Product Description

Practical advice and information from the world's foremost experts on autism -- and a mother's own hard-won lessons from helping her son recover from the disorder

When Karen Siff Exkorn's son, Jake, was diagnosed with autism, she struggled to pull together comprehensive information about the disorder. Fortunately, she was able to educate herself quickly, and her extensive at-home treatment of her son led to his amazing full recovery. But the journey wasn't easy, and now, in The Autism Sourcebook, Siff Exkorn offers parents the wisdom she wishes she'd had at the beginning.

Recent studies show that there is a worldwide epidemic of autism. More than 1.5 million people are affected in the United States alone, with one in every 166 children diagnosed. Early detection and early intervention are two of the key factors in improving prognosis -- but too often, writes Siff Exkorn, parents get bogged down in denial or confusion about the still mysterious disorder, and are unable to take the necessary steps. Providing accessible medical information gleaned from the world's foremost experts, Siff Exkorn offers an inside look at families with children who have autism, and ties in her own firsthand experience as a parent. The author shares valuable knowledge about the following:

With extensive appendices, including the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Diagnostic Criteria for the Five Pervasive Developmental Disorders, and carefully selected lists of Internet resources, recommended readings, and top autism organizations worldwide, The Autism Sourcebook is the single most comprehensive, practical resource available to parents and loved ones of children with autism.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #491054 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-01
• Released on: 2005-09-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 432 pages

About the Author

After her son's recovery from autism, Karen Siff Exkorn made it her mission to reach out as a consultant to other families living with autism. With a B.A. from Brown University and an M.A. from New York University, she is a frequent lecturer at universities and autism organizations around the world. Karen has appeared on ABC's Good Morning America, Nightline, and an international media tour. She and her husband recently established the Siff Exkorn Family Foundation, which provides funding for research and treatment of autism. The author donates a percentage of the proceeds from book sales to autism organizations worldwide. She lives in Rockland County, New York, with her husband and son.

Customer Reviews

An sourcebook with heart
I have a loved one (nephew) that has been challenged with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I felt that reading this book would be informative as well as showing my support for the family. Well it was, and then some.

What surprises me is that it is not a dry and tedious read. Author Karen Siff Exkorn manages to explain technical, diagnostic and therapeutic terms and processes in intelligent and uncomplicated English. Make no mistake - this is not a dim-witted "Autism for Dummies" style book either.

It is clear that she has been through much, for only the voice of experience could have this veracity. I was intrigued to read about her family's personal experiences. Her stories and examples involving her son, Jake, are understated and not drenched in sentimentality. It added a very real and human dimension to the book.

The book has four sections:
-Diagnosis
-Treatment
-Coping
-Healing

It also includes a large and pragmatic appendix; covering areas such as diagnostic criteria, organizations, resources, recommended reading, and a glossary.

At the end of each section are questions and answers. I found myself reading the questions and thinking to myself "Hey, now there is a good one!" No stone was left unturned.

I think many parents and guardians will also appreciate chapter 7: "You Have the Power: Advocating for Your Child's Legal Rights". It is clear and practical information, loaded with parent's experiences and helpful tips on how to "work the system". There are a variety of programs and Siff Exkorn explains how to jump the hurdles and stay on top of it all.

There is an aspect often neglected by other books and articles regarding ASD: the emotional impact on the care-givers and the family. Siff Exkorn devoted much of the last two chapters to this very subject matter. Here she advocates taking care of ourselves, and ways to do it, so that we remain effective care-givers and create a content family life that includes a child with an ASD. It was reassuring to read that others have gone through similar experiences.

I am most grateful to Karen Siff Exkorn for authoring this much needed book, and would recommend it to anyone who has interest in the Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

Don't bother -- Save your money
Save your money ... this book is misleading, nothing new, and for anyone to claim that they have written a book that is "everything you need to know" about helping your child with Autism is, in itself, ludicrous.

Apparently "everything you need to know" is just using ABA therapy.

The Author, Karen Siff Exhorn, claims that her child is "completely recovered from Autism" (his actual diagnosis was PDD) but then the author also says that her son still needs a 1:1 ABA therapist to "support him" on playdates. The child is in 4th grade. That is hardly what I would consider to be "recovered".
What this author appears to consider "recovered" is her son's ability to speak, to be compliant, and to not "look autistic" ... meaning, she focused on ABA "training" to get her kid to not flap or shriek and to "look normal". "Looking normal" was the most important thing to her, it seems. So her kid sounds as if he can appear normal, which is great, but her son still doesn't know how to relate to kids, converse with them, or play ...

Half a page on Sensory Integration and a quarter of a page on Integrated Play Therapy can hardly be considered "everything you need to know".

We all have 1000 times more computing power at our fingertips right now than NASA used to get a man on the moon ... yet few of us make very good use of it.

It would be great if there were one book that would tell us everything we needed to know, but since every case of Autism is different, that is not possible. Forget this book and just search the web.

A Good Start for Newly Diagnosed
I wish this book had been around five years ago when my son was diagnosed. This is a great start, but ONLY a start. I feel there needs to be much more on sensory integration. My son is also PDD and ABA did nothing for his flapping and spinning. Newly diagnosed parents must remember that Autism isn't curable but treatable. With therapies, diet, and a good special ed teacher their child can live in our world very well. My son is now eight and looks, acts, talks like a typical boy. Certain social still cause stimming and behavior problems but all in all he's doing excellent. Again, this book is a great start.