U of S researchers studying how service dogs can help children with cerebral palsy

Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan are looking at whetherservicedogs can helpchildren with cerebral palsy with their walking and balance.

Cerebral palsy alters motor skills, movementsand muscle tone. Sarah Donkers, a physiotherapist at the University of Saskatchewan, says trained service animals can help with the symptoms of the disorder and increase the self-confidence of children who suffer from it.

"A dog might allow more participation as a child ages," Donkers said. "They might have more confidence to go out and take the bus by themselves."

Donkers said researchers are using Labernese dogs, which are a Lab-Bernese mountain dog cross, for the study. They are also looking for 30 childrendiagnosed with cerebral palsyto participate.

She says that using service dogs might even be more effective for the kids than walkers or canes. At the very least she says the dogs are a more enjoyable option for children.

How the research is done

Donkers says that when her co-principal investigator did similar studies with stroke patients. They discovered that when a patient walked with a service animal, there was increased muscle activation on the side of the brain damaged by the stroke.

"If you think about an animal having it's own rhythm, we think there's something to do with that connection." Donkers said, "The animal is on their side and is alive and perhaps provides more confidence."

For the new study, researchers will monitor how a child with cerebral palsy walks with and without the dog. Donker says some children have canes or can only walk short distances.

"We'll measure things like where their pressure is in their foot, their walking speed and we'll put electrodes on them so we can look at muscle activity," Donker said."Then we'll have them walk with a dog and compare those to each other."

Donker said the effects on children's mobilityare only one component to the study. The other part is looking at training with the dogs themselves so they can properly assist in balancing and walking.