The IV now pays for assistance dogs for people with epilepsy
Published: Friday, Dec 29th 2023, 09:51
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From next year, disability insurance will pay for epilepsy warning dogs for children and adults. The dogs sense and smell the first signs before a seizure occurs.
They are called Oskar, Amy or Travis, let their children stroke them, jump around or sit in front of a wheelchair: dogs that are trained to recognize an impending epileptic seizure. Epilepsy alert dogs, also known as epidogs. The picture gallery of the "Epidogs for Kids" association shows everyday situations of affected children with their dogs. "Around 90 percent of the dogs are Labrador Retrievers," said association president Madlaina Blapp to the Keystone-SDA news agency. But there are also Golden Retrievers and other breeds.
Everyday life for people with the neurological disorder epilepsy is challenging. Especially for affected children and their parents: When will the next seizure come? Where will it happen? How severe will it be? Will it end in hospital?
Child and dog chemistry must be right
Dogs can detect the first signs of a seizure at an early stage thanks to their sense of smell. Trained as special alert dogs, they can accompany children and adults in everyday life and ensure greater safety and freedom of movement. Scientists currently assume that dogs use their sense of smell to react to a drop in oxygen in the blood - as occurs during an epileptic seizure. They can also detect minimal changes in human behavior.
In such situations, the dog has various ways of reacting depending on its training, as "Epidogs for Kids" describes: For example, it can prevent the child from moving on, alert adults to the situation by licking the child or even bring emergency medication. "The chemistry between child and dog has to be right," said Blapp. So the children are taken to a puppy pack to choose the right dog. If possible, the dog that is most interested in the child is chosen.
For purchase, food and vet
Around 20,000 minors are estimated to be affected by epilepsy in Switzerland. This figure was quoted in parliament by Damian Müller, member of the Lucerne FDP Council of States. With his motion, Müller has ensured that disability insurance (IV) will fund epilepsy alert dogs for children and adults in future. The new regulation will apply from the beginning of 2024. Both the Federal Council and both chambers of parliament approved the motion without opposition.
In accordance with the corresponding federal ordinance, the IV pays a lump sum of CHF 14,280 per dog. This is made up of CHF 9,000 for the purchase costs and CHF 5,280 for food and veterinary care. This benefit can be claimed at most every eight years - but only once for each dog.
Dogs also for autism
According to "Epidogs for Kids", training the dogs takes around three years and costs around CHF 15,000, which is reimbursed by the IV. Ideally, a dog joins the family as a puppy and becomes an integral part of the new social community, writes the association. The family is accompanied by dog trainers and epilepsy experts.
However, "Epidogs for Kids" will not benefit from the new funding, as President Madlaina Blapp said. This is because the association is not a member of the organization Assistance Dogs International (ADI). The association now wants to monitor developments and, if necessary, consider becoming a member at a later date.
In addition to the epilepsy warning dogs, the IV will also be funding autism assistance dogs for children up to the age of nine from 2024.
©Keystone/SDA
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