Pets Rx: How a Furry Companion Can Help Protect Kids Against Stress and Obesity
By Chris Woolston, M.S., and Diana Hembree
More than 163 million cats and dogs currently make their homes in backyards and living rooms across America. That adds up to a lot of dug-up flower beds, vet bills, and ruined upholstery. It also adds up to a lot of happiness.
And for children suffering from trauma or hardship, a pet may add up to a lot of security and resilience.
Clients suffering from trauma or PTSD “may develop connections to animals that provide emotional support, a sense of protection, and/or attachment and grounding” during periods when their nervous system is on high alert, according to Ricky Greenwald, PsyD, of the Trauma Institute and Child Trauma Institute in Northampton, Massachusetts. In addition, he has written, pets boost the capacity for stable relationships and “help build up resilience in the face of adversity.”
To begin with, furry companions can promote mental health and resilience in children across the board, according to a 2015 study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine (JABFM).
Not only do children with pets demonstrate enhanced empathy, self-esteem, and problem-solving, the researchers found, they showed greater trust, community feeling, sense of safety and self-confidence. In addition, “pets provide comfort and act as confidants” for children, according to the authors.
To Cameron Woo, the editor of the literary dog magazine The Bark, this makes good sense. “Especially when there’s an only child, a dog can really round out a family and serve as sort of a canine brother or sister,” he told us. “Dogs are such a calming influence. Often a dog is a child’s first responsibility -- feeding him, taking him on walks, teaching him tricks, brushing him or whatever is age-appropriate -- this can definitely build a child’s self-confidence. Having a great companion who goes everywhere with you and is loyal, loving and non-judgmental can also teach a child a lot about healthy relationships.”
For children suffering the aftermath of trauma or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), dogs may help lower their stress: Studies have linked pets to reduced blood pressure in both children and adults. In one experiment, children were found to have lower blood pressure "in the mere presence of a dog, even though they didn't interact with the animal," wrote a researcher in an often-cited article from the Western Journal of Medicine.
"Stroking or petting an animal appears to lower both blood pressure and pulse rate in both the human who is petting and the animal being petted,” the authors reported.
One way pets may relieve stress and anxiety in children (and adults) is by triggering the activation of the so-called “love” hormone oxytocin, according to the study published by the JABFM. Its effects include lowered anxiety levels and reduced stress, blood pressure, and symptoms of depression, along with increased social interaction, self-confidence, and learning, the researchers noted. According to the journal, “Oxytocin concentrations in dog owners increase significantly when their pets gaze at them.”
Kids with dogs get more exercise
A canine companion may also help protect children against diseases related to stress and a sedentary lifestyle. A study in the American Journal of Public Health, for example, found that children who had dogs devoted more time to vigorous physical activity and took more steps every day than children without pets.
Outdoor play was also more common among kids with dogs, according to an article in Preventive Medicine.
“Dogs get children outside in nature and interacting with the natural world, which is not something kids always experience these days,” agreed Woo. “Also, research shows exposure to dogs helps build up kids’ immune systems.”
In an Australian study from Melbourne’s Deakin University, researchers found children 5 to 12 who had a dog were healthier than those who didn’t. Compared to kids without a pooch, young children who played with their dog were less likely to be overweight or obese.
And if your teen is spending a lot more time on social media or video games than exercise, consider making one of his chores walking the dog. A study from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville found that teens with dogs got more exercise than their peers without pooches.
However, some studies have found dogs have little or no effect on kids’ weight and exercise levels, so as a parent, you may want to start a tradition of daily family walks (dogs included).
And remember, babies, toddlers, and young children should never be left alone with a dog, even a small one, and non-aggressive breeds are a safer choice for you and your neighbors. The wrong pet could end up becoming the exact opposite of a stress reliever. Before bringing home an animal, choose carefully and consider how much attention, space, and time you can give to a new companion.
If you choose well, you'll have a friend for life -- and you and the kids don't need a clean bill of health to see the value in that.
--Chris Woolston, M.S., writes for Nature, the Los Angeles Times, Knowable and many other publications. A few lines of this article are adapted from an essay he wrote for LimeHealth and are used with permission. Diana Hembree is a science writer for the Center for Youth Wellness and is a former senior editor for Time Inc. Health.
