The Autistic Child Establishing a Significant Bond with an Animal: The Possibilities of Therapeutic Interventions

Bonds with animal are constructed early on in the course of a child’s development. They present certain characteristics which differentiate them from relations with another human being. Thus, although the animal also shows himself to be contingent, his behavior is more predictable and less complex than that of a human. The child gives the animal significance, gives him meaning. Moreover, communication with the animal most commonly takes place on a non-verbal level and often involves tactile exchanges. These specificities make him a more accessible partner for the child without developmental problems and constitute some real assets in therapeutic work with children suffering from autism. Indeed, autism is characterized by interactional and communicative difficulties which can be improved following structured contact with animal. The aim of this article is thus to recapitulate the principal theoretical arguments which show the animal to be a singular partner for children in general and for autistic children in particular.