Boy’s best friend

Dog connects to boy with autism and family

By Connie Cartmell, ccartmell@mariettatimes.com
There’s a fresh face in the family circle at Toby and Beth Ann Eddy’s house in Oak Grove.

The newcomer joins Beth Ann and Toby Eddy, their children, Craven, 5, and Coe, 4, and a cranky Chihuahua determined to see the interloper out the back door, over the hill, and gone forever.

The new guy’s name is Smokie and he’s staying.

With a sleek silver gray coat, wet nose, and calming nature, he aims to please. At barely over a year old, this $12,000 pup has some awesome job responsibilities ahead.

He is likely the first autism assistance dog in Washington County.

Beth Ann Eddy wrestles playfully with Smokie on the living room floor, while Toby Eddy, her husband, prepares bedtime snacks for his sons. A trip to Columbus Thursday left the entire gang, including Smokie, pretty worn out.

“Smokie goes with us everywhere, wherever we go. He goes anywhere my son is allowed to go,” Beth Ann Eddy, a registered nurse, says. “Legally, we’re a three-person team, handler, dog, and child.”

Smokie is a service dog rigorously trained for his life’s work by 4 Paws For Ability, Xenia, Ohio. The mission of the organization is to enrich the daily lives of people with disabilities.

“His job is with the kids,” she said. “He works 24 hours a day. The more interaction Smokie has with the kids, the better.”

The 45-pound shepherd and Lab mix has been with the family since before Easter and already he’s found a cozy spot on the bed.

In years to come, it is hoped this amiable canine companion will provide safety, security, and promote independent living as Craven Eddy, 5, a child with autism, grows into young adulthood.

“We have him primarily for tracking. He’s an excellent tracker, one of the best,” Beth Ann Eddy said. “We went to a baseball game in New Matamoras and the boys got a little out ahead of us. Smokie was immediately right after them. If Craven ever goes missing, we feel secure that Smokie will quickly find him.”

An additional benefit is that Smokie may help draw Craven from his isolation.

Toby Eddy, a licensed practical nurse, is deeply grateful for his sister’s role and hard work in securing funds for the service dog.

Throughout last year, various fund raising events, from dinners to a Father’s Day event provided donations to earn the $12,000 required.

The family is thankful.

“There were many Washington County merchants who donated, a local Methodist church contributed significantly and also the Shriners,” he said. “My sister, Terri Mosher of Amesville, worked very hard to coordinate it all.”

Without help, the Eddys said they could not have provided Smokie on their own.

Beth Ann Eddy tells the story of one of the 11 days the family spent in training at Xenia, before bringing Smokie home to Marietta in March. There were 10 other families (and their dogs) in training.

“My mother was with us to help during our training, and when she saw Craven and Smokie wrestling around on the bed in the motel room, she said that was the first time she saw Craven play,” Beth Ann Eddy said.

Craven Eddy is the couple’s first child. He’ll be 6 years old in May. When he was a newborn, Craven was perfectly normal and typical, his mother said. They noticed nothing out of the ordinary.

“At 2 months old, Craven got his shots (normal childhood immunizations) and that night, something happened to him,” Beth Ann Eddy said. “By the time he was 6 months old, he wouldn’t babble or coo. He just started dropping off.”

Whether there is a link betweev autism and vaccinations has been the subject of some controversy.

Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life, according to the Autism Society of America. It is a spectrum disorder and affects each individual differently and at varying degrees.

Attacking the neurological systems, autism affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in social interaction and communication skills.

Craven sometimes wears earphones to produce calming sounds and to block out normal household commotion that might upset him, sending him into a “meltdown” of emotional distress.

He attends kindergarten at Phillips Elementary School, which has a classroom for children with autism. Smokie may be permitted to attend classes with Craven next year, when someone is found to handle him at school and when the service dog is written into the child’s Independent Education Plan (IEP), Beth Ann Eddy said.

Autism affects an estimated one in 150 births today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2007). There is no known cause of autism and no cure. Early intervention, special diets, and intensive therapies often help.

Each incidence of autism is individual and unique. Both boys and girls are affected, but boys often more.

Service dogs are a relatively new approach to autism intervention, although companion helper animals have helped people of all ages function and cope. Those suffering from everything from multiple sclerosis (MS) and paralysis, to Down syndrome and even Alzheimer’s are helped by companion dogs. For generations, specially trained dogs have provided “eyes” to the blind.

Smearing a dab of peanut butter on Craven Eddy’s cheek is enough to get an eager kiss from Smokie. It’s one way the two are bonded.

“When we put Smokie’s service harness on, he is a different dog,” Beth Eddy said. “He is ready to go to work, but he is always ready to socialize with Craven.”



Seminar to raise awareness about autism programs

By Connie Cartmell, ccartmell@mariettatimes.com'>ccartmell@mariettatimes.com

When Megan Krivchenia first began family therapy practice years go, autism was a topic that seldom, if ever, came to light with parents, physicians, or therapists themselves.

It wasn't that there were no individuals in the community diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, but that a diagnosis at that time, was few and far between.

"It was there, but we called it different things over the years," said Krivchenia, who is now retired from practice. "Today autism is certainly growing and there are lots of questions about it."

Autism has soared in public interest and awareness in recent years - enough to now have its own month — April — designated to the disorder.

It is the most common of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders, affecting an estimated one in 150 births (Centers for Disease Control Prevention 2007). Roughly, this means as many as 1.5 million Americans today are believed to have some form of autism and this number is on the rise, according to the Autism Society of America (ASA).

To help answer general questions about autism and to focus on programs offered in this community, the local chapter of the American Association of University Women, in cooperation with Ewing School, is presenting a community forum from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at Ewing, 1702 Colegate Drive.

Described as an "overview," the program about autism is free and open to the public. Child care is available, but reservations are requested ahead of time.

"Parents, grandparents, teachers, and other professionals certainly will benefit from having an opportunity to hear about autism and to ask questions," Krivchenia, vice president of the AAUW, said. "That's what this program is about."

Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder, according to the ASA.

It affects normal functioning of the brain, impacting a child's development in areas of social interaction and communication skills.

Autism is a spectrum disorder and affects each individual at varying degrees. Early diagnosis and early intervention are considered the most important tools in helping children.