Here are some book suggestions to get you started in your quest for knowledge.
Please note: The book descriptions/reviews were from the booksellers' websites, not from personal experience with the products.
There is an extensive library at the NIA, called the Corner Room Library, where you can check out many of these books instead of purchasing them. See their website at www.thenia.org or visit them at 1515 South Meridian Road, Rockford.
The
author of Alex: The Fathering of a Preemie and webmaster of JeffsLife.net
discusses the next five years of his son’s life, as Alex’s family grapples with
issues of sleep deprivation, Alex’s limited diet, his (sometimes dangerous)
public behavior with autism, and a host of other issues.
Aids parents and professionals with identification, treatment, and care of children and adults with this syndrome, covering all aspects from language to social behavior, with FAQs and quotes from people suffering from this syndrome.
The authors delve into the shady, often misunderstood world of pervasive developmental disorders, of which perhaps the most well-known is autism, with clarity, warmth and amazing depth, focusing on Asperger Syndrome (AS). The authors present unfamiliar terms and jargon with full explanations, and with none of the patronizing tone sometimes encountered in the medical world.
This is about Adam, a young boy with AS. Adam invites young readers to learn about AS from his perspective. This book is ideally suited for boys and girls between 7 and 15 years old, but is also suitable to give to adult friends, family and caregivers to read.
She was a beautiful doelike child, with an intense, graceful fragility. In her first year, she picked up words, smiled and laughed, and learned to walk. But then Anne-Marie began to turn inward. And when her little girl lost some of the words she had acquired, cried inconsolably, and showed no interest in anyone around her, Catherine Maurice took her to doctors who gave her a devastating diagnosis: autism.
In their desperate struggle to save their daughter, the Maurices plunged into a medical nightmare of false hopes, "miracle cures," and infuriating suggestions that Anne-Marie's autism was somehow their fault. Finally, Anne-Marie was saved by an intensive behavioral therapy.
Let Me Hear Your Voice is a mother's illuminating account of how one family triumphed over autism. It is an absolutely unforgettable book, as beautifully written as it is informative.
Among various autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism (AS-HFA) are similar diagnoses. Representing a majority of ASD cases, these two diagnoses are used interchangeably, and Ozonoff (M.I.N.D. Inst.) and her coauthors rightfully make little distinction between them. In Part 1 of this book, the authors cover definitions, diagnosis, causes, and treatments of AS-HFA, while Part 2 considers living with AS-HFA, channeling a child's strengths, and dealing with home, school, and the social world and life as an adult with AS-HFA. Throughout, readers will find excellent examples and solutions to basic problems; also included are numerous instances of older children who went beyond basic communication issues to social situations such as dating, school, living on their own, and employment. Most books on AS-HFA focus on early intervention and basic skills, but this book offers help for older children and adults as well, making it very valuable. Strongly recommended for public libraries and academic libraries with autism or education collections.
Designed for use with children from age 3 and above who suffer from mental retardation, brain damage, autism, severe aphasia, emotional disorders or childhood schizophrenia.
Center for Children with Special Needs, Tolland, CT. Written by researchers, clinicians, educators, advocates, and parents, this text supports parents in their efforts to secure the brightest possible future for their child.
A "who's who" guide to autism, this book lists clinics, medical centers, websites, and key personnel in its offering of treatment options in the fight against autism. The Autism Treatment Guide is in its 3rd edition because it offers so much to so many.
Autism is generally considered incurable, but Sean Barron and his mother have proven that it can be overcome. This fascinating story tells how the boy, who seemed normal at birth, became increasingly uncontrollable with bouts of repetitive activities and no method of communication. Despite recommendations that he be institutionalized, his parents insisted that he go to public school and, eventually, he was able to change his behavior himself. This story is told in the dual voices of both mother and son. The insights that the young man now has into his behavior and what he remembers from his experiences are riveting. A fast-paced and engrossing book.
Temple Grandin's groundbreaking book chronicles the remarkable and inspiring true story of how she overcame autism-with a new introduction. Temple Grandin was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. An intelligent child with a thirst for knowledge, but unable to properly express herself or control her behavior, Temple struggled through grade school. Eventually moved from a 'normal' school to an educational program for autistic children, she began to suffer 'nerve attacks.' Now Temple tells the story of how she went from a fear-gripped, autistic child to a successful professional and a world leader in her field. A chronicle of perseverance and courage, EMERGENCE gives new hope and insight into the tragedy of autism and the vast potential of the human spirit.
Williams is a young Australian woman who has overcome enormous handicaps in order to function in the world. As auto biography or literature, her book is indeed a satisfactory guide to understanding the autistic experience. However, Williams's family is so dysfunctional--impoverished, abusive, and negligent--that it is difficult to sort out which of her problems are due to the autism and which stem from other factors.
In the sequel to her best-selling account of an autistic life, Nobody Nowhere ( LJ 9/92), Williams describes the few years that followed the completion of her first manuscript. Her extraordinary and painful growth as she completes her education, continues psychiatric treatment, experiences the unwelcome publicity brought about by the publication of Nobody Nowhere , and subsequent author tour is clearly shown through her writing. Williams does an excellent job of taking the reader inside the mind and emotions of an autistic person.
Selected by "Library Journal" as "Essential for All Collections," Gray's "The New Social Story Book" contains her groundbreaking concepts that are being used all over the world to teach vital social and functional skills to children with autism. Illustrations.
The Thinking about YOU Thinking about ME book explores the critical nature of perspective taking (Theory of Mind) in our day-to-day interactions and its importance in the classroom setting. It describes how the perspective taking process works and offers a myriad of therapeutic activities for teachers/therapists to utilize with children and adults. Michelle Garcia Winner explains how professionals can use informal measures (since no standardized measures are available) to assess the abstract skill and to determine which students will benefit from this type of treatment. Included are strategies that help students understand their own treatment programs (IEPs) and behavior plans.
Autism is now an epidemic in the United States and in much of the world, rising by as much as 1000% in some areas. The Healthy Mind Guide: Reversing Autism explores why and offers effective treatment options and the possibility of a positive outcome via natural medicine therapies that can ameliorate or reverse the disorder in many cases.
This is an edited book that has a stellar cast of scholars who wrote the various chapters on treating autism. Each chapter covers basic issues and has very solidly grounded in the research recommendations for interventions. The bottom line is that there is not another treatment approach with the research consistently supporting its efficacy besides Applied Behavior Analysis. If you can afford only one book to help your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or student this should be the book. All the material in this book conforms to the standards as recently set by the National Academy of Sciences on Educating Children with Autism in their book of the same title. While ABA costs more than many alternatives the terrible truth is that the research doesn't support the efficacy of many of them and some are dangerous (despite being inexpensive). The bottom line is that if your child has autism then early, focused, and behavioral intervention is the best hope you have of them getting better - period.
Advocating for children with
disabilities is a difficult and emotional process. The Special Education
Battlefield: A Guide to the Due Process Hearing and Other Tools of Effective
Advocacy, written by Attorney Andrew Cuddy, is a wonderful reference for parents
and advocates alike, with clear, concise explanations of each step of the
process of advocating for children with disabilities. The Special Education
Battlefield: A Guide to the Due Process Hearing and Other Tools of Effective
Advocacy takes the reader through the legal process of advocating for children
with disabilities step-by-step, providing a wealth of information and resources
to help make the process easier on those involved. The Special Education
Battlefield: A Guide to the Due Process Hearing and Other Tools of Effective
Advocacy addresses the best way for children with different disabilities to get
the services and benefits they deserve by using the legal process. Drawing on
his years of experience in the field of advocating for children with
disabilities, the author of The Special Education Battlefield: A Guide to the
Due Process Hearing and Other Tools of Effective Advocacy, Attorney Andrew
Cuddy, has created a useful and timely guide for parents and advocates to use to
navigate through due process hearings in addition to some of the other intricate
legal processes involved with advocating for children with disabilities. Packed
with resources for parents and lay advocates, The Special Education Battlefield:
A Guide to the Due Process Hearing and Other Tools of Effective Advocacy will
become the foremost reference book in use for parents and lay advocates who are
hoping to gain the best services and benefits for children with disabilities.
Barbara Firestone's book is truly an
inspiration that carries an important message of hope. Autism Heroes is an
intimate portrait of 38 families and their celebration of love, commitment, and
pride in their own words and through Joe Buissink's lens. A must read for
families everywhere beginning their journey.
We are Lindsey Biel, OTR/L, a
pediatric occupational therapist and Nancy Peske, the parent of a child with
sensory integration dysfunction. We understand what you are going through and
the kinds of questions you need answered, so we wrote the first practical,
hands-on guide for parents, teachers, and others who love and work with children
who have sensory problems and SI dysfunction: Raising a Sensory Smart Child.
She was a beautiful doelike child,
with an intense, graceful fragility. In her first year, she picked up words,
smiled and laughed, and learned to walk. But then Anne-Marie began to turn
inward. And when her little girl lost some of the words she had acquired, cried
inconsolably, and showed no interest in anyone around her, Catherine Maurice
took her to doctors who gave her a devastating diagnosis: autism. In their
desperate struggle to save their daughter, the Maurices plunged into a medical
nightmare of false hopes, "miracle cures," and infuriating suggestions that
Anne-Marie's autism was somehow their fault. Finally, Anne-Marie was saved by an
intensive behavioral therapy. Let Me Hear Your Voice is a mother's
illuminating account of how one family triumphed over autism. It is an
absolutely unforgettable book, as beautifully written as it is informative.
This is about Adam, a young boy with AS. Adam invites young readers to learn about AS from his perspective. This book is ideally suited for boys and girls between 7 and 15 years old, but is also suitable to give to adult friends and family to read.
This much-needed book demystifies the unique and sometimes puzzling behaviors of individuals with Asperger Syndrome by letting the reader experience the world from the perspective of a young child with Asperger Syndrome. The brief, easy-to-understand text is accompanied by whimsical cartoon-like characters.
A Is for Autism, F Is for Friend
provides a unique glimpse of life from the perspective of a child who has severe
autism. It is told through the voice of Chelsea, an 11-year-old girl, who has
severe autism. Chelsea sees kids on the playground and at the park and wants to
get to know them, but social interaction can be tricky for her. As Chelsea
explains some of her behaviors and challenges, she compares them with issues
that all kids face. By demystifying her autism, she underscores the many things
she and her schoolmates have in common, prompting a typical child to think, Hey,
I experience that, too! Giving Chelsea a voice provides a rare insight into what
a child with autism faces daily. Chelsea discusses issues of eye contact and
explains echolalia. Chelsea cheerfully shows us that if we look closely, we are
sometimes more similar than different. She brings a fun and clear voice for
children who cannot articulate the challenges that autism presents. A Is for
Autism, F Is for Friend provides an enjoyable discussion-oriented format for
teaching our youth about autism.
In His Shoes - A Short Journey Through Autism by
Joanna L. Keating-Velasco
Imagine spending a year in middle school without being able to talk with friends
and not understanding the concept of “hanging out.” In His Shoes – A Short
Journey Through Autism provides an opportunity to follow Nicholas Hansen, a
13-year-old boy, as he ventures onto a middle school campus for the first time.
Middle school can be overwhelming on its own. What would it be like to face that
challenge as a student with autism? Embark on a journey with Nicholas as he
encounters the beach, the mall, the locker room, a party, a track meet and his
first school dance to gain a glimpse of his unique middle school experience.
Learn how Nicholas faces the same things we all do, but from a different
perspective. (Soon to be available through Amazon).
Meet Howard. Howard is a fish content with life in his bowl, until he discovers
that the world extends far beyond the glass. JuKa Books is the creation of Julie
Shore and Kate Jones. Julie is a stay-at-home mother of two, author,
business-owner, and former teacher. Kate is a stay-at-home mother of four,
illustrator, business-owner, and former designer. Both women live in Carmel,
Indiana. www.jukabooks.com
We are an independent publisher
specializing in books on autism spectrum disorders based on the latest
research on autism, Asperger syndrome and other pervasive developmental
disorders. We take pride in offering books that provide practical solutions
for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder as well as parents, teachers
or others working or living with an individual with an autism spectrum
disorder. In addition to autism books we offer videos and other interactive
products.
We have recently expanded our titles of books and resources on social skills
and sensory integration dysfunction due to the importance of these areas for
individuals on the autism spectrum and the scarcity of resources in these
areas.
Whether you need information about an autism spectrum disorder or social
skills or sensory integration, we offer books, resources, and conferences of
the highest caliber with a practical focus.
Brian would give anything to have a
normal brother--one who doesn't scream, that normal sounds are not too loud
for, or just a brother who would play with other kids. But no matter how often
he pretends not to know him, Brian has to face that he doesn't have a normal
brother. He has Joseph, who is autistic.
Life with Joseph isn't easy. Joseph needs order and structure, which is
something other kids find weird. Brian constantly finds himself defending
Joseph from kids who understand Joseph even less than Brian does. It takes a
new friend and a school project before Brian can begin to truly know and
accept Joseph.
It's Time by Judith Mammay
Tommy knew he was different. His doctor told him and his mom he had autism. He
didn't know what autism was, but he knew some things were hard for him.
It was hard for Tommy to understand what people meant when they talked and to
make others understand him. Sometimes that made him scream.
Tommy liked things to be the same, but they never were. That made him scream,
too.
Sometimes Tommy didn't like people to be close to him. And he didn't like loud
noises and bright flashing lights.
Tommy's mom told him all those things were part of having autism.
Even when Tommy tried his best, some days he had problems. What could Tommy do
to make his days better?
Kari Dunn Buron has done it again.
Building on her popular 5-Point Scale, A 5 Is Against the Law! takes a narrower
look at challenging behavior with a particular focus on behaviors that can spell
trouble for adolescents and young adults who have difficulty understanding and
maintaining social boundaries. Using a direct and simple style with lots of
examples and hands-on activities, A 5 Is Against the Law! speaks directly to
adolescents and young adults. The notion behind the 5-point scale is to take an
idea or behavior and break it into five parts to make it easier to understand
the different degrees of behavior and, eventually, the consequences of one's
behavior. A section is also devoted to anxiety and how to cope with this emotion
before it begins to escalate, often leading to impulsive and unacceptable
behavior. Throughout the book, the reader is encouraged to think about and
create his own behavior and anxiety scale that applies to his particular
emotions and situations.
Designed for use with children from age 3 and above who suffer from mental retardation, brain damage, autism, severe aphasia, emotional disorders or childhood schizophrenia.
Selected by "Library Journal" as "Essential for All Collections," Gray's "The New Social Story Book" contains her groundbreaking concepts that are being used all over the world to teach vital social and functional skills to children with autism. Illustrations.
This is an edited book that has a stellar cast of scholars who wrote the various chapters on treating autism. Each chapter covers basic issues and has very solidly grounded in the research recommendations for interventions. The bottom line is that there is not another treatment approach with the research consistently supporting its efficacy besides Applied Behavior Analysis. If you can afford only one book to help your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or student this should be the book. All the material in this book conforms to the standards as recently set by the National Academy of Sciences on Educating Children with Autism in their book of the same title. While ABA costs more than many alternatives the terrible truth is that the research doesn't support the efficacy of many of them and some are dangerous (despite being inexpensive). The bottom line is that if your child has autism then early, focused, and behavioral intervention is the best hope you have of them getting better - period.
No two minds are alike. Many of the
social nuances that seem to elude a child on the spectrum can be attributed to a
lack of Theory of Mind (ToM) skills. ToM involves attributing mental states to
others, and more specifically, realizing that people have different ways of
thinking and feeling about things. They also have different interests, like and
dislikes that impact their thoughts and feelings. Carrying it one step further,
ToM involves understanding that these different ways of thinking and feeling
produce different behaviors from person to person, and that these behaviors are
not always consistent! Sound intricate? Well, it is, and it aptly describes why
social understanding, or more specifically the lack thereof, can have such a
monumental impact on the lives of these children.
