Study Shows Bonding With New Pet May Improve Socialization <\/p>\n
By Salynn Boyles WebMD Health News <\/p>\n
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD <\/p>\n
Aug. 1, 2012 -- By just about any measure of accomplishment, Danny Gross would be considered a successful young adult. <\/p>\n
The 25-year-old is a popular graduate student in cinematic arts at the University of Southern California, and his mother, Patty, calls him an all-around great kid. <\/p>\n
He is also on the autism spectrum. <\/p>\n
His mother is convinced that his childhood golden retriever, Madison, who joined the family when Danny was 7, played a part in his success, and a new study backs up the claim. <\/p>\n
Although there is plenty of anecdotal evidence linking pet ownership to better socialization in children with autism, the study is among the first to explore the connection. <\/p>\n
Researchers in France tested behavior and intelligence in 260 children with autism who did and did not have pets -- mostly dogs and cats. <\/p>\n
They found that those who became pet owners after the age of 5 performed better than children without pets on two key measures of social functioning -- offering comfort and offering to share. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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