Monday, November 17, 2008

The Way I See It: A Personal Look at Autism and Asperger's by Temple Grandin



Review
Every library, large or small, needs this book on its shelves. Every school, large or small, with the responsibility of educating children with autism or Asperger's needs the guidance this book offers. . . . Last, and certainly not least, every parent will find within these pages golden nuggets of advice, encouragement, and hope to fuel their day-to-day journey through their child's autism. . . . The wisdom she offers through this book and its personal reflections on autism will, I'm sure, ring true for many more decades to come. --Ruth Christ Sullivan, co-founder of the Autism Society of America

Product Description
In this innovative book, Dr. Temple Grandin gets down to the REAL issues of autism, the ones parents, teachers, and individuals on the spectrum face every day. Temple offers helpful do's and don'ts, practical strategies, and try-it-now tips, all based on her "insider" perspective and a great deal of research. These are just some of the specific topics Temple delves into:

How and Why People with Autism Think Differently

Economical Early Intervention Programs that Work

How Sensory Sensitivities Affect Learning

Behaviors Caused by a Disability vs. Just Bad Behaviors

Teaching People with Autism to Live in an Unpredictable World

Alternative Medicine vs. Conventional Medicine

Employment Ideas for Adults with Autism

And many more!


Caring for Myself: A Social Skills Storybook by Christy Gast and Jane Krug



Review
"This is a resource for young children that is certain to stand the practical tests of time and application! Simple and complete, parents and professionals will find themselves reaching for it time and again." Carol Gray, President, The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding and pioneer of Social Stories[trademark] "As adults, we frequently take for granted the daily routines which have become such an integral part of our lives. For many children, however, the unfamiliarity of these activities can instil fear or uncertainty, or promote the impression that the tasks are overwhelmingly difficult or complicated. With beautiful photos and simple, reassuring text, the authors and illustrator have created a remarkable resource. The step-by-step information will enable children to become familiar with basic routines so that they can approach them with both confidence and competence." Laurel A. Hoekman, Executive Director, The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding "These picture/word stories are to be enjoyed as they teach practical life skills to our children by making the information explicit and user friendly. The information is clearly presented and sequenced so it makes sense to our children, pairing language with pictures. It also helps parents learn how to break down these tasks into smaller steps that can guide them as to how best to teach this information to their children." Michelle Garcia Winner, Center for Social Thinking, Inc "An amazing book! Christy Gast and Jane Krug have provided a fun and informative text that will assist children on the autism spectrum in learning important life skills. Each step is broken down clearly and concisely with great visual representation. As an individual on the autism spectrum who has trouble with fine motor tasks, tasks which involve multiple directions and the fact that I tend to be a visual learner, I would have greatly benefited from a book like this as a child. Highly recommended!" Nick Dubin, presenter and author of Asperger Syndrome and Bullying "Children love looking at photos of themselves. That is why they will enjoy the personalized pages in Caring for Myself. Parents and teachers will enjoy the easy-to-use way to tap the visual learning strengths of students with ASD." Linda Hodgdon, M.Ed., CCC-SLP, author of Visual Strategies for Improving Communication"

'An amazing book! Christy Gast and Jane Krug have provided a fun and informative text that will assist children on the autism spectrum in learning important life skills. Each step is broken down clearly and concisely with great visual representation. As an individual on the autism spectrum who has trouble with fine motor tasks, tasks which involve multiple directions and the fact that I tend to be a visual learner, I would have greatly benefited from a book like this as a child. Highly recommended!' --Nick Dubin, presenter and author of Asperger Syndrome and Bullying

'As adults, we frequently take for granted the daily routines which have become such an integral part of our lives. For many children, however, the unfamiliarity of these activities can instill fear or uncertainty, or promote the impression that the tasks are overwhelmingly difficult or complicated. With beautiful photos and simple, reassuring text, the authors and illustrator have created a remarkable resource. The step-by-step information will enable children to become familiar with basic routines so that they can approach them with both confidence and competence.' ---Laurel A. Hoekman, Executive Director, The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding

'This is a resource for young children that is certain to stand the practical tests of time and application! Simple and complete, parents and professionals will find themselves reaching for it time and again.' ---Carol Gray, President, The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding and pioneer of Social Stories(TM)

Product Description
For a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), even everyday activities like brushing your teeth, washing your hands or visiting the doctor can cause anxiety and stress because of the sensory, cognitive and communication impairments they experience.
Caring for Myself is an entertaining and educational social skills storybook that will help children with ASDs to understand the importance of taking care of their bodies. Fully illustrated with color photographs, it sets out fun, simple steps that explain what caring for yourself actually involves how you can do it, where it is done, why it is important.
At the end of each story is a handy 'Pause for thought' page for parents which offers tips and strategies to help a child with each activity.

This charming book will be much loved by children with ASD and will enable them and their parents to cope with the daily activities that can be such a challenge.

Caring for Myself: A Social Skills Storybook

Friday, November 7, 2008

The Boy Who Loved Windows: Opening The Heart And Mind Of A Child Threatened With Autism



The Boy Who Loved Windows: Opening The Heart And Mind Of A Child Threatened With Autism (Paperback)

Key Phrases: doing floor time, sensory integration disorder, hypoallergenic formula, Darleen Corbett, Smith College, Bainbridge Cohen

Amazon.com Review
Any parent who has suspected something was off with their baby will empathize with the first chapters of The Boy Who Loved Windows, which recounts the familiar tale of medical practitioners refusing to run tests or offer diagnoses. You'll empathize even more when it turns out that mom (and author) Patricia Stacey was right: young Walker is autistic. It's partially the empathy that makes this such a compelling read. Some chapters are devoted to Walker's life at home; others mix his development with medical details. The facts are wrenching: an estimated 1 in 500 people has some level of autism, causes are unclear, and the expectation for a cure is microscopic. But midway through the book, the family meets up with Dr. Stanley Greenspan (The Child With Special Needs), who introduces new techniques that spread rapidly to Walker's assorted therapists. Progress begins, if at a glacial pace. Stacey lets readers into her emotional process over the years she details; her anger, frustration, and concern over the rest of her family and her wild joy at some seemingly minor events provide a roller coaster in contrast to the more methodical research explanation. As a complement to more direct parenting books on autism or simply as a fascinating look at the early development of an atypical child, this book makes good on the promise of its intriguing title. --Jill Lightner --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly
Former Atlantic Monthly staffer Stacey makes her debut with a sharply observed, deeply personal account of her son Walker's metamorphosis from a worryingly unresponsive infant to an intelligent, normally functioning child. Living in the leafy college town of Northampton, Mass., Stacey documents her harrowing experiences as a mother, as she and her husband, Cliff, quickly realize that Walker is not a normal, happy baby. Walker fails to respond to his parents, eats very little, is unable to express emotion and spends much of his time staring at windows. Stacey works night and day to try to reverse Walker's diagnosis of possible autism, trying every conceivable treatment and specialist and obsessively educating herself about new trends in the neuroscience behind the disorder. She realizes that Walker blankly stares out of windows not because his senses are dulled but because they are overwhelmed; Walker is hypersensitive to the world and cannot cope with the constant rush of stimuli. Child psychiatrist Stanley Greenspan recommends his controversial "floor time" strategy for Walker: several hours of rigorous playtime between parent and child per day, emphasizing interaction. The time, money and stress involved in maintaining an intensive schedule of treatments for Walker from his eighth to 20th month soon show their toll on the Stacey family, as funds run dry, the parents grow further apart, and less time is available for Walker's older sister, Elizabeth. Stacey in particular becomes increasingly nervous, obsessive and exhausted from her constant battle to improve her son's life, but the result is stage-by-stage breakthroughs. Some readers will want less personal and medico-historical detail and fewer in-depth treatments of the various therapies and sessions, but Stacey keeps the focus on her own understanding, which ultimately sustains the book.

  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Da Capo Press (September 21, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 073820966X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0738209661

The Vaccine Book (A Safer Vaccine Schedule, Must Read!)



The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child (Sears Parenting Library)

Sears, coauthor of several books in the Sears Parenting series, addresses one of today's most controversial and worrisome questions. Sears' goal is "to give you a balanced look at pros and cons of vaccination so that you can make an educated decision." Sears does not advocate for or rail against vaccination, stating it doesn't have to be an all or nothing decision-there are choices. The first 12 chapters discuss each vaccination in the childhood series, providing explanation of the relative disease, how the vaccine is made and points to assess a child's at-risk level when considering if the vaccine is necessary. Sears does offer guidance for those who are indecisive, offering his opinion based on clinical experience and 13 years of research taken from product inserts, pediatric reference books, articles and databases. Additional chapters illuminate more controversial aspects of the debate, such as how vaccine safety is researched and what the findings are, side effects and how to minimize them, common myths and questions. As always, Sears' tone puts readers at ease as he clearly explains medical terms and elucidates debates.
  • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1 edition (October 22, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0316017507
  • ISBN-13: 978-0316017503

Sunday, November 2, 2008

The Autism Book: Answers to Your Most Pressing Questions



The Autism Book: Answers to Your Most Pressing Questions (Paperback)
by Jhoanna Robledo (Author), Dawn Ham-Kucharski (Author) - HOW do you know if your child is truly different from others?.

Answers to more than one hundred of the most frequently asked questions about autism, a disease that affects an estimated 1 in 150 children.

At the age of two, Dawn Ham-Kucharski's son, Alex, was diagnosed with autism, and she was given little hope that he would ever express himself verbally or interact meaningfully with others. But, now at the age of six, Alex is an uplifting autism success story, due to his mother's tireless efforts to seek out an appropriate treatment program, educational plan, and socialization strategy.

In The Autism Book, health and parenting journalist S. Jhoanna Robledo and Ham-Kucharski, an impassioned advocate for educational opportunity for autistic children, use their hard-won knowledge and experience to objectively and compassionately answer the most urgent questions of parents and educators of autistic children. The authors offer comprehensive information on diagnoses, causes, manifestations, treatment options, managing emotions, family relationships, parenting and lifestyle issues, education, and common worries.

About the Author
S. Jhoanna Robledo is a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism and is a freelance writer specializing in parenting and health. Her work has appeared in Newsweek, New York magazine, Self, Real Simple, and American Baby.

Dawn Ham-Kucharski is on the board of directors of the Michigan Autism Partnership and serves as the outreach coordinator for the PLAY Project. She and her family have recently been featured in Family Circle, the Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News, and The Ann Arbor News.
Product Details

* Paperback: 208 pages
* Publisher: Avery; 1 edition
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1583332243
* ISBN-13: 978-1583332245

Navigating the Social World: A Curriculum for Individuals with Asperger's Syndrome, High Functioning Autism and Related Disorders by Jeannie McAfee



Navigating the Social World: A Curriculum for Individuals with Asperger's Syndrome, High Functioning Autism and Related Disorders [ILLUSTRATED]

by Jeannie McAfee (Author), Dr. Tony Attwood (Author)

This important new book offers a definitive program with forms, exercises, and guides for the student. It also presents significant educational guidance and supportive assistance to caregivers and teachers.

More details
Navigating the Social World: A Curriculum for Individuals with Asperger's Syndrome, High Functioning Autism and Related Disorders
By Jeanette McAfee
Published by Future Horizons
ISBN 1885477821, 9781885477828
350 pages

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism (Paperback) by Temple Grandin



Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism (Paperback)
by Temple Grandin

Review

“I hardly know what to say about this remarkable book. . . It provides a way to understand the many kinds of sentience, human and animal, that adorn the earth.” –Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of The Hidden Life of Dogs

"There are innumerable astounding facets to this remarkable book. . . . Displaying uncanny powers of observation . . . [Temple Grandin] charts the differences between her life and the lives of those who think in words." –The Philadelphia Inquirer

“A uniquely fascinating view not just of autism but of animal–and human–thinking and feeling, [providing] insights that can only be called wisdom.”
–Deborah Tannen, author of You Just Don’t Understand

Product Description
Temple Grandin, Ph.D., is a gifted animal scientist who has designed one third of all the livestock-handling facilities in the United States. She also lectures widely on autism—because Temple Grandin is autistic, a woman who thinks, feels, and experiences the world in ways that are incomprehensible to the rest of us.

In this unprecedented book, Grandin delivers a report from the country of autism. Writing from the dual perspectives of a scientist and an autistic person, she tells us how that country is experienced by its inhabitants and how she managed to breach its boundaries to function in the outside world. What emerges in Thinking in Pictures is the document of an extraordinary human being, one who, in gracefully and lucidly bridging the gulf between her condition and our own, sheds light on the riddle of our common identity.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Students write the book on autism

Students write the book on autism
By Jeb Bobseine/Daily News staff
GHS

WALPOLE —Students at a local school for autistic children and young adults have published a booklet to help public safety officials communicate with nonverbal or non-English-speaking individuals during emergency situations.

In the run up to National Emergency Preparedness month in September, the Local Emergency Preparedness Committee - a group of local public health and safety officials - asked if students at the League School of Greater Boston could put such a book together.

The school's stated goal is "social and academic achievement with the child with autism."

The Autism Society of America defines autism as a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person's ability to communicate and interact with others.

The publishing effort by students at the Rte. 1 private school in Walpole coincided with the committee's distribution, to all town households, of a handbook for use in emergencies from flooding to a flu epidemic.

But while the committee's "Emergency Preparedness Handbook" is useful for many local residents, it is insufficient for all residents, Health Director Robin Chapell said.

In the event of an emergency, public safety officers must be able to communicate with all types of people, including nonverbal and non-English-speaking individuals, she said.

The League School "Communication Book" does precisely this; Chapell called the students' effort "perfect."

The book's laminated pages are filled with colorful images and symbols that assist police officers and firefighters in quickly learning information, or giving instructions. It offers a "huge array" of communication symbols, Principal Lisa Weedon said.

[FULL STORY]

Related:

Sunday, October 19, 2008

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time




The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Paperback)
by Mark Haddon (Author)

Amazon.com Review
Mark Haddon's bitterly funny debut novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, is a murder mystery of sorts--one told by an autistic version of Adrian Mole. Fifteen-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone is mathematically gifted and socially hopeless, raised in a working-class home by parents who can barely cope with their child's quirks. He takes everything that he sees (or is told) at face value, and is unable to sort out the strange behavior of his elders and peers.

Late one night, Christopher comes across his neighbor's poodle, Wellington, impaled on a garden fork. Wellington's owner finds him cradling her dead dog in his arms, and has him arrested. After spending a night in jail, Christopher resolves--against the objection of his father and neighbors--to discover just who has murdered Wellington. He is encouraged by Siobhan, a social worker at his school, to write a book about his investigations, and the result--quirkily illustrated, with each chapter given its own prime number--is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Haddon's novel is a startling performance. This is the sort of book that could turn condescending, or exploitative, or overly sentimental, or grossly tasteless very easily, but Haddon navigates those dangers with a sureness of touch that is extremely rare among first-time novelists. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is original, clever, and genuinely moving: this one is a must-read. --Jack Illingworth, Amazon.ca

From Publishers Weekly
Christopher Boone, the autistic 15-year-old narrator of this revelatory novel, relaxes by groaning and doing math problems in his head, eats red-but not yellow or brown-foods and screams when he is touched. Strange as he may seem, other people are far more of a conundrum to him, for he lacks the intuitive "theory of mind" by which most of us sense what's going on in other people's heads. When his neighbor's poodle is killed and Christopher is falsely accused of the crime, he decides that he will take a page from Sherlock Holmes (one of his favorite characters) and track down the killer. As the mystery leads him to the secrets of his parents' broken marriage and then into an odyssey to find his place in the world, he must fall back on deductive logic to navigate the emotional complexities of a social world that remains a closed book to him. In the hands of first-time novelist Haddon, Christopher is a fascinating case study and, above all, a sympathetic boy: not closed off, as the stereotype would have it, but too open-overwhelmed by sensations, bereft of the filters through which normal people screen their surroundings. Christopher can only make sense of the chaos of stimuli by imposing arbitrary patterns ("4 yellow cars in a row made it a Black Day, which is a day when I don't speak to anyone and sit on my own reading books and don't eat my lunch and Take No Risks"). His literal-minded observations make for a kind of poetic sensibility and a poignant evocation of character. Though Christopher insists, "This will not be a funny book. I cannot tell jokes because I do not understand them," the novel brims with touching, ironic humor. The result is an eye-opening work in a unique and compelling literary voice.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder



The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder, Revised Edition (Paperback)
by Carol Stock Kranowitz (Author), Lucy Jane Miller (Preface)

Introduction to The Out-Of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping With Sensory Processing Disorder, revised edition (Perigee, 2005)

For 25 years, I taught at St. Columba’s Nursery School in Washington, DC. Most preschoolers loved my classes involving music, movement, and dramatic play. Every day, small groups of three-, four-, and five-year-olds would come to my room to play, move, and learn. They happily pounded on drums and xylophones, sang and clapped, danced and twirled. They shook beanbags, manipulated puppets, and enacted fairy tales. They waved the parachute, played musical follow-the-leader games, and flowed through obstacle courses. They swooped like kites, stomped like elephants, and melted like snowmen.

Most children enjoy such activities because they have effective sensory processing—the ability to organize sensory information for use in daily life. They take in sensations of touch, movement, sight, and sound coming from their bodies and the world around them, and they respond in a well-regulated way.

Some children, however, such as Andrew, Ben, and Alice, did not enjoy coming to my classroom. Faced with the challenge of sensory-motor experiences, they became tense, unhappy, and confused. They refused to participate in the activities, or did so ineffectively, and their behavior disrupted their classmates’ fun. They are the children for whom this book is written.

In my teaching career (1976-2001), I worked with more than one thousand young children. Outside of school, I taught music classes for kindergartners in my home. I choreographed children’s dances for community performances. I conducted dozens of musical birthday parties. I was room mother, Cub Scout den leader, and team manager for my own sons’ school and sports groups.

Many years of working with children taught me that all children like lively, interesting activities. They all want to join the fun—yet some don’t take part. Why not? Is it that they won’t—or that they can’t?

When I began teaching, the nonparticipants puzzled me. Why, I wondered, were these children so difficult to reach? Why did they fall apart when it was time to join the fun?

Why did Andrew buzz around the room’s perimeter while his classmates, sitting on the rug, sang “The Wheels on the Bus”?

Why did Ben tap, tap, tap his shoulders when the musical instructions were to tap, tap, tap his knees?

Why did Alice flop onto her stomach, “too tired” to sit up and strike together two rhythm sticks?

At first, these children annoyed me. They made me feel like a bad teacher. They also made me feel like a bad person when their inattention or disruptive behavior caused me to react negatively. Indeed, on one regrettable occasion, I told a child that turning away and covering his ears when I played the guitar was “just plain rude.” That day I went home and wept.

Every evening, while preparing dinner or engaging with my own sons, I would muse about these students. I couldn’t get a handle on them. They had no identified special needs. They weren’t unloved or disadvantaged. Some seemed to misbehave on purpose, like sticking a foot out to trip a classmate, while others seemed to move without any purpose at all, in an aimless or listless manner. Little about their behavior could be classified, except for a shared inability to enjoy the activities that children traditionally relish.

I wasn’t the only one who was stumped. Karen Strimple, Director of St. Columba’s Nursery School, and the other teachers were equally puzzled by the same children. The children’s parents were often concerned, especially when they compared their child’s behavior with that of their other, more “together” offspring. And, if caring parents and teachers were frustrated, how must the children themselves feel?

They felt like failures. And we teachers felt that we were failing them.

We knew we could do better. After all, since the 1970s, St. Columba’s had been mainstreaming into its regular school program a number of children with identified special needs. We were extremely successful with these children. Why were we less successful teaching certain “regular” kids with subtle, unidentified problems? We wanted an answer.

The answer came from Lynn A. Balzer-Martin, PhD, OTR, a St. Columba’s parent and a pediatric occupational therapist. Since the 1970s, Lynn had been an educational consultant for our mainstreaming program – called “inclusion,” today. Her primary work, however, was diagnosing and treating young children who had academic and behavior problems stemming from a neurological inefficiency – then called “sensory integration dysfunction.”

An occupational therapist, A. Jean Ayres, PhD, was the pioneer who first described the problem. About 50 years ago, Dr. Ayres formulated a theory of sensory integration dysfunction and led other occupational therapists in developing intervention strategies. Her book, Sensory Integration and the Child, presents a thorough explanation of this misunderstood problem and is required reading for anyone interested in grasping its technicalities.

Sensory integration dysfunction, now known as Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), is not a new problem. It is a new definition of an old problem.

SPD can cause a bewildering variety of symptoms. When their central nervous systems are ineffective in processing sensory information, children have a hard time functioning in daily life. They may look fine and have superior intelligence, but may be awkward and clumsy, fearful and withdrawn, or hostile and aggressive. SPD can affect not only how they move and learn, but also how they behave, how they play and make friends, and especially how they feel about themselves.

Many parents, educators, doctors, and mental health professionals have difficulty recognizing SPD. When they don’t recognize the problem, they may mistake a child’s behavior, low self-esteem, or reluctance to participate in ordinary childhood experiences for hyperactivity, learning disabilities, or emotional problems. Unless they are educated about SPD, few people understand that bewildering behavior may stem from a poorly functioning nervous system.

Dr. Lynn Balzer-Martin, like other students of Dr. Ayres’s work, was trained to recognize and treat sensory problems. Her growing concern was that many of her clients were not sent to her for a diagnosis until well after they had run into trouble at school or at home, at the ages of six, seven, or eight. She was anxious to identify children at younger ages because the brain is most receptive to change while it is developing.

Preschoolers, whose nervous systems are still developing rapidly, stand a good chance to benefit from therapeutic intervention. Lynn knew that if SPD could be detected in three-, four-, or five-year-olds, these children could receive individualized treatment that would prevent later social and academic impasses.

The challenge was to find a way to identify preschoolers with SPD, because the available standardized tests are inappropriate for the “little guys.” Lynn conceived of a quick, effective screening to see whether very young children had the neurological foundations necessary for developing into well-organized people. She asked us if we were interested.

Were we interested?!

Thus, everything came together at once. We wanted to learn more about our worrisome students. Lynn wanted to try out her screening idea. The Katharine P. Maddux Foundation, which already funded our flagship mainstreaming program, was urging us to develop more projects designed to improve the physical, mental, and emotional health of children and their families.

Lynn’s first goal was to educate us about sensory processing and then, with our help, to devise a screening program that would be developmentally suitable for preschoolers.

The screening process would be fun for the children. It would be simple enough for many schools to duplicate. It would be short, yet thorough enough to enable educators to distinguish between basic immaturity and possible SPD in young children.

Most important, it would provide data that would encourage parents to seek early intervention for their children with an appropriate professional (such as an occupational therapist, physical therapist, or sometimes a psychologist or speech/language pathologist). The purpose of early intervention is to help children function better—even beautifully—in their classrooms, in their homes, and in their daily lives.

In 1987, with the support of the school community and with my eager assistance, Lynn instituted a program at St. Columba’s in which all ninety students undergo an annual screening. We began to guide identified children into early intervention therapy. And we began to see immediate, positive, exhilarating results as these children’s skills began to improve.

Under Lynn’s guidance, I studied and learned everything I could about the subject. I learned to screen the children and to compile data gleaned from teachers, parents, and direct observations. I learned to make sense of some children’s mystifying behavior.

As my knowledge increased, so did my teaching skills. I learned to help my co-teachers understand why these children marched to a different drummer. I gave workshops at other preschools and elementary schools to train educators to recognize signs of this subtle problem. I added activities in my class that promote healthy sensory-motor development for all children.

I rejoiced in the strides that children such as Andrew, Ben, and Alice made soon after they began occupational therapy. Incredibly, as they acquired more efficient sensory-motor skills, they relaxed, became more focused, and began to enjoy school. Now, when I went home at the end of the day, it wasn’t to weep—it was to celebrate!

While my expertise grew, I learned that explaining SPD to parents requires time and skill. When children who were screened showed clear evidence of dysfunction, Karen and I asked their parents to come in to observe them in the classroom and on the playground. Then we would sit down for a private conference to discuss our observations.

In these conferences, we described Sensory Processing Disorder and why we suspected it as a cause of their child’s difficulties. We explained that the problem is treatable. We said that while older children and even adults can improve with treatment, early intervention produces the most dramatic results. We tried to allay parents’ fears, assuring them that SPD did not suggest that their child was mentally deficient, or that they were inadequate parents.

We understood that this information inevitably filled parents with anxiety, questions, and misapprehensions. Often, they dashed to their pediatrician, who, unfamiliar with SPD, mistakenly dismissed it as a problem that the child would outgrow.

We knew that we raised more questions than it was possible to answer in a half-hour conference.

Thus, this book was conceived to explain sensory processing and its counterpart, Sensory Processing Disorder, to parents, teachers, and other non-OTs who are new at this. This 2nd edition, seven years after the first, contains up-to-date information that may also help those who are already experienced in caring for children with other, more observable disabilities, many of which overlap with SPD.

I have attempted to make the explanations reader-friendly. They will remind or introduce you to terms that early childhood professionals commonly use—terms with which you need to be familiar.

Understanding SPD will allow you to understand your child (or student) better, and that is the book’s most important purpose. Then you will be prepared to provide the help the child needs to become as competent and confident as possible.

Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A.
Bethesda, Maryland
August 2005

The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder, Revised Edition

The Kid-Friendly ADHD and Autism Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to the Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet



The Kid-Friendly ADHD and Autism Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to the Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet
(Hardcover)

by Pamela Compart (Author), Dana Laake (Author)

Product Description

The best kid-friendly recipes and guide to the gluten-free milk-free diet for ADHD and Autism. What it is. Why it works. How to do it.

The Centers for Disease Control reports significant increases in Autism and ADHD - both affecting primarily boys. The CDC estimates that 1 out of 175 children (age 4 to 17) currently have Autism (300,000). Before 1985, Autism occurred in less than 1 out of 2000. ADHD is much more common in that it affects 4.4 million U.S. children (age 4 to 17).

Common to both of these conditions is the negative impact of certain foods - especially milk products and glutens such as wheat(and to a lesser degree - soy and corn.) One of the challenges that parents face is coping with children who have picky appetites and crave the very foods that affect their behavior, focus and development. The other challenge is finding ways to get their children to eat healthy foods and improve their nutritional status.

The uniqueness of this book is that it not only provides gluten-free milk-free substitutes and recipes, it provides successful suggestions for feeding the picky eater. The authors share details about just how and why the diet works. The specialty ingredients are explained and extensive sources provided. There are also testimonials from the parents and from the children themselves.

About the Author
Pamela Compart, M.D., is a developmental pediatrician and a functional medicine physician. She is the founder and director of Heart Light Healing Arts, Inc., which is an integrated health care center providing comprehensive traditional and complementary medicine services for children and adults.

Product Details



Families with Autism Journey Guide a Starting Point for Parents Facing Autism

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Preparing for Life




Preparing for Life: The Complete Guide for Transitioning to Adulthood for Those with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome [ILLUSTRATED]

by Jed Baker (Author)

Product Description
A comprehensive resource for students on the autism spectrum preparing for life after high school, best-selling author/counselor Dr. Jed Baker offers "life skills training" on subjects such as non-verbal cues, body language, dealing with anger, frustration and anxiety, as well as building and maintaining friendships, roommates, and intimate relationships. He focuses on conversational and employment skills, ways to balance work/school with family demands, and problematic areas such as finances, emergencies and transportation matters. The assessment tools he provides for parents and the analysis of the laws that provide accommodations to adults with disabilities are critical for success in life after high school.

From the Author
"It is my philosophy that the skills in this book and others do not represent a model of social correctness. They are, however, ideas of how to behave that may help students reach their own goals. . . . The message is, don’t alter the uniqueness that makes you special in so many great ways—just add to what you can do." — Dr. Jed Baker
  • Paperback: 357 pages
  • Publisher: Future Horizons; 1 edition (January 1, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1932565337
  • ISBN-13: 978-1932565331
More Information: Preparing for Life: The Complete Guide for Transitioning to Adulthood for Those with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome

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Friday, October 17, 2008

Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet



Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet (Paperback)
by Elaine Gloria Gottschall (Author)

Illustrated by Patricia Wilson, Marilyn Jones
Published by Kirkton Press, 1994
170 pages

Topics covered in—
BREAKING THE VICIOUS CYCLE:

The relationships between food and intestinal disorders such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis of the pancreas, and other forms of chronic diarrhea.

A discussion of the cycle of events occurring in the intestine of those with problems and how the Specific Carbohydrate Diet™ can break this cycle and permit the body to regain normal functioning.

A new Chapter "ABOUT AUTISM"
This NEW chapter reviews some of the research dealing with the Gut-Brain Axis in child developmental disorders. It will point out how dietary intervention with the Specific Carbohydrate Diet addresses and often overcomes conditions thought to be at the root of autism spectrum disorders as well as some cases of epilepsy and attention deficit Disorder (ADD).

A complete recipe section which offers an assortment of simple, quick, as well as gourmet-type recipes, based on the scientific principle underlying the Specific Carbohydrate Diet™.

Many people on discovering the SCD™ diet are eager to begin straight away, even before they receive the book, so we have provided information in the Beginners Guide on this Web site to help. We have given this information to help you get started, but to fully implement and understand the diet it is essential to read the book carefully. You can read the foreword to the book here, also check out the reviews at Amazon.com, the vast majority give an excellent review.

MORE INFORMATION ON ... Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet

Autism: Asserting Your Child's Rights to a Special Education



Autism: Asserting Your Child's Rights to a Special Education

by David A. Sherman

Product Description

"Autism: Asserting Your Child's Rights to a Special Education" provides you with a comprehensive but easy to read guide to the law and strategies to attain a free appropriate special education for your child. Asserting your child's legal rights and strategies are explained in clear and easy to understand language.

Review
I really had no clue what rights my twin autistic boys really had, what questions to ask and so on and so on. Now the school gave them a good program and my boys are doing great. --Danielle from Jacksonville Beach, Florida

When the school told me they did not think they could completely work something out for my son, I replied with, "According to the law . . . " It appears that they do not want to mess with someone who knows the law- thanks to your book. Now the school has gone out of its way to satisfy my son's needs." --Susan from Seattle Washington

Your book is a Godsend to parents who don't have time to research everything and don't know what to do. --Connie from Pittsburgh, Pa
  • Perfect Paperback: 360 pages
  • Publisher: Oxford Churchill; 1st edition (May 23, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0974445509
  • ISBN-13: 978-0974445502

Autism: Asserting Your Child's Rights to a Special Education

Autism Life Skills: From Communication and Safety to Self-Esteem and More - 10 Essential Abilities Every Child Needs and Deserves to Learn



Autism Life Skills: From Communication and Safety to Self-Esteem and More - 10 Essential Abilities Every Child Needs and Deserves to Learn (Paperback)

by Chantal Sicile-Kira (Author)

Review
Sicile-Kira has done a beautiful job of putting the voices of many people on the spectrum into one book.”
Temple Grandin, Ph.D., from the Foreword

“The many moving personal stories from adults on the spectrum in Chantal’s books provide much- needed insight into the children we are raising and educating today. Both parents and educators will gain more understanding of what it is like to have autism, and learn how we can best prepare our children for adulthood. I highly recommend this excellent book.”
Lee Grossman, President and CEO, Autism Society of America

“In her best work yet, Chantal went straight to the source – people on the autism spectrum – to answer some of the most vexing questions related to helping those with autism to lead fulfilling and productive lives to the greatest extent possible.”
Stephen M. Shore, Ed.D., author and autism consultant

Product Description
Award-winning autism expert Chantal Sicile-Kira presents a positive and empowering “bill of rights” for every person with autism.

From an award-winning author and advocate, Autism Life Skills presents a positive and empowering "bill of rights" for every person with autism, regardless of impairment level. With advice and reflections from autistic adults across the spectrum, as well as Sicile-Kira's own experience as an advocate and parent of an autistic teen, the book covers these ten essential life skills:

  1. Making Sense of the World
  2. Communication
  3. Safety
  4. Self-Esteem
  5. Pursuing Interests
  6. Self-Regulation
  7. Independence
  8. Social Relationships
  9. Self- Advocacy
  10. Earning a Living

Whether your child or student has Asperger's or is on the more severely impaired end of the autism spectrum, this action-oriented guide will provide hope and help -- so that every child has a chance to reach his or her full potential.

[MORE INFO HERE]

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders


by Kenneth Bock (Author), Cameron Stauth (Author)

From Publishers Weekly


Almost half of all American children today are diagnosed with autism, ADHD, allergies or asthma, an "undeniably epidemic" statistic that physician Bock (The Road to Immunity) and author Stauth (Brain Longevity) use to launch an investigation into potential causes of and treatments for these conditions, while demonstrating Bock's unusual approach through numerous case studies. According to the authors, genetics "load the gun, and environment pulls the trigger": bodily toxins like heavy metals, exposure to viruses through vaccination and poor nutrition create "a veritable perfect storm of physical and neurological insult" that hits hardest those still developing their immune systems. In case studies, Bock approaches each patient like a puzzle waiting to be solved, a refreshing, multi-pronged strategy to healing: finding and treating the root cause of illness rather than its symptoms, reducing the body's toxin load and helping the body heal itself through nutritional and medical therapy. Empathetic and encouraging, this highly readable guide breaks down complex biomedical concepts clearly, keeping frustration at bay. Parents of affected children will appreciate the guide to action, but they, along with medical professionals, will probably wish for endnoted references rather than a general bibliography, and further statistics on treatments.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review
Advance praise for Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies

“An easy-to-read commonsense guide to beneficial biomedical treatments such as diets and supplements. Dr. Bock clearly explains the different options and provides case histories of treatment successes.”
–Temple Grandin, author of Thinking in Pictures

“Superb . . . Encyclopedic but accessible and easy to read, this book will tell you all you need to know–and all your doctor needs to know but probably doesn't. An expert in the field, I learned a lot by reading this fascinating, extremely useful book.”
–Edward Hallowell, M.D., author of Delivered from Distraction

“This remarkable and timely book provides a truly invaluable resource for parents, guiding them toward positive steps they can take to rescue their children. Bock and Stauth have done an outstanding job of removing the barriers to understanding these conditions and getting children started on the path to recovery.”
–Richard Deth, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology, Northeastern University

“This book provides readers with the tools to defend and restore their children’s health. It is well written and comprehensive, and tackles the controversies organized medicine would prefer to ignore. If you are concerned about the futures of all our children, this is a must-read.”
–Jeff Bradstreet, M.D., F.A.A.F.P., director, The International Child Development Resource Center

“This groundbreaking book is sure to change the face of pediatric medicine. It’s a remarkable and practical work by a fine physician and an excellent science writer. I highly recommend it.”
–Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., author of Brain Longevity.
  • Paperback: 480 pages
  • Publisher: Ballantine Books (April 29, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0345494512
  • ISBN-13: 978-0345494511

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

The Girl Who Spoke with Pictures: Autism Through Art

This illustration by Kim Miller of Roseburg is on the cover of “The Girl Who Spoke With Pictures.”

For many years Eileen Miller's daughter, Kim, was unable to verbalize her experiences and emotions, but she was able to communicate using a less conventional language: her art. The Girl who Spoke with Pictures tells the story of a young woman with autism, and how her enlightening drawings enabled her to share her view of the world.

Illustrated with drawings created by Kim between the ages of 3 and 17 years old, the book gives an insight into how Kim expressed her thoughts and feelings through pictures, revealing her capacity to learn and be understood by those around her. Reflecting on her daughter's artwork, the author explores the concept of art as a universal language that can transcend barriers and enhance the personal and educational experiences of those with autism.

This book provides a window into one autistic girl's experience of life and will be essential reading for teachers, parents, and anyone with an interest in autism.

Eileen Miller is a parent advocate for her daughter, Kim. She has worked extensively with her local Early Intervention and public school district to increase awareness of children with autism, placing an emphasis on working with the families of those children. She lives in Oregon, USA, with her husband and daughter. Kim Miller is an accomplished artist. She illustrated the children's book Apples for Cheyenne by Elizabeth Gerlach and is now a sophomore attending community college in Oregon, USA.

The Girl Who Spoke with Pictures: Autism Through Art

Related:

Autism's False Prophets by Paul A. Offit



A definitive analysis of a dangerous and unnecessary controversy that has put the lives of children at risk. Paul A. Offit shows how bad science can take hold of the public consciousness and lead to personal decisions that endanger the health of small children. Every parent who has doubts about the wisdom of vaccinating their kids should read this book. -- Peter C. Doherty, Ph.D., St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and Nobel Laureate in Medicine for fundamental contributions in Immunology

As a parent it is my job to protect my children. Hearing all the rumors about vaccine side effects made me question the right thing to do. This book makes it clear that vaccines save lives, and that they clearly do not cause autism. -- Amy Pisani, mother

In his latest book Paul A. Offit unfolds the story of autism, infectious diseases, and immunization that has captivated our attention for the last decade. His lively account explores the intersection of science, special interests, and personal courage. It is provocative reading for anyone whose life has been touched by the challenge of autism spectrum disorders. -- Susan K. Klein, MD, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve Hospital, and Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Medical Center

No one has been more vocal-or courageous-than Paul A. Offit in exposing the false and dangerous claims of the growing antivaccine movement. Offit's latest book lays waste to the supposed link between autism and vaccination while showing how easily Americans have been bamboozled into compromising the health of their own children. Autism's False Prophets is a must read for parents seeking to fully understand the risks and rewards of vaccination in our modern world. -- David Oshinsky, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in History for Polio: An American Story

  • Hardcover: 328 pages
  • Publisher: Columbia University Press; 1 edition (September 5, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0231146361
  • ISBN-13: 978-0231146364

Mother Warriors by Jenny McCarthy



Stories of hope and recovery from a nation of parents of autistic children, by the high-profile, bestselling author of Louder Than Words.

When Jenny McCarthy published Louder Than Words, the story of her successful efforts to save her son, Evan, from autism, the response was tremendous. It hit #3 on the New York Times bestseller list; and Jenny and Evan were featured on the covers of several magazines, including People. But what she hadn’t anticipated was the overwhelming response from other parents of autistic children, who sought her out to share their stories.

No two autistic children heal in exactly the same way. And in her new book, Jenny expands her message to share recovery stories from parents across the country. Mother Warriors, shows how each parent fought to find her own child’s perfect “remedy of interventions” and teaches parents how to navigate safely through the many autism therapies.

Along the way, Jenny shares her own journey as an autism advocate and mother as well as the progress of her son, Evan. Emotional and genuinely practical, Mother Warriors will inspire a generation of parents with hope.

About the Author
Jenny McCarthy is the New York Times bestselling author of four previous books, including Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 248 pages
  • Publisher: Dutton Adult (September 23, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0525950699
  • ISBN-13: 978-0525950691