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Blow-in Gael helps autistic
brothers
05.05.11
by Linda McGrory
A GORGEOUS golden retriever is transforming the
lives of two autistic brothers in Inishowen.
Two-year old Gael 'blew' into the home of the
Kerrigan family at Iskaheen, Muff, in December,
improving things for the family within two weeks.
Fiona and Michael Kerrigan have three sons, Cathair,
9, who does not have autism, and his two younger
brothers Ronan, 7 and Cormac, 5, who both suffer
from the debilitating condition.
The beautiful retriever is ‘assistance dog’ for
Cormac who has a more severe case of the condition.
But she has become an integral part of the Kerrigan
household who, before her arrival, had rarely been
out all together as a family.
"Everything is so much calmer since Gael arrived. I
don't know how we coped before she came along," said
42-year old Fiona.
The part-time office worker and her husband,
Michael, 46, were devastated when their second-born
son, Ronan, was diagnosed with autism in 2007. They
were in disbelief, just six months later, to learn
their youngest child also had the condition. |
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Assistance dog, Gael, pictured with
the Kerrigan family at home in Iskaheen, Muff,
including Ronan, at front, parents Fiona and
Michael, holding Cormac, and eldest son Cathair. |
Cormac has no speech,
is uncommunicative and will only eat three things,
namely, chocolate buttons, brown toast and soft
white rolls. His dietician has had to prescribe six
daily nutritional drinks to supplement his basic
diet.
Before Gael arrived from the Irish Guide Dogs centre
in Cork during the big freeze on December 3, simple
trips to the shoe shop or hairdressers had to be
planned with military precision, often only to be
abandoned at the last minute.
"Cormac hates noise of any kind and would go nowhere
without screaming and crying and struggling to run
away. We were nearly housebound and couldn't go
anywhere as a family. A few times, the dietician had
to see him in our car because he wouldn't go into
the clinic," added Fiona. "Cormac doesn't even know
I'm his mother."
Now, once Gael's working harness is on and the five
year old boy is safely secured to her with a special
waste belt, he will go anywhere his parents wish to
take him. He stunned his parents by sitting through
a recent trip to the dentist, with faithful Gael by
his side.
The couple have not had a holiday in ten years but
receive much-needed support and respite from the
Inishowen Children's Autism Related Education (iCARE)
group, as well as Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) at
Ronan's primary school and Cormac's pre-school.
Ronan, meanwhile, is talkative and a little more
outgoing but his life is dominated by ritual
including the wearing of yellow tops only. Once,
full-time carer, Michael, had to retrace an entire
journey to the village in the car with him, because
he forgot to close the garden gate the first time.
Ronan's intense focus on ritual is now eased simply
by telling him 'Gael won't like that', say his
parents. His love of Gael is all the more surprising
because Ronan is terrified of all other dogs.
“Since Gael arrived, our lives are completely
different. We can take Cormac out anywhere,
confident there will be no screaming. He is so much
calmer in situations like the doctor’s and we can
even go into a café now when we couldn’t before,”
said Michael.
When not working, the playful retriever enjoys time
out with Cathair and indulges her only vice,
carrying the family's slippers out into the garden.
Cathair recently introduced her to his and Ronan's
primary school, Scoil Naomh Bríd in Muff village
where she has become somewhat of a local celebrity.
Cathair says he is much happier since Gael arrived.
"I like playing with her and there is not as much
screaming in the house," he said.
Michael undertook an intensive week-long training
course in Cork in preparation for the dog's arrival
at the Kerrigans' spacious bungalow. He continues to
tutor his family on how best to handle her. "A Gael
storm blew up from Cork and changed all our lives
for the better," added Michael. |
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