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Nuala Gardner
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Publisher | Hodder & Stoughton | ||
ISBN | 9780340934029 | ||
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Reviewer
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Jayne
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Synopsis
This is the inspiring account of a family's struggle to break into their son's autistic world - and how a 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 in a specialist's office. Scared but determined that Dale should live a fulfilling life, Nuala describes her despairat 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.
Review
This is the remarkable story of a boy named Dale, whose parents fought from day one to get him help. They were called neurotic, disturbed, non-functioning and and off course, had no parental interactive skills with their son Dale. It took until they travelled down from Gourock in Ayrshire to Nottingham to get a proper diagnosis for their son of Autism.
Prior to this he was just a late developer, stubborn, unruly and a spoilt brat! But on gaining the diagnosis people's attitude started to change towards them and then got him into a special nursery school.
They then visited a Nursing colleague of theirs who bred Golden Retrievers but Dale to begin with did not react to the dogs at all, but one decided to creep up beside him and cuddle in and the next minute the parents noticed he was stroking the dogs head . He reacted well to the dogs and in the end they arranged to take one home two weeks later for him, who he named as Henry - Henry being one of the only names that Dale could say from the videos of Thomas the Tank Engine.
Henry seemed to bring this child Dale out of his silent world and the routine of preparing Henry's meal led him to start eating his meals three times a day like the dog. The dog was helping to open up the communication channels with Dale.
The Story is amazing and continues to tell of how Dale experienced play school and then into junior and senior school and then on to college. But if that wasn't enough the poor parents Nula and Jamie tried for a second child and all seemed well for the first two years and then she was going down the same route as that which Dale had gone down some 8 years before. But Dale was the one that helped them to cope because he could understand his sister and could help her where others didn't know how.
This is a true story of a parents struggle to get their two children the proper help and educational support,which should be rightfully theirs.
I found this story so moving that I would recommend it to any person who has an autistic child or trying to get a diagnosis - Do not worry about any label that is tagged on to you, just get on with fighting for your child. Bring in, as many friends and family that can help you to unlock your child's life. Let them help you to help your child to live a normal life.
Don't give up!, there is always someone who will listen to you if you are prepared to battle for your child .
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