THIS Morning’s resident vet has revealed he was diagnosed with autism last year.
Dr Scott Miller made the discovery after noticing similarities with his daughter, who is also autistic and non-verbal.
The famous animal lover opened up about his diagnosis on This Morning today as they introduced a special puppy, who will be trained to help people with autism.
Scott is married to Zoe Christien, and the pair share three children – Summer, Quinn and Jackson.
He explained: "I have two children who have autism. My son Jackson is nine and he had speech disorder which means he didn’t speak for the first four years of his life and has a bit of difficulty at school, just emotionally regulating.
"And with our dog Ludo, we have really seen an improvement in his ability to be able to relax and calm and just having that big dog to hug makes such a difference to him.
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What is autism?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an incurable, lifelong developmental condition that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others.
It affects around one in 100 people in the UK and is three to four times more common in boys than in girls.
Many people with ASD find it hard to understand other people's feelings and emotions, and they may have difficulty holding conversations.
When they are young, their language development may take longer and they can struggle to use facial expressions, using gestures to communicate instead.
They may also find it hard to connect with other people and to hold eye contact with unfamiliar individuals.
Many children with ASD like to follow a routine, and changes to this can cause distress.
High functioning autism is an informal term some people use to describe those on the autism spectrum disorder.
"Our youngest Riley, is non verbal so she can speak a few little words but not much and I think it’s the companionship of dogs that makes a difference."
The vet continued: "And then also, not something I have talked about hugely, but this is a one year anniversary of my own personal diagnoses with autism.
"That came after my children’s diagnosis, where I just saw some things in them that I could relate to as a child."
Host Dermot O'Leary asked him if it was unusual to be diagnosed as an adult.
Scott replied: "It’s funny because it’s sort of not, because back when we were children, you were just seen as they naughty, disruptive child, who didn’t really fit in.
"I have spoken to people who have said ‘I was that kid that felt like an alien’ because you didn’t quite fit in."
He went on to explain how his autism played a huge part in him becoming a vet.
"But one thing has been a consistent for me, has been the companionship of animals," he shared.
"I knew on an innate level that they were there to help and support me, so from the age of seven, I knew I wanted to give back tot them, but I didn’t know why."
Dr Scott is working alongside Dogs for Autism, which train and provide assistance dogs, at no charge, to autistic people of any age.
The air is to benefit their day to day lives – to help them achieve their goals, improve access to their chosen communities and to enhance their emotional and physical wellbeing.
