Last updated: 22 Jul, 2019
Published on: 16 Jan, 2014
The unlikely heroes helping children with autism
We’ve all heard about the relationships children with autism can forge with dogs, but a new PhD study by researchers at the University of Queensland has uncovered the social and educational advantages guinea pigs can offer children with autism.
The data collected across the two eight-week studies showed that schoolchildren with autism exhibited greatly heightened learning potential and social interaction with their peers whilst caring for guinea pigs in the classroom.
The students were found to be generally more cheerful, relaxed and open while interacting with the guinea pigs than they were with just toys.
You can learn more about these astounding results by listening to the full audio podcast on the Human Animal Science website. The interview with Project Director Maggie O’Haire reveals some very intriguing insights.