Who is Lola?
If you know our girl, you know that she is one of the happiest, sweetest, funniest little gals you'll ever meet. She loves to laugh—and especially loves when someone tells her a joke. She is always ready to tell one of her own, too, whether it's actually funny or not!
She loves hugs, snuggles, painting, playing outside, getting dirty, and anything she can touch and explore—sand, slime, water, fuzzy things, and just about anything else with an interesting texture.
She also loves learning. She loves being around other children. And if she sees that someone is sad or hurt, her sweet and caring nature comes out immediately.
Lola sees the world through a different lens, however. She is autistic with a profile within the spectrum that is associated with an intense anxiety response to everyday demands and expectations. For Lola, something that seems simple to someone else—getting dressed, transitioning from one activity to another, changing plans, or being asked to do something she doesn't understand or doesn't feel capable of doing—can sometimes trigger a very strong response. And when that anxiety becomes too overwhelming, it can lead to an outburst or meltdown.
What may look like avoidance from the outside is actually Lola trying to manage overwhelming internal distress and protect her sense of autonomy.
She may use humor, distraction, negotiation, role-play, or other creative ways to try to escape the pressure she is feeling. But we now have a chance to give her another tool to manage her anxiety. And that's a service dog.
Why a service dog?
We are working toward receiving a specially trained service dog for Lola through 4 Paws for Ability. Lola's service dog will learn to recognize signs that she is becoming anxious or overwhelmed and provide support before that anxiety escalates.
The goal isn't simply to stop a meltdown after it has begun.
The hope is that her dog can become another layer of support—helping Lola recognize difficult moments earlier, helping her regulate, and giving her an additional sense of security during transitions, changes in routine, and other situations that can be challenging for her. For Lola, that support could make a meaningful difference. But there is something even more important to us.
We want to help Lola become more independent!
Our dream isn't for Lola to always need someone—or something—to step in when the world feels overwhelming. Our dream is that her service dog will be part of the journey that helps her learn how to manage those moments herself. We envision Lola learning to recognize her triggers and learning techniques that help her calm her body and manage her anxiety. We see her becoming more confident in her ability to handle situations that feel impossible today. And we wish that a loyal companion can be beside her while she learns.
The service dog isn't meant to change who Lola is.
We want to give Lola the support she needs so that more of who she already is can shine through.