Why a Service Dog?

Many of you have ask us, 'why a service dog?" So I hope the following will answer those questions.
"Because of nicotine, alcohol, and cocaine exposure in utero, Kennan has the following diagnosis:
ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder); ODD (oppositional defiant disorder); SPD (Sensory processing disorder); DBD (disruptive behavior disorder); Unspecified learning disorder; Probable FASD/ARND (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder/alcohol related neurodevelopmental disorder)
The biggest challenges we've faced so far are: acting out and disruptive behavior, name calling, and difficulty controlling angry outbursts. Kennan has a hard time concentrating and is very impulsive. He has a hard time learning from consequences. He struggles with frustration because of sensory misinterpretations (kind of like crossed wires). Certain types of textures, noises, and touches send him into meltdown.
We and his medical professionals believe a specially trained service dog will be a calming effect for Kennan in both public and home situations where he is over-stimulated. It can help him calm down at night so he can go and stay asleep, improve his attention span, improve social interactions with age matched peers, decrease aggression toward others and himself when he is over stimulated, and improve self-confidence and performance in school. The dog will be trained to be tethered and can track Kennan if he wanders. This wonderful dog will also be trained to disrupt inappropriate behaviors in Kennan and hopefully lessen or prevent meltdowns."
The Service Dog that will eventually be matched with Kennan will be trained to respond to specific cues that will be tied to pre or early indicators of a forth coming meltdown and to try and prevent those. And he will be Kennan's companion night and day. He will be trained to be in public with Kennan and can even go to school with Kennan if the need arises.
Some side benefits that have come from services dogs for FASD kids include: higher self esteem, less egocentric behavior, greater ability to recognise social cues, an easier time in social settings, and the Service Dog also seems to act as a deterrent to peers who want to influence the child to engage in activities they shouldn't.