A Friend Like Henry

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 hisparentsrealised 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 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 aheartrending and fascinating account of how one devoted and talented doghelped a little boy conquer his autism.

Author Biography

Nuala Gardner is a nurse and midwife. She and her husband Jamie have two children, Dale and Amy, both of whom have autism. Dale is 18 and planning a career working with children with autism.