A friend like Henry
By: Nuala Gardner
Publisher: Hodder
Published: 2008
Place of publication: London, England
Language: eng
Number of pages: 342
ISBN-13: 9780340934029
Subjects: Human-animal relationships; Animaux; Biographies; Henry (Dog); Emploi en thérapeutique; Autistic children; Psychologie; Pets; Enfants et animaux; Therapeutic use; Enfants autistes; Enfants; Biography
Description: This is the inspiring account of a family's struggle to break into their son's autistic world - and how a beautiful retreiver dog made the real difference. Dale was still a baby when his parents realised that something wasn't right. Worried, his mother Nuala took him to see several doctors, before finally hearing the word 'autism' for the first time. Scared but determined that Dale should live a fulfilling life, Nuala describes her despair at her son's condition, her struggle to prevent Dale being excluded from a 'normal' education and her sense of hopeless isolation. Dale's autism was severe and violent and family life was a daily battleground. But the Gardner's lives were transformed when they welcomed a gorgeous Golden Retriever into the family. The special bond between Dale and his dog Henry helped them to produce the breakthrough in Dale they had long sought. From taking a bath to saying 'I love you', Henry helped introduce Dale to all the normal activities most parents take for granted, and set him on the road to being the charming and well-adjusted young man he is today. This is a heartrending and fascinating account of how one devoted and talented dog helped a little boy conquer his autism.
Notes: Originally published: London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2007.