Health

Kids with autism supported by service dogs, as research and families note 'incredible changes'

Published

11 months ago

April 9, 2025

Kids with autism supported by service dogs, as research and families note 'incredible changes'

Having a furry friend can add fun and companionship for anyone — but for children with autism, it can be life-changing.

A recent study from the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine evaluated the impact of service dogs on autistic children and their caregivers in 75 families.

Working with nonprofit service dog provider Canine Companions, the researchers found that having a service dog was associated with “significantly better child sleep behaviors,” including less sleep anxiety and better sleep initiation and duration.

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In an interview with Fox News Digital, lead researcher Dr. Maggie O’Haire, associate dean of research at the university, said the research was sparked by the growing number of programs that pair service dogs with autistic children.

A recent study from the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine evaluated the impact of service dogs on autistic children and their caregivers. (iStock)

The sleep improvements are particularly important for the child and the entire family, O’Haire said.

Children were able to sleep in their room more independently when the dog was present, the researchers found.

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“The dog provides that source of calm and comfort, which probably reduces the anxiety,” she said. “And also, if they wake up a little bit in the night and their service dog is there, they’re probably more easily able to fall back to sleep on their own.”

Families also reported experiencing less stigma and judgment and making more positive social connections when out in public with a service dog, according to O’Haire.

Making a ‘huge difference’

Washington mom Amanda Harpell-Franz shared that her son, Evan, who has autism, has also enjoyed the many benefits of having a service dog.

“Evan is vibrant, curious, compassionate — he just lights up our lives,” Harpell-Franz described her 7-year-old son in an interview with Fox News Digital. “Most people who meet him say there’s something about him that is just so endearing and engaging.”

Evan, 7, is pictured with his service dog, Kalvin. Since the family welcomed Kalvin, Evan’s mother said he is attending school and extracurricular activities consistently and without struggle. (Canine Companions)

“He’s very active, loves being outside, loves connecting with his friends,” she said. “He loves to swim … He’s just a life-giving kid. He notices things other people don’t notice. Very empathetic, sweet kid.”

Evan was born a week early and experienced seizures, which have since stabilized, but left him with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

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Harpell-Franz later noticed signs of severe anxiety, difficulty understanding social cues, and regressed speech, ultimately leading to his autism diagnosis.

“It definitely shapes how Evan sees this world and how he takes in this world,” she said. “We definitely do not see it as a deficit or something bad, but it does have its challenges.”

Evan struggled in social settings before he was placed with his service dog, Kalvin, through Canine Companions.

Harpell-Franz, who is a previous foster parent and longtime dog owner, spoke of the “huge difference” that Kalvin — a lab and golden retriever mix — has made for her son and his relationships.

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Evan has also slept better since receiving his own service dog, his mother said. Kalvin sleeps next to him every night, the physical pressure helping the boy get better rest.

“Evan and Calvin sleep back-to-back,” said Harpell-Franz. “Evan will reach over and lay his head on Kalvin. Kalvin puts his arm on Evan.”

Kalvin is trained to apply deep pressure when needed, even while Evan is sitting in a chair, with either a paw or his whole body. (Canine Companions)

Since Kalvin joined their family, Harpell-Franz said Evan has been attending school and extracurricular activities consistently and without struggle.

Kalvin also takes some of the attention off Evan in social spaces, she added, which can relieve social pressure.

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Kalvin is trained to apply deep pressure when needed, even while Evan is sitting in a chair, with either a paw or his whole body.

“Kalvin lying across his body, it actually really calms him,” Harpell-Franz said. “It’s honestly been beautiful seeing that happen so naturally — it was one of the things we hoped for.”

The Harpell-Franz family has three dogs at home, including Kalvin. (Chris Kittredge)

Overcoming barriers

Theadora Block, research program manager at Canine Companions in California, shared with Fox News Digital how service dogs are specially trained to calm and protect their owners and are placed to suit a family’s specific needs.

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The dogs — which are mostly labs, golden retrievers or a combination — are “mellow, really stable, love interacting with humans, and genuinely love doing their jobs,” she said.

Service dogs are specially trained to calm and protect their owners and are placed to suit a family’s specific needs, said a representative of Canine Companions. (Canine Companions)

As the wait for service dog placement can sometimes be up to two years, Block encouraged people to sign up if there is any interest for the future.

O’Haire emphasized the need for more research into how service dogs can better accommodate families.

“We’ve seen anecdotes over the years of many incredible changes for children with autism and their families,” she said.

“We’ve seen barriers they’ve faced in terms of access policy and insurance support, and those changes are going to require evidence.”

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

Common nighttime noise exposure may trigger heart problems, study suggests

Published

2 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Common nighttime noise exposure may trigger heart problems, study suggests

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Living near heavy traffic could negatively impact your heart health.

A European study, published in the journal Environmental Research, found that exposure to nighttime road traffic noise is linked to changes in the blood, leading to worsened cholesterol and cardiovascular risks.

The researchers considered data from the U.K. Biobank, Rotterdam Study, and Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, including more than 272,000 adults over the age of 30, according to a press release.

Nighttime road noise exposure was estimated at all participants’ homes based on national noise maps. Researchers also took blood samples to measure the participants’ metabolic biomarkers for disease, then mapped the link between nightly noise levels and existence of biomarkers.

Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers. (iStock)

The study found that people exposed to louder noise at night — especially sounds above 55 decibels — showed changes in 48 different substances in their blood. Twenty of these associations “remained robust” throughout all cohorts.

Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers, especially LDL “bad” cholesterol, IDL (intermediate-density lipoprotein) and unsaturated fatty acids.

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As noise levels increased, starting at around 50 decibels, cholesterol markers rose steadily, the release stated.

The authors concluded that this study “provides evidence that nighttime road traffic noise exposure from 50 dB upward is associated with alterations in blood cholesterol and lipid profiles in adults.”

Researchers noted a link between traffic noise and cardiometabolic disease. (iStock)

Study co-author Yiyan He, doctoral researcher at the University of Oulu in Finland, noted that in this type of research, small effect sizes are expected, and environmental exposures such as traffic noise are “typically modest.”

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“Despite this, we observed statistically robust and consistent associations across many biomarkers, especially those related to LDL and IDL lipoproteins,” she told Fox News Digital.

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“We also identified a clear exposure-response pattern starting at around 50 dB, suggesting that metabolic changes become more evident as noise levels increase.”

This aligns with public health guidance, as the World Health Organization recommends lower nighttime noise limits at around 40 to 45 dB, Yiyan He added.

“This finding may clarify the association between traffic noise and cardiometabolic diseases,” the researchers wrote. (iStock)

“The 55 dB level is often used as an interim benchmark associated with substantial noise annoyance and sleep disturbance,” she said. “In our study, we observed associations not only at 55 dB, but also indications of effects emerging at around 50 dB.”

The strength and consistency of the cholesterol-related associations were surprising, as these changes are usually “subtle.”

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“Instead, we found consistent associations across multiple large European cohorts, which strengthens confidence that the findings may reflect real biological patterns,” Yiyan He went on. “We were also interested to see that effects were minimal below ~50 dB, suggesting a possible threshold-like pattern.”

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The researcher noted that these findings were consistent across genders, education levels and obesity status.

The study was restricted to White Europeans, which posed a limitation. There was also a lack of information on the fasting status in the UK Biobank.

Changes in cholesterol levels were more severe than researchers expected. (iStock)

“Fasting can influence levels of certain metabolites, particularly fatty acids,” Yiyan He said. “However, based on UK Biobank documentation, fewer than 10% of participants were fasting for at least eight hours, and our main findings focused on cholesterol-related biomarkers, which are generally less sensitive to short-term fasting.”

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The researchers also lacked information on bedroom location, indoor noise exposure and time spent at home.

“These factors may introduce non-differential exposure misclassification,” Yiyan He said. “Additionally, noise exposure estimates were based on participants’ temporary residential addresses at the time of blood sampling, without considering the duration of residence.”

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“Many of these limitations would tend to bias results toward the null, so the consistent associations we observed remain noteworthy.”

Experts recommend taking measures to limit traffic noise at night. (iStock)

Based on this latest research, Yiyan He noted that nighttime noise is a “health-relevant exposure,” not just “an annoyance.”

“Our findings suggest that nighttime traffic noise may subtly but consistently affect metabolic health,” she said. “While the changes in cholesterol and lipid levels for any one individual are small, traffic noise affects a very large number of people, which means the potential public health impact could be substantial.”

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The researcher recommends taking measures like improving sound insulation, using noise-reducing strategies and placing bedrooms on the quieter side of the home when possible.

“Because sleep is a key pathway linking noise to health, protecting the nighttime sleep environment is especially important,” she added.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and a Faster Metabolism

Published

13 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and a Faster Metabolism

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and Fat Burn | Woman’s World

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