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Material Type | Library | Call Number | Suggested Age | Status |
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| Book | Searching... Gallaher Village Public Library | 618.92 S | Adult | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Why would a child refuse to talk about anything but wasp wings-or the color of subway train doors? What does it mean when a nine-year-old asks questions about death hundreds of times a day? And how can parents build a close relationship with a little girl who hates to be touched? In this compassionate book, leading autism authority Dr. Peter Szatmari shows that children with autism spectrum disorders act the way they do because they think in vastly different ways than other people. Dr. Szatmari shares the compelling stories of children he has treated who hear everyday conversation like a foreign language or experience hugs like the clamp of a vise. Understanding this unusual inner world-and appreciating the unique strengths that thinking differently can bestow-will help parents relate to their children more meaningfully, and make the "outer world" a less scary place.
Author Notes
Peter Szatmari is currently Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Vice-Chair of Research, and Head of the Division of Child Psychiatry at McMaster University in Canada.
Reviews (2)
Kirkus Review
The thought processes of children with Autism or Asperger Syndrome (both forms of autism spectrum disorder) can be mystifying to those on the outside--including parents. Dr. Peter Szatmari, who specializes in juvenile ASD, attempts here to shed light through ten different case studies. People with ASD are characterized by three factors: "impairments in reciprocal social interactions, impairments in verbal and nonverbal communication, and a preference for repetitive, solitary, and stereotyped interests or activities." What exactly that means becomes clear with the case of Stephen, a verbal youngster with a passion for wasps--catching them, observing them, and talking about them. Zachary, age 9, is preoccupied with death. And Justin, 30, is fascinated by the sounds of thunderstorms. Meanwhile, Sharon, a successful architect with a husband and child, has never been able to master social interaction. Every character is fascinating, rendering Dr. Szatmari's collection of essays reminiscent more of Oliver Sachs than DSM-IV; still, there's a wealth of concrete information and history along with the narratives themselves. Altogether absorbing, it should appeal to a wide audience, while being especially compelling for readers with ASD in their immediate circle. ASD affects 1 in 300 American children. Don't wait until April--national Autism Awareness Month--to feature this title. This is important and urgent information for countless parents. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Library Journal Review
Szatmari (psychiatry & behavioral neurosciences, McMaster Univ., Ont.) serves as the director of the Canadian Autism Intervention Research Network and has worked with ASD people for more than 20 years. In this excellent book, he takes a novel tack: using personal narratives to introduce and describe ASD traits. Instead of illustrating a concept with brief passages, Szatmari discusses 12 concepts of ASD via 12 in-depth profiles. Readers will meet "Justin," a 30-year-old with acute hearing and an obsession with sounds (so much that he can hear computer speed by ear); "Heather," a little girl who does not like to be touched by her mother; and "Sharon," a 41-year-old architect who has many traits of autism, including the theory of mind (i.e., the inability to acknowledge others). In these vivid descriptions, we see a greater variety of people with ASD than we normally do in the literature. Highly recommended for academic libraries. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Table of Contents
| 1 The Eccentric EntomologistStephen |
| 2 A World That Revolves around a Different AxisHeather |
| 3 Listening to the Architecture of the WorldJustin |
| 4 An Obsession with DeathZachary |
| 5 Seeing Other Minds DarklySharon |
| 6 A World without MetaphorWilliam |
| 7 Asynchronous Time, Asynchronous DevelopmentTeddy |
| 8 Accepting the Enigma, Moving Beyond the CauseSally and Ann and Danny |
| 9 Mobiles and "Miracles"Trevor |
| 10 The View from the BridgeErnest |
| 11 Learning and Forgetting at SchoolFrankie |
| 12 Acceptance without ResignationSophie |
| Bibliography or Resources |
