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Help Support Hudson's ASD Service Dog Funding

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Hudson was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at two years old. In his current state, Hudson cannot say many words to communicate his wants and needs or how he may be feeling, unlike most children his age. He has difficulty comprehending one-step directions, emotions, and safety. Loud settings, crowded environments, and new public places are challenging to process. Every child with autism has completely different needs than others, none being the same. It’s common for for children with autism to run or wander away alone from their caregivers. This is called elopement, and Hudson sometimes wishes to take an adventure as he is an inquisitive boy. A 2012 article published in the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics found that 49% of autistic children attempt to elope at least once after age 4. 26% of those kids were missing long enough to cause serious concern. Of those that went missing, 65% were in danger of a traffic injury, and another 24% were in danger of drowning. While our top priority is his safety, Hudson has no sense of danger or fear. That combination is common among autistic kids and can be incredibly terrifying.

Hudson has been approved for a service dog from Highland’s Canine Training LLC. The cost of a service dog through this program is currently around $20,000 due to their extensive training to meet the unique needs of each child. This cost is not covered by our health insurance. The amount seems high initially, but it makes sense when you realize how much goes into training a service dog from Highlands. Their dogs spend 1 - 2 YEARS receiving full-time training to become lifesaving service animals. That amount also includes the time of in-person training for Hudson and our family to learn how to handle a service dog and learn all the commands needed for success.

Autism service dogs can be trained in a variety of tasks to benefit a child with ASD. Some of these tasks which Hudson’s ASD service dog will be trained in include behavior disruption to distract and interrupt repetitive behaviors or meltdowns, deep pressure therapy, helping to prevent Hudson from wandering/eloping by tethering, as well as search and rescue tracking to locate Hudson, God forbid if he elopes, unseen. They also provide much-needed comfort and stability to Hudson, who struggles with transitions and changes in routine.

Funds raised will help purchase and train Hudson's ASD service dog. His dog will be an essential tool in his development that will help him stay calm when he is experiencing stress in public, help prevent injury to himself with some of his stims (repetitive behaviors), and ensure safety by keeping him from wandering or eloping.

We’re thankful and blessed for any support, prayers, and donations. They mean the world to our family as we will continue to advocate for our son. We will continue to bring you along this journey with us and raise awareness.

With heartfelt gratitude,
The Moore Family

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Donations 

  • Emily Ryan
    • $50
    • 3 mos
  • Spencer Nunez
    • $25
    • 4 mos
  • Annette Coffey
    • $50
    • 4 mos
  • Katie Offutt
    • $20
    • 4 mos
  • Courtney Jacobs
    • $25
    • 4 mos
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Organizer

Victoria Moore
Organizer
Richmond Hill, GA

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