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Service dog could ease mother’s worries
The family must raise money for the animal's training, but the effort is complicated by mom's ALS disease.
By GAIL KOCH


MUNCIE -- There are few who know what to do when Christopher Burrows has an autistic "meltdown."

There is his mother, Claudia Burrows, friend Amy Stockwell, who lives with the family, and that's about it. But if the Burrowses get their wish, so would a service dog, a specially-trained canine that could fast become Christopher's best friend.




Claudia Burrows (left) watches as her son, Christopher, 10, and his aide, Amy Stockwell, play an identification game Monday in their home. The Burrowses are excellent candidates for a service dog, but they would first have to raise $14,000 to cover the cost of training the animal.

"He just loves dogs, all animals really," Claudia said, her speech slurred by ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).

Claudia, 46, was diagnosed with ALS three years ago. Commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, the disorder causes muscle deterioration for which there is no cure. In Claudia's case, "I've reached the point now where I have more bad days than good," she said.
Claudia's fatal condition makes it difficult to care for Christopher, 10, who also suffers from a weak immune system, asthma and low muscle tone that requires him to wear leg braces.

Both mother and son have wheelchairs for extended family excursions.

Their circumstances make them perfect candidates for a service dog, which could soothe Christopher's jangled nerves, keep track of his whereabouts and help Claudia with her own daily needs as her ALS worsens.

But before they can welcome such a dog to their home, the Burrows need to raise money for the animal's training -- about $14,000 in all, Claudia said.

It is a prospect that, while daunting, does not dampen her spirits. "I've experienced a lot of miracles in the last three years. I have faith that God takes care of the people who need it most," Claudia said.

Christopher Burrows, 10, works on a game with his aide, Amy Stockwell, on Monday.

Families raise own funds
If the family can raise the funds, they will travel to Xenia, Ohio, and visit 4 Paws for Ability, a non-profit agency that trains service dogs for people with disabilities such as seizure disorders, mobility impairments and autism.
Founder Karen Shirk said 4 Paws specializes in placing animals with people who often are turned away by other agencies or told they will have to wait years before they can get a service dog. Claudia contacted 4 Paws about a service dog for Christopher after she experienced similar rejections from other agencies.

Shirk said 4 Paws is one of a few service dog agencies nationwide that places animals with young children, having no age requirement for the child. In 2007, 4 Paws placed 69 dogs with families, nearly double the number of animals it placed in homes in 2005, she said.

With a disability of her own (a form of multiple sclerosis), Shirk said 4 Paws requires recipients of its dogs to raise funds for their training because "We believe people with disabilities can participate in these efforts themselves."

Doing so, she said, is empowering for the families involved. Training costs for 4 Paws animals ranges from $11,000 to $16,000, depending on the type of assistance required.


Fewer 'meltdowns' possible
Claudia Burrows said her son does not comprehend how a service dog will help him, but knows one may be on its way.
"A black one, a black one, ... I'd like a black one," Christopher said between bites of an afternoon snack during a recent interview. His round cheeks are flushed, and his eyes are bright behind the frame of his thick glasses.

Amy Stockwell said she hopes a service dog for Christopher will help lessen the frequency of his "meltdowns," during which Christopher can lash out because of stress or his tendency to feel "overloaded."

"When he gets anxious, Christopher will start flapping his hands and may even try to bite himself," Amy said. "We hope a dog may help keep him from harming himself."

A service dog also would make it easier on Amy, who helps the Burrows get around town. Right now, she said, it's nearly impossible for her to take Claudia and Christopher to a store on her own. "I have to push Christopher's wheelchair, and then there is no one to push a shopping cart," she explained.

Amy also home schools Christopher, who reads at a fourth-grade level but does not comprehend math.

Like Claudia, Christopher has good days and bad ones, Amy said.

"But this kid doesn't recognize he can't do things," said Sheryl Stair, another family friend who makes frequent trips from her Fairmount home to help the Burrows. "He loves fire trucks and fire stations and he watches all the medic shows.

"He can even tell you how to put a chest tube in."



Claudia Burrows turns as much as she can to talk to her son, Christopher, 10 (background, with aide Amy Stockwell), from her chair in the kitchen.


Disease gets in the way
Christopher's love for the paramedic lifestyle stems from a childhood spent watching his mother chase down emergencies as part of her own career.
Until three years ago, Claudia was a registered nurse and a flight paramedic for PHI Air Medical out of Anderson. "Giving up my job was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do," she said. The family moved to Muncie last summer to be closer to friends.

Claudia is frustrated because, unlike the parents of most children with disabilities, she is largely unable to help raise funds for a 4 Paws training dog for Christopher. She wants to be as involved in the process as possible, but her condition limits what she can do.

"Of course it's harder for me than the typical parent," said Claudia, who maintains a Web site for her son, www.paws4christopher.com. "I'm just hoping people will want to help out, to raise money or help organize a fundraiser or service project. It's what we're praying about."


Contact news reporter Gail Koch at 213-5827.

http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbc...801100334/1002


Want to help?
The Burrows family is raising money for 4 Paws for Ability, an Ohio-based non-profit group that trains service dogs for people with disabilities.

The family is in need of a service dog for Christopher, 10, who is autistic, and his mother, Claudia, 46, who has ALS. The amount the family needs to raise -- $14,000 -- will cover the cost of the animal's training.

If you would like to help, mail a tax-deductible donation in Christopher's name to 4 Paws For Ability, 253 Dayton Ave., Xenia, Ohio, 45385.

For more information, visit Christopher Burrows' Web site, www.paws4christopher.com, e-mail Claudia Burrows at claudiamedic@yahoo.com or contact 4 Paws at (937) 374-0385.