Helping Children Meet Their Full Potential Faster
As part of Caliber’s community outreach and engagement commitment, we organized a fun #BeWithYourPet photo contest in March. In this heartwarming contest, parents had to share pictures of their child along with their pet(s) together. The event was organized to celebrate the unique bond & kinship between children with ASD and their pets. As we all know, animals have an uncanny ability to win the hearts of all. None more so in children on the spectrum each with their own unique situations.
Many children diagnosed with autism struggle with making friends and engaging in the social interactions. Research suggests that the bond with a pet, such a dogs or guinea pig, helps children overcome loneliness as well as lays the ground for improving social skills in the long run. Pets can facilitate new social connections in children with ASD, as pets often minimize the invisible barriers to social conversations and interactions. Pets are also great stress busters, whether it is the child or other family members. The healing power of the human-animal bond is being increasingly recognized for the difference it is making in the lives of many.
Coming back to the contest, the best picture selected was part of our 2021 calendar. The calendar was distributed to our staff, clients, and any family whose photo was featured in the calendar. The contest was thrown open to all American residents after the response received from Michigan state residents. There were no age restrictions as well as no entry fees.
One of the common characteristics of children with ASD is deficit social skills and challenges in forming social bonds, leading to many children with ASD facing loneliness and isolation. Research suggests that bond with an animal (such as dogs or guinea pigs) helps children overcome loneliness as well as lays the ground for improving social skills in the long run. Pets can facilitate new social connections in children with ASD, as pets often minimize the invisible barriers to social conversations and interactions. Pets are also great stress busters, whether it is the child or other family members. The healing power of the human-animal bond is being increasingly recognized for the difference it is making in the lives of many.
Coming back to the contest, the best picture selected was part of our 2021 calendar. The calendar was distributed to our staff, clients, and any family whose photo was featured in the calendar. The contest was thrown open to all American residents after the response received from Michigan state residents. There were no age restrictions as well as no entry fees.