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Therapy Dog for Caden

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Caden just turned a year old on March 26, 2016. He was born with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and is deaf in both ears. We recently found out the cause of his hearing loss. While I was pregnant with my sweet boy I caught the cytomegalovirus (CMV), which I would've shown no symptoms. This particular virus is very dangerous for the baby in utero as it can travel to the baby and cause many problems. Caden was born with congenital CMV, which has caused developmental delays, cerebral palsy, microcephaly, hearing loss, and he is more likely to have seizures due to calcifications around his brain. We have started our journey with sign language, hearing aids, speech therapy, cochlear implants, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. Due to Caden's cerebral palsy it's difficult for him to move his arms in a way that other kids his age do. He hasn't quite started crawling or walking yet, but he's almost got the hang of sitting up all on his own! His therapists have been making great progress with him! Caden loves being outside, loves his big brother, and he absolutely adores dogs!! He is most vocal and active when he gets to play with dogs and puppies! He gets so excited and starts trying to reach for and pat the dogs, and cooing and making lots of noise. Any noise he makes is great for his vocal chords! Having a therapy dog for Caden will help him improve his motor skills, motivate him to speak and make sounds, and improve his mood after many therapy sessions. 

"THERAPY
Dogs provide many opportunities for exercise: grooming them, throwing a ball or frisbee, playing tug games, etc. All of these help keep their human partner moving and staying limber. Many times a person will push themselves to strive harder for their dog than they'd ever do just for themselves. In quite a few cases, these special canines are also trained to assist with a structured physical therapy exercise such as lying across legs to give balance for sit-ups or providing a brace for the partner to use while walking or transferring from a wheelchair.

PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS
No matter how rotten a day has been, these special dogs provide affection during those hard times and offer unconditional love and support. So often a person with a disability will put on a brave front but inside will be in pain, scared, depressed, frustrated, angry, or just plain exhausted with dealing with the effects of their disability. Having their canine partner there, giving them both physical and emotional support can make the difference between a tolerable day and one where you just want to give up.

SOCIAL BENEFITS
Many times individuals with disabilities experience isolation and in some instances, outright shunning because others feel uncomfortable with how they should act around them. Unknown circumstances can be scary and humans are notorious for avoiding situations where they don't know what to do or how to act. Having a Service Dog helps to bridge that uncomfortable barrier. Where someone would feel they couldn't possibly ask how a person deals with their disability, they're easily able to show an interest in how the dog helps their partner. This increased social interaction greatly lessens the isolation and feelings of being alone that the disable individual must cope with every day. As one partner once said “my dog makes my wheelchair disappear”. That pretty much says it all, right there." - Shore Service Dogs Inc.

The funds will go to finding a great therapy dog for Caden, vet bills, extensive therapy/service training, and accessories.
Thank you for your support, love, and prayers for our sweet boy. ❤️
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  • Anonymous
    • $5 
    • 8 yrs
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Organizer

Taylor Primeaux
Organizer
New Iberia, LA

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