My Autistic Friend, Ian - Paperback

by Yael Manor (Author), Julia Po (Illustrator)

One day I caught the attention of a video depicting the outburst of frustration and rage of a young autistic child. The boy was lying on the floor, crying, screaming and in the background his hands, feet, and head moving uncontrollably. Suddenly, the family cat came up to him and began using his front legs to stroke the child's head and lick him. Within seconds, the child completely relaxed.

This video motivated me to examine the impact of pets on autistic children. I discovered a whole world of wonderful relationships between pets and autistic children. Connections that greatly contribute to the development of the autistic child and his ability to socialize with his environment.

That was the inspiration for writing this book. It does not purport to represent any real reality, but merely to highlight the special connection that can be created between children and pets and the potential contribution of this connection.