After Thomas (2006)

After Thomas is a one-off drama, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 26 December 2006, on ITV. It was produced by Beryl Vertue and Elaine Cameron, directed by Simon Shore, and written by Lindsey Hill. It stars Keeley Hawes (Spooks, Under the Greenwood Tree, Tipping the Velvet, Ashes to Ashes), Ben Miles (Coupling, Prime Suspect, The Forsyte Saga), Andrew Byrne, Sheila Hancock and Duncan Preston.

The book, A Friend Like Henry, by Nuala Gardner, which was about her autistic son Dale and their struggle to cope with obstacles that comes with having an autistic child, followed the film. In his dog, Henry, Dale finds a true friend and a teacher.
Moviemail called After Thomas "gritty, warm and funny, but above all else is a realistic insight into every parent’s worst nightmare."

Synopsis

Kyle Graham (Andrew Byrne) is scared. Not of monsters under the bed like any average six-year-old but of everything. Normal, everyday activities prove terrifying to him. He can’t communicate his fears or share them with friends, because he can’t use language and he has no friends. Kyle has autism, a condition it took his parents two desperate years to get diagnosed. So his day consists of endless traumas and tantrums… and unimaginable stress for his mother Nicola (Keeley Hawes).

Actors