After six months of being confined to their homes due to coronavirus restrictions, schools gradually reopened and welcomed students back as the regulations loosened. The transition of returning to school can be stressful for students, which can be problematic, particularly for students with special needs.
However, Escola Iris, a school for students with special needs in the municipality of Sant Vicenç dels Horts in Barcelona, Spain, appeared to have resolved this problem through a four-legged friend’s help: a yellow Labrador named Soul.
Five students with special needs and their family members eagerly awaited Soul’s arrival in one class at Escola Iris. Eventually, Soul the yellow Labrador entered and enthusiastically greeted each child with a tail wag and licks. The children’s anxiety abruptly transformed into smiles and laughter.
Soul is a member of Escola Iris’ dog-assisted therapy program. According to the school director, Joan Frencesc Porras, the students have become more responsive and cooperative. They realized that Soul was an indispensable tool for bringing out their children’s best qualities.
Meritxell Arias, one of the special education teachers, remarked on Soul’s interaction with the children and their overall response. She observed that children pay the most attention to the dog, and she hypothesizes that this is because the dog smiles.
In contrast, everyone else had to wear a mask for hygienic reasons. However, since Soul isn’t required to wear one, her facial expressions are readily visible to the children.
Soul reminded Hector Aguera, a 14-year-old with autism spectrum disorder from Terrassa, Spain, of his therapy dog, Niko. He recalls his initial interactions with him, stating that he was afraid of him due to his size as a large dog.
Hector realized, however, that Niko was always available to help him whenever he felt anxious or overwhelmed. His anxiety diminishes every time he pets him, and he becomes more at ease.
With Soul as a member of the institution, we know that she will significantly impact the students, like how Niko became instrumental in Hector’s development. We can’t wait to see happier and more assured students in the future.
Watch the video to learn more about Soul:
Source: Reuters via YouTube
