Children with Autism Benefit Greatly From Interacting with Guinea Pigs Study Confirms

Apparently cuteness is not the only virtue guinea pigs can offer to a child. A recent study confirms what has been shown by other previous studies, that these furry, playful creatures can help children with autism tremendously, The New York Times reported.

According to the newest study that was published in Developmental Psychobiology, spending time with guinea pigs at school enabled children on autism spectrum of disorders to engage in school activities more willingly. It also helped children to feel calmer and to interact with their peers.

The study involved a group of 99 children who were wearing special wristbands that measure their electrical signals and kept track of their arousal levels as they were playing with the guinea pigs, the Times said. Arousal levels are accepted as the predictors of one's anxiety level.

Although the animals also had positive effect on children who do not have autism, their arousal levels were elevated, which the researchers interpreted as due to excitement of playing with the guinea pigs. On the other hand, the effects on children with autism were remarkable; casual play time with the furry friends lowered children's anxiety levels, which is a common problem caused by autism that has negative effect on a child's social interactions.  

The Times reported that Dr. Geraldine Dawson from the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development called the study's conclusions "very promising" and said that they do not know what the mechanisms are yet. "Maybe it is easier to interact with others when you have a third object, rather than face-to-face interaction."  When she was reminded of another study that measured children's stress levels when playing with a toy with others instead of an animal, which showed no change or benefit, she said "They found something about the animal itself that was helpful"

Many parents said that after weeks of participating in the study, their children with autism reported feeling like they have a friend at school that they can spend time with.

Experts believe, even though it would be overextending to call the recent study "a therapy" and to expect that spending time with guinea pigs would allow children with autism to magically acquire the social skills they lack, the study offers hope. Guinea pigs could be used to create an environment for children with autism spectrum disorders in which they can be taught such skills directly while their stress levels are reduced, The Times reported.