in Oakville, but decided to expand their training to include autism after receiving a desperate call from a woman looking for a dog to help with her four year-old autistic son. "They (NSD staff) are such nice people," said Salma. "We are so impressed by what they do. They do it cause they love the kids." Jamil has been in contact with a dog once. After his parents learned about the program they visited a friend's home who had a dog named Simon. The change in Jamil was immediate, said Sam. This boy who showed little emotion, affec tion and low eye contact began to pet Simon and verbalize with him. Jamil hasn't forgotten that visit, and continues to talk about the dog. Using a facilitated communicator, a plastic board with the alphabet on one side, numbers and the words "yes" and "no" on the other, Jamil points to the let ters and writes in his own flowery language, "Me think service dog like to have. Me like so much service dog, love me to have friend. Not me good at making friends. Quite me not know what to do with friends, quite they not know what to do with me. Me think service dog know me good love dog, quite me not know how me show love. It good know me love. Real me have love, like me to show dog." Jamil is afflicted with many allergies, and also has a disease called galactosemia, an inherited metabolic disorder that results in elevated levels of galactose in the blood and, if untreated, can lead to mental retardation and eye and liver abnormalities. He also has echolalia, the immediate and involun tary repetition of words or phrases. "It's a way of life. You get used to it," said Salma. Jamil has overcome many obstacles. He only BEAT THE CHRISTMAS RUSH SHOP EARLY! · · · Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. A neurological disorder, autism affects the functioning of the brain, and impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and com munication skills. Children and adults with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social inter actions, and leisure or play activities. It is estimated that between 2 - 6 out of every 1,000 individuals have some form of autism. It is four times more prevalent in boys than girls. Salma said Jamil did attend school, but would play dumb to get out of class activities. "He's a good actor." She homeschools him now, so she can focus on him entirely. Sam is also close to home, working out of his home as an account ant. This way they can give Jamil the attention that he needs. They have one more child Nadia, 6, whom Jamil absolutely adores and calls her his "most beautiful sister". Using the homeschool curriculum provided by the Ministry of Education as a guide, Salma has tailored it to fit Jamil's require ments. As part of his physical program, the home is equipped with padded rug runners in every walkway to protect Jamil's joints when he crawls on his hands and knees, and they've converted a spare room into an acrobatic work room for Jamil, complete with monkey bars, and gymnastics mats. "He has to follow a certain type of exercise to help him physi cally and mentally," said Sam. "He probably has more muscle than Liesa Kortmann · Oakville Beaver anybody else I know. He has no fat. He's healthier than any of us." They then work on spelling, storywriting (which is one of his Jamil Shah and his mother, Salma, practice favourites), and play educational games on the computer. A math his letters and numbers on his facilitative wiz and a speed reader, Jamil enjoys reading biographies mostly, communicator. but his absolute favourite is National Geographic. He still speaks recently learned how to chew (his mother would very little. stimulate his gums using her hands), and his par "There's a lot of language in him, but he can't retrieve the ents remember when he was finally able to smell. words," said Salma. "He smelled everything in the house, two or In response Jamil writes a heartfelt message, "So much I really three times," they said. want to speak." Salma believes the service dog will be a blessing. Right now, she said she doesn't go out because she never knows what will happen. She said Jamil understands everything, but has no control over his actions. She talks about the time they went to McDonalds and Jamil touched a stranger's meal. The woman created a scene, much to Salma's embarrassment. `T o look at Jamil, you wouldn't know that anything was wrong with him. He looks like a regular boy. People wouldn't know he's autistic and can't control his behaviour. To them it looks like he is just a bad kid. With a service dog, it will signal to the world that he is a special needs child." Salma and Sam, married for 14 years, know exactly how they will spend their time together when Jamil receive's his service dog. "It will be amazing to be able to just relax with my husband and go for a walk," said Salma with a smile. To help sponsor a service dog for Jamil please call National Service Dogs at 519-662-4223 or e-mail info@nsd.on.ca. 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