Saturday, October 25, 2008
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.
- Paperback: 270 pages
- Publisher: Vintage (January 10, 2006)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0307275655
- ISBN-13: 978-0307275653
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Students write the book on autism
Students write the book on autismBy 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.
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.
About the AuthorThe 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.
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
- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Fair Winds Press (November 30, 2006)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1592332234
- ISBN-13: 978-1592332236
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
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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
ISBN 0969276818, 9780969276814
170 pages
MORE INFORMATION ON ... Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through DietTopics 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.
Autism: Asserting Your Child's Rights to a Special Education
Autism: Asserting Your Child's Rights to a Special Education
by David A. ShermanProduct 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
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders
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
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
1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
In a snappy, can-do format, 1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders offers page after page of try-it-now solutions that have worked for thousands of children grappling with social, sensory, behavioral, and self-care issues, plus many more.
More details
1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Lifesaver for Parents and Professionals Who Interact Children Wit
By Ellen Notbohm, Veronica Zysk
Published by Future Horizons, 2004
ISBN 1932565191, 9781932565195
218 pages
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The Everything Parent's Guide To Children With Autism: Know What to Expect, Find the Help You Need, and Get Through the Day
The Everything Parent's Guide To Children With Autism: Know What to Expect, Find the Help You Need, and Get Through the Day (Everything Series) (Paperback)
by Adelle Jameson Tilton (Author)
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
What can be more devastating for a parent than to learn that her child is autistic? Defined as a neurological disorder that impairs communication and social skills, autism affects one in every 500 children born today. The Everything® Parent’s Guide to Children with Autism is a reassuring guide to help parents find the information and support they need as they struggle with conflicting emotions and overwhelming medical information.
What can be more devastating for a parent than to learn that her child is autistic? Defined as a neurological disorder that impairs communication and social skills, autism affects one in every 500 children born today. The Everything® Parent’s Guide to Children with Autism is a reassuring guide to help parents find the information and support they need as they struggle with conflicting emotions and overwhelming medical information.
Author Adelle Jameson, the mother of an autistic child and an active participant in the autism community, speaks directly to parents and explains exactly what they can expect after diagnosis, the range of treatments and therapies available, and where to go for advice—both medical and emotional.
The Everything® Parent’s Guide to Children with Autism shows parents how to:
· Communicate effectively with their child
· Deal with meltdowns, public or private
· Keep their family together as one unit
· Find a school that suits their child’s needs—integration vs. special education
· Learn about assistive devices, such as computers and picture boards
From finding support groups to planning for their child’s future, The Everything® Parent’s Guide to Children with Autism provides parents with all the information they need to ensure that their child’s—and their families’—needs are met.
Adelle Jameson Tilton (Chadron, NE) is the autism guide on About.com and the mother of an autistic son. In the mid-1990s, Ms. Tilton served as Secretary for WAYSAC, a nationally known autism organization in the state of Michigan. A member of the Autism Society of America, she is in communication with various autism groups in the United States including CAN (Cure Autism Now), FEAT (Families for Early Autism Treatment), NIDS Research Institute and Parent Coalition (NeuroImmune Dysfunction Syndrome), and the National Alliance for Autism Research.
Product Details
- Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: Adams Media (February 10, 2004)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1593370415
- ISBN-13: 978-1593370411
The Everything Parent's Guide To Children With Autism: Know What to Expect, Find the Help You Need, and Get Through the Day (Everything Series)
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Embracing Autism: Connecting and Communicating with Children in the Autism Spectrum
Embracing Autism: Connecting and Communicating with Children in the Autism Spectrum (Hardcover)
by Robert Parish
Review
Parish is an award-winning journalist with four nationally broadcast public TV documentaries about ASD to his credit. Filled with humor and hope, the essays give information on how people with ASD communicate and learn and what it takes to help them reach their full potential. (ASAP, 06/01/08)
Product Description
"The voices here confirm what I've always suspected: everyone is part of one large continuum, and the approaches and insights recounted here can help any parent, any educator, any person deal with any child—or, for that matter, any other person—more effectively and with more compassion. I only wish I'd encountered earlier this cadre of experienced and caring individuals whose humor and resourcefulness represent clearly how best to love and nurture a child."—Cynthia Nitz Ris, J.D., Ph.D., University of Cincinnati
Through sensitive, sometimes humorous, experienced-based writing from teachers, clinicians, and parent activists in the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) community, this book will help educators and others to better understand the world inhabited by ASD children. The stories contained in the book will inspire and inform readers who are working day-to-day with children in the autism spectrum, providing valuable insights into what makes these kids tick and useful information on how they communicate, learn, and succeed.
Robert Parish (Cincinnati, OH) is an award-winning journalist with four nationally broadcast public TV documentaries about Autism Spectrum Disorders to his credit, as well as more than 100 digital video projects about ASD for the educational market.
Product Details
* Hardcover: 208 pages
* Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (March 14, 2008)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 078799586X
* ISBN-13: 978-0787995867
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