A Service Dog for Isabella

KAn anonymous donor has reached out with a offer to match up to $8500.00!

Our Story

To our amazing friends, family, helpers, and community, thank you. Your support means the world to us. Our daughter Isabella is such a bright ray of sunshine. She is bright, funny, and loving. She loves her siblings, turtles, running, playing on our swing set, and swimming. We adore her so much and want the absolute best for her. 

When Isabella was 6, she was diagnosed with severe ADHD. At the age of 11, she was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The severity of Isabella's ADHD initially masked Isabella's Autism. This is not an easy road to walk with a child. Isabella entered middle school this year and has been struggling greatly with this transition. Isabella is in 6th grade this year however, functions socially at a 3rd-grade level. Isabella would greatly benefit from social skills group therapy but with the arrival of this current pandemic group therapy is impossible. Since COVID has arrived Isabella has experienced a tremendous increase in anxiety, her social skills have regressed, and has often had the inability to cope with some basic life stressors causing an escalation in emotional lability and behavior unpredictability.  Consistency and routine are everything to a child diagnosed with autism, and we are now living a very uncertain and inconsistent life due to COVID.

Isabella struggles with becoming easily frustrated, hyperactivity, anxiety, cooperatively playing with other children, and is prone to sensory overload from auditory, visual, and tactile stimuli.  An adult has to keep a mindful eye on her when she is around other children because she often does not understand "normal" social cues. She has poor body awareness which leads to her legs and arms swinging around and can unintentionally touch other people around her.  Other children have tried to harm her due to these instances. All Isabella wants is to have friends and to fit in. This has proven devastatingly complicated in her new middle school setting.  Isabella often comes home in tears asking why no one will be her friend. My husband and I often have to enlist help from our 9-year old twins to help calm Isabella's anxiety. They are usually her only playmates. Our other children are confused by this as they do not quite understand Isabella's diagnosis and the challenges that follow. This is heart-wrenching to witness as a parent.

 My husband and I try to expose Isabella to everything the world has to offer. Going out to dinner can be particularly challenging for Isabella as restaurants are typically full of people talking, laughing, glasses clinking, and tapping metal utensils on plates which becomes very over stimulating quickly for her.  Also, Isabella has difficulty sitting in chairs due to ADHD and often stands at the table. Due to sensory problems, Isabella will not use metal silverware, which often causes people to stare and whisper in restaurants. Isabella tries to self-soothe but emotionally and behaviorally she acts out which can cause a scene causing much-unwanted attention. Typically we leave before we're finished eating as Isabella is very aware of the unwanted attention and has her feelings hurt. Isabella is a little girl who does not know she is different from other children and why they treat her poorly.  Children and even adults witness some of Isabella's behaviors and immediately call her names and/or completely dismiss her. 

We are at the beginning of Isabella's journey with Autism and are doing everything we possibly can to prepare her to be successful in life and her personal relationships.  This will take time and a lot of fo work but we are willing to do whatever it takes to keep her safe, happy, and healthy both mentally and physically. Therapies can only go so far. I'm not too proud to say WE NEED HELP! We have begun looking into getting an autism service dog. It would mean so much to our family and Isabella. Autism service dogs can be trained to provide a variety of services for a child with Autism. They can provide deep pressure therapy, which can help calm, regulate, and provide anxiety relief. They also can be trained to interrupt some harmful stimuli and interrupt or even prevent meltdowns. Service dogs can also accompany her in public, including school to help provide comfort and a feeling of safety.  Dogs can also be trained to sleep with and to help her stay in bed all night. This is about quality of life-improving relationships for all of us. 

However, this doesn't come without a price tag. We are trying to raise $17,000.00 that will secure Isabella's service dog and to have it professionally trained for her specific needs.  It's a huge sum and unfortunately, we cannot afford it by ourselves.  We plan to fundraise for Isabella's cause! Thank you!