developmental disorder

An autistic boy who can't be touched has connected with a service dog

Five-year-old Kainoa Niehaus travelled to the 4 Paws For Ability centre in Ohio from Japan after two years of waiting for an animal to become available.

His mum Shanna shared a photo of her son resting his head on Tornado.

"See this moment? I've never experienced a moment like this," she wrote underneath the post.

"This picture captures the face of a mother who saw her child, who she can't hug, wash, dress, snuggle and touch freely lay on his new service dog of his own free will, with a purposeful, unspoken attachment.