Girl With Rare Form Of Epilepsy Gets Service Dog

Courtesy Dawn Timmeney – myFoxphilly.com

There’s a happy update to a story we first brought to you over a year ago. A little girl, who suffers from a rare form of epilepsy, playfinally got her service dog. Thanks to the help of a group of people that raised funds for her service dog.

FOX 29’s Dawn Timmeney was there to see first hand the unbreakable bond and met the potentially lifesaving pooch.

Kye Goering loves to with her 1-year-old Golden retriever, London. The two are inseparable. This furry friend is a very specialized service dog specifically trained for Kye’s needs. Kye suffers from Dravet syndrome, which is a catastrophic form of epilepsy–marked by severe seizures, developmental and speech delays, plus behavior issues.

“If Kye is having a seizure, London would start to bark, and that’s the only time she should ever bark is when Kye is having a seizure,” said Kye’s father, Brad Goering. “London would be able to detect the chemical reaction that is occurring in Kye’s body. She would be giving off a scent and London would be able to detect that chemical reaction and let us know.”

London goes just about everywhere that Kye goes. This gives Kye some freedom that she didn’t have before. “Kye has an immense amount of independence by having London with her. She wears a tether strap, which is basically a leash that goes between London and Kye,” said Brad “That gives us, gives Kye the ability to walk alone. She doesn’t have to be holding the hand of an adult all the time and she feel like she’s walking London.”

London is trained in search and rescue should Kye wander off. The cuddly companion also keeps Kye calm. “It totally changes her demeanor. She all of a sudden realizes she is having fun with London. Whatever the problems was just seems to melt away,” said Kye’s mother, Bethany Goering.

London is the perfect icebreaker. The hope is people will ask Kye about her dog. and that will push Kye to interact and socialize with others, which she sometimes has a difficult time doing. “It could actually help her speech by talking to the children about her dog, even if it’s just saying, ‘This is my London,” Brad explained.

For her parents.. Every day that Kye doesn’t have a seizure is a gift and having London is life changing on so many levels. Right now, Kye is on a good combination of seizure medications with wonderful results. Kye and her parents are grateful to have London in their lives.