A Service Dog ~Chance~ For Owen
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A Service Dog for Owen
Owen is almost 6 years old and has been diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, and Hyperphagia (constant hunger- the inability to feel full). Owen struggles daily with hunger and social issues. The doctors don’t know how to treat Owen’s Hyperphagia so we lock our cabinets, and refrigerator every day and every night with child safety locks. We have to control every thing he eats because Owen doesn’t know when to stop eating.
At 3 yrs old Owen was clinically obese and we have worked really hard to help manage his weight and provide healthy choices. However as Owen gets older, the child safety locks will not be enough to keep him out of the refrigerator and cabinets. We are faced with the frightening possibility that if he wakes in the middle of the night, forages for food and can’t stop eating, he could eat until his stomach explodes. As unpleasant as this sounds, this is a very real possibility and has happened to some people who suffer from hyperphagia.
How can we protect him?
That’s where we need your help. Owen needs a service dog.
A service dog would help Owen with his anxiety over social situations and his anxiety over school and having to eat lunch with his peers. A service dog would help Owen on his school bus with the anxiety of having to sit too close to peers. A service dog would help provide some pressure by lying on Owen’s lap to help calm him. A service dog would most importantly help guide Owen to a “safe zone” and alert us that he is awake and foraging for food.
A service dog would change Owen’s life and give him some independence and control over his own world.
Then.....
And Now.....
Help us to keep Owen on the right path.... Help us to change Owen's life.
Owen is almost 6 years old and has been diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, and Hyperphagia (constant hunger- the inability to feel full). Owen struggles daily with hunger and social issues. The doctors don’t know how to treat Owen’s Hyperphagia so we lock our cabinets, and refrigerator every day and every night with child safety locks. We have to control every thing he eats because Owen doesn’t know when to stop eating.
At 3 yrs old Owen was clinically obese and we have worked really hard to help manage his weight and provide healthy choices. However as Owen gets older, the child safety locks will not be enough to keep him out of the refrigerator and cabinets. We are faced with the frightening possibility that if he wakes in the middle of the night, forages for food and can’t stop eating, he could eat until his stomach explodes. As unpleasant as this sounds, this is a very real possibility and has happened to some people who suffer from hyperphagia.
How can we protect him?
That’s where we need your help. Owen needs a service dog.
A service dog would help Owen with his anxiety over social situations and his anxiety over school and having to eat lunch with his peers. A service dog would help Owen on his school bus with the anxiety of having to sit too close to peers. A service dog would help provide some pressure by lying on Owen’s lap to help calm him. A service dog would most importantly help guide Owen to a “safe zone” and alert us that he is awake and foraging for food.
A service dog would change Owen’s life and give him some independence and control over his own world.
Then.....And Now.....Help us to keep Owen on the right path.... Help us to change Owen's life.
Organizer
Colleen Harrigan Corcoran
Organizer
Virginia Beach, VA
