A devoted dad has told of his joy when his non-verbal autistic daughter spoke for the first time after bonding with an adorable therapy pup.
Steven Chilvers, 42, and his wife Dawn, 48, realised their daughter Emily wasn't hitting her milestones at the same pace as her twin sister, Olivia.
At two-and-a-half years old, Emily was diagnosed with autism.
Steven said: "They are seven now, but comparing the twins' development, it was obvious quite early on that there was something a little bit different with Emily.
After an assessment concluded little Emily was autistic, Steven and Dawn were pleased they had a diagnosis and could start looking into therapies to help their daughter.
Steven said: “Emily’s diagnosis wasn’t a surprise. We pretty much knew because the signs were there. She was non-verbal, didn’t make eye contact and would play repetitively.
“Her diagnosis simply meant that we could start to access the help we needed.”
As well as struggling to communicate, Emily also finds wearing clothes and shoes overwhelming. Until recently, she would only wear one item of clothing - her favourite red dress.
Steven said: “Fortunately, her nana is a wonderful seamstress so, as Emily has grown, she has made her bigger versions of the red dress using the exact same material.
“But obviously, not wearing shoes meant that getting her out of the house was a really difficult thing to do.”
As her devoted parents looked for ways to help their daughter, they considered how dogs could help ease her anxieties while out and about.
"Emily has always liked animals - the bigger the better. She really loves cows," Steven said.
After conducting some of their own research, Dawn and Steven found a charity called Dogs for Good.
It matches people living with disabilities with specially trained assistance dogs - and after reading up about their work, the couple thought it was a great idea for their daughter.
After filling out the paperwork, they patiently waited for a match for their daughter.
"We were paired with Oslo, an 18-month-old black Labrador and we knew from the first meeting that he was the right fit," Steven said.
“He came for a visit with his instructor and Emily responded very positively to him straight away.”
Oslo, who was welcomed into the Chilvers family in July 2019, had been through a four month training programme to learn things like socialisation and how to cope with different situations.
Since joining the family, Steven says Oslo has been crucial in helping Emily develop.
He said: “She was really excited and squealy the day he moved in.
“We let him have a run around in the back garden and she couldn’t take her eyes off him. Since that day, Emily has come on leaps and bounds."
And, to the joy of her parents, Emily has even started speaking. She will now say 'Oslo', 'hug' and 'doggy'. She also says full phrases like 'take Oslo for a walk'.
Steven said: “[Emily] never used to be great at getting up in the morning, but now we send Oslo into her bedroom armed with sniffs and licks and all we hear is Emily giggling, which is obviously a far better way for her to start the day.”
Oslo has even helped Emily become more comfortable in clothes. She'll now wear slip-on shoes and a coat over her red dress, which she'll happily put on so she can take her beloved pooch for a walk.
Steven said: “After a few small walks eased her in, Emily is happy now to hold onto Oslo’s harness and go for a walk with us to the local shops to get an ice cream.
“She’s really happy being with him and the other day, she even sat down beside him to give him a cuddle. For a non-cuddly child, that’s a big thing and a clear demonstration of her bond with him.”
Having Oslo around has also helped ease her anxiety on family days out. With him by their side, the family has been able to visit busy places like the Sea Life Centre in Birmingham and Hunstanton Beach.
“They are simple things, but we’d never have been able to do any of them before Oslo came into our lives and provided a positive focus for Emily," Steven explained.
“She has really come out of her shell since we adopted Oslo. We'd recommend any family in our position doing the same.
"Oslo has really changed our lives."
Dogs for Good, alongside its charity partner MORE THAN insurance, helps families like Emily’s benefit from the unrivalled support of an assistance dog like Oslo. For more information on the charity, visit www.dogsforgood.org
