Product Description

Winner of the 2005 Autism Society of America's Outstanding Literary Work of the Year Award

Based on the author's personal and professional experiences, this comprehensive and accessible source covers all aspects of autism conditions, including Asperger's Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21766 in Books
• Published on: 2004-08-31
• Released on: 2004-09-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 360 pages

Review
...information from personal experiences will give...parents and professionals...insight into how people on the spectrum perceive the world. -- Temple Grandin, Ph.D., author, Thinking In Pictures

This book is not merely highly recommended - it is highly indispensable! -- Bernard Rimland, Ph.D., Director, Austism Research Institute, Founder, Autism Society of America

This reference guide is...invaluable for anyone in the community who comes across individuals with autism in their line of work. -- Anthony Edwards, E.R.'s Dr. Greene

About the Author
Chantal Sicile-Kira has been involved with Autism Spectrum Disorders for nearly 20 years, first as a professional and then as a parent. She is on the advisory board of several non-profit autism related organizations including the CAN Foundation, Autism Society of America, and HALO (Helping Autism Through Learning and Outreach). She also writes regularly for the Cure Autism Now (CAN) newsletter and website.

Customer Reviews

Fine practical introduction
This book is directed especially toward parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Chantal Sicile-Kira's goal is to save parents "countless hours of precious time and heartache" by sharing what she has learned navigating through the various systems. She has an autistic child of her own and she knows the ropes having spent "tens of thousands of hours" learning about autism and the treatments and interventions available, and how the various support and governmental groups and organizations work.

She begins by debunking myths about autism while providing a little history including some sharp commentary about Bruno Bettelheim, the psychotherapist who thought that autism was caused by "refrigerator mothers" of cold affect who pushed their children into emotional isolation. She emphasizes that autism is a "spectrum disorder" that is becoming more and more prevalent without a clear etiology.

She follows this with a chapter explaining what ASDs are and "How to Know If a Person Has One." She addresses herself to parents who have absolutely no experience with autism, parents who have no idea what to do or how to feel. In Chapter 3 she looks into the causes and attempts to explain why people with ASDs act the way they do. Then she guides parents to what to expect and what to do after a diagnosis of autism. In Chapter 5 she comments on treatments, therapies, and interventions.

What Sicile-Kira does so well is to make the reader understand and appreciate what it is like to be a parent of an autistic child, what family life can be like with siblings, what the educational prospects are, how one fits into the community and what the future may hold. Autism spectrum disorders are becoming better and better understood all the time, and there is even a school of thought that suggests that, in their milder forms, to look for a "cure" may be a misdirection because many autistics have a unique and valuable way of viewing the world and living life.

This is a personal book, but it is also a professional book. There is an appendix giving "Parent Ratings of Behavioral Effects of Biomedical Interventions": which drugs have or have not been effective, how non-drug supplements have or have not helped, and the effect of special diets. There is a section on "Resources," including ASD-Specific Organizations, general organizations, governmental agencies, books; and there's a bibliography.

If you want an introduction to autism and the world of autism from a parental and a professional point of view, this is an excellent place to start.

OUTSTANDING RESOURCE ON AUTISM
I am a graduate student doing research on autism, and this book provided a fantastic amount of information. It covers the history, symptoms, treatments, how to look for help, provides numerous websites and other resources, and was invaluable to my work. Out of the ten books on autism that I have read, this one is the best.

An excellent introduction to a bewildering condition.
Autism is a diificult condition to accept, to understand, and to fight. Parents and professionals are flooded with books and articles filled with ideas about the causes, symptoms,and treatments for autism. It is an overwhelming task to sort out honest attempts from honest but misguided ideas from frank marketing of treatments. This book helps clarify and organize a comprehensive approach that includes advice on to advocate for persons with autism. I strongly recommend Sicile-Kira's book to anyone helping with persons with autism or autism spectrum disorders, including parents, health professionals, and teachers.

J. D. Feder, MD