As a French study reveals that children with autism can improve their social skills if they are given a pet, Nuala Gardner, 47, from Gourock, talks about how a dog transformed the life of her autistic son:

"I used to be a midwife so know quite a lot about baby development and I remember when my son Dale was two weeks old, it was as if his mind was switched off. He would just lie in his pram. He would never cry. I had this inner sense that in my arms was a slow ticking bomb and one day, developmentally, I knew the bomb was going to explode.

"Then, when Dale was two, this wonderful angelic child disappeared and there was a monster. It happened overnight. His frustration and anger at not being able to communicate exploded into challenging, horrific rage. There were tantrums 24/7.

"It was the matron of a care home I was working in who said: "Have you ever thought about looking in the area of autism?" I read everything I could and there wasn't a sign or symptom that Dale didn't have. It was devastating. I couldn't have survived without the charity Scottish Autism – they were my lifeline.

"When Dale was five, we were visiting my husband's family and they had two dogs, and the minute Dale saw them, he followed. He was running back and forward and the dogs started to copy him. Then Dale started to throw a ball for the dogs. My jaw dropped: the fact that he played fetch with the dog was incredible because a child with autism often can't even throw a ball.

"After that, I was on a mission to find a dog for Dale and we got a golden retriever called Henry. We had to prepare Dale for it, with lots of pictures and stories, and when we picked Henry up, I think my own needs kicked in. I cradled this puppy and wept because I felt like this was my real child.

"The hopes I had for the puppy were immense. From the moment the dog crossed our front door, the educational magic began. For example, Dale had no concept of hunger – I had to force-feed him – but through the dog, he understood food and his need for food. His teachers also clicked on to the fact that if they wanted Dale to do something, they would tell a dog story.

"The emotional side was incredible too. The first time Dale showed empathy was towards the dog. The first time he said: "I love you," was to Henry. I felt like we'd found the missing piece of the jigsaw. Through learning to take care of his dog's emotional and physical needs, Dale transferred the same skills on to himself. He went to secondary school and thrived.

"Dale is now 24 and has grown up and I am working with a charity in Spain on an educational programme for autistic children using dogs. I'm also writing a book, All Because of Henry, and looking for a publisher. There are hundreds of children like Dale and whether it's dog, cat or goldfish, the key is the right education and using the child's autism constructively."

www.scottishautism.org