Dog-ownership and paediatric neurodevelopmental disorders; 'pawsitive' impact: a systematic review

Owning a dog has been associated with improved well-being and this study focused on dog ownership in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), especially in autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

This systematic review utilised Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) and three databases, EMBASE, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library, to assess dog ownership and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Paper screening and data extraction were performed in duplicate using Covidence. The five domains of neurodevelopment that were reviewed included cognitive, social and emotional, speech and language, fine motor and gross motor developmental outcomes.

There were 451 papers reviewed and 16 were included in the final analysis. Despite heterogeneous reporting methods, the impact of dog ownership on children with ASD was positive across multiple domains of neurodevelopment. Fourteen studies reported improved emotional regulation and social engagement in children with ASD with a dog. Improvements in cognitive, speech and language function were reported in seven studies. Additionally, in six of the studies, a pet dog improved family dynamics and reduced anxiety levels in parents of children with ASD. The most common study design included in the systematic review was cross-sectional studies, labrador-retrievers were the most commonly reported dog breed. Eight studies reported the presence of an additional household pet.

Dog ownership was a feasible non-pharmacological intervention, as part of a global, multi-disciplinary approach for children with NDD. Large prospective cohort studies could investigate the mechanism by which dogs provide positive changes in the life of a child with ASD and long-term outcomes.

This study highlights that dog ownership in children with neurodevelopment disorders is associated with longstanding benefits in neurodevelopmental outcomes and has wider-reaching effects on the child's family. This is the first systematic review examining the effect of dog ownership in this cohort and hopes to progress the field of dog ownership in paediatric neurodevelopmental disorders. The lasting impact dogs have on the lives of children with neurodevelopmental disorders should be viewed as a non-pharmacological adjunct to the holistic care of this patient cohort and highlights the potential for implementation of animal-assisted interventions in future treatment plans.