Understanding autism for dummies

Title:

Understanding autism for dummies

Author:

Shore, Stephen M., 1961-

ISBN:

9780764525476

Publication Information:

Hoboken, NJ : Wiley, c2006.

Available:*

Material Type	Library	Call Number	Suggested Age	Status
Book	Searching... Cox Landing Public Library	618.92 S	Adult	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Matewan Public Library	618.92 S	Adult	Searching... Unknown

Friendly, accessible guidance for parents of autistic children and people caring for autistic adults

Autism affects more than 1 million children and adults in the United States, and parents may be confused by the behavior of autistic children. This book provides help-and hope-by explaining the differences between various types of autism and delivering the lowdown on behavioral, educational, medical, other interventions. Featuring inspiring autism success stories as well as a list of organizations where people who support those with autism can go for additional help, it offers practical advice on how to educate children as well as insights on helping people with autism use their strengths to maximize their potential in life.

Stephen Shore , EdD (Brookline MA), serves on the board for several autism spectrum-related organizations and he has written Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome (1-931282-00-5) and edited Ask and Tell: Self Advocacy and Disclosure For People on the Autism Spectrum (1-931282-58-7).
Linda G. Rastelli (Middletown, NJ) is a veteran journalist who specializes in health and business.
Temple Grandin , PhD (Fort Collins, CO) is the author of the bestselling Thinking in Pictures (0-679-77289-8) and Emergence: Labeled Autistic (0-446-67182-7).

Author Notes

Stephen M. Shore, EdD, who was diagnosed on the autism spectrum, is a college professor and an international lecturer and consultant on autism.

Linda G. Rastelli, MA, is an award-winning writer with 20 years of experience writing about health, education, and business topics.

Foreword	p. xvii
Introduction	p. 1
About This Book	p. 2
Conventions Used in This Book	p. 2
What You're Not to Read	p. 3
Foolish Assumptions	p. 3
How This Book Is Organized	p. 4
Part I Understanding Autism	p. 4
Part II Addressing Physical Needs	p. 4
Part III Enhancing Learning and Social Skills	p. 5
Part IV Living with Autism as an Adult	p. 5
Part V The Part of Tens	p. 6
Icons Used in This Book	p. 6
Where to Go from Here	p. 7
Part I Understanding Autism	p. 9
Chapter 1 Autism: The Big Picture	p. 11
What We Know - and Don't Know - about Autism	p. 12
Making the Diagnosis: Learning Your ASDs	p. 13
Understanding the diagnostic criteria	p. 14
Seeing the signs: Autism symptoms	p. 15
Understanding the Far-Reaching Impact of Autism	p. 17
How autism can affect the diagnosed individual	p. 18
How autism can affect families, schools, and communities	p. 18
How autism can affect caregivers	p. 19
Navigating the Sea of Interventions	p. 20
Using behavioral, developmental, and other educationally based interventions	p. 21
Implementing occupational and speech-language therapies	p. 23
Medicating symptoms that can accompany autism	p. 23
Applying biomedical and natural interventions	p. 24
If You Think You (Or People You Care for) Have Undiagnosed Autism	p. 25
Chapter 2 From Classification to Treatment: Scanning the Autism Spectrum	p. 27
Surveying the Colors of Autism	p. 28
Severe (or "classic") autism	p. 29
PDD and PDD-NOS	p. 30
Asperger Syndrome	p. 31
Considering Conditions That Resemble Autism	p. 32
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder	p. 32
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder	p. 33
Other possible diagnoses	p. 33
Understanding Why Early Treatment Matters More than Classification	p. 35
Attempting early identification and intervention	p. 35
Getting good medical care	p. 36
Enrolling in effective early programs	p. 37
Chapter 3 Causes, Clusters, and Clues: Where Does Autism Come From?	p. 39
Considering the Rise in Diagnoses	p. 40
Exploring the Genetic Link	p. 41
Familial patterns	p. 41
Brain size and structure	p. 42
The brain-gut connection	p. 44
The testosterone link	p. 45
Examining Biomedical Theories	p. 45
What do allergies have to do with it?	p. 46
Heavy-metal poisoning hypotheses	p. 47
Autoimmune or virus-induced theories of causation	p. 49
The Backlash Against the Cure	p. 50
Chapter 4 Getting a Diagnosis	p. 53
Tracking Your Child's Medical History	p. 54
Broaching the Possibility of Autism with a Doctor	p. 55
Preparing for the consultation	p. 56
Requesting a referral	p. 57
Consulting a Specialist	p. 58
Contacting a qualified specialist	p. 59
Sharing information	p. 62
Embarking on the assessment process	p. 62
Diagnosing related conditions	p. 65
Dealing with the Impact of the Diagnosis	p. 67
Coming to terms emotionally	p. 68
Taking action	p. 68
Avoiding scams	p. 69
Chapter 5 Asperger Syndrome and Autism	p. 71
Discovering Where Asperger Syndrome Sits on the Autism Spectrum	p. 72
Examining common characteristics of Asperger's	p. 72
Diagnosing Asperger Syndrome	p. 73
Examining typical nondiagnostic personality traits of Asperger Syndrome	p. 76
Helping People with Asperger Syndrome Socialize	p. 78
Finding the hidden curriculum	p. 79
Handling idioms and figures of speech	p. 80
Dealing with the Emotions Triggered by Asperger Syndrome	p. 82
Avoiding the rage cycle	p. 83
Working through frustration	p. 87
Using emotion thermometers to gauge emotional states	p. 87
Recognizing Bullying and Its Emotional Repercussions	p. 89
Signs of bullying	p. 90
Taming the bullies	p. 91
Transitioning to Adulthood	p. 91
Part II Addressing Physical Needs	p. 93
Chapter 6 Injecting Yourself with Knowledge about Autism Medication	p. 95
Considering Drug Therapy	p. 95
Looking at how medication can realistically help	p. 96
Educating yourself and pursuing drug therapy	p. 96
Using medication wisely	p. 97
Identifying Helpful Medications	p. 99
Beginning the process with a qualified doctor	p. 100
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)	p. 101
Atypical antipsychotic drugs	p. 102
Tricyclic drugs	p. 104
Antiepileptics (also known as anticonvulsants)	p. 105
Medications for challenging behaviors in severely affected people with autism	p. 106
Maximizing Safety When Vaccinating Your Child	p. 107
Considering your child's medical history	p. 107
Looking at an alternate vaccination schedule	p. 108
Chapter 7 Improving Immunity and Boosting Biochemistry	p. 109
Taking a Look at the Balancing Act of the Immune System	p. 110
Exposing the Relationship between Autism and Immune Abnormalities	p. 112
Analyzing immune measurements in the blood	p. 113
Exploring gut problems	p. 114
Studying brain tissue	p. 115
Improving Immunity	p. 116
Focusing on first-line fundamentals	p. 117
Seeking out second-line strategies	p. 118
Tackling third-line therapies	p. 119
Biochemistry Begets Behavior: A New Way of Thinking	p. 121
Shedding light on the broken pathways	p. 121
Maximizing metabolism	p. 122
Getting the Lead (and Mercury) Out	p. 124
Why the autistic child?	p. 124
Testing for toxicity	p. 125
Chelating	p. 125
Chapter 8 Optimizing Nutrition	p. 129
Tempering Your Expectations	p. 130
Considering Your Dietary Intervention Options	p. 130
Cleaning up your child's diet	p. 131
Going wheat and dairy free	p. 133
Supplementing your child's diet	p. 136
Implementing Your Plan	p. 138
Keeping a food and symptom diary	p. 138
Involving professionals	p. 140
Easing the transition	p. 141
Experimenting with specialized diets	p. 142
Eating on the road	p. 143
Part III Enhancing Learning and Social Skills	p. 145
Chapter 9 Choosing an Appropriate Behavioral, Developmental, or Educational Intervention	p. 147
Understanding What to Look for in the Alphabet Soup of Approaches	p. 148
Actions and behaviors that lead to success in all interventions	p. 149
Keys to success in educational interventions	p. 149
Exploring Popular Intervention Approaches	p. 150
Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)	p. 151
Daily Life Therapy (DLT)	p. 155
Developmental Individual Difference Relation-Based Intervention (DIR)	p. 157
Miller Method	p. 160
Relationship Development Intervention (RDI)	p. 164
Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH)	p. 169
Social Communication Emotional Regulation Transactional Support Model (SCERTS)	p. 173
Deciding Which Method Is Best for Your Child	p. 176
Financing the At-Home Program of Your Choice	p. 177
Exploring your at-home options	p. 177
Obtaining government assistance	p. 178
Chapter 10 Dealing with Learning and Sensory Differences	p. 181
Autistic Learning: Transferring Skills and Providing Structure	p. 182
Thinking conceptually and transferring concepts	p. 182
Incorporating routine into daily life	p. 184
Bridging the Communication Gap	p. 186
Developing sign language as a communication bridge	p. 186
Working toward functional communication	p. 186
Using assistive communication technology	p. 187
Enjoying music therapy	p. 193
"Retraining" the Brain through Neurotherapy	p. 194
Examining and implementing neurotherapy	p. 195
Reviewing a neurotherapy study	p. 196
Making Sense of Sensory Confusion	p. 197
Observing sensory integration challenges	p. 197
Using hippotherapy	p. 200
Working with speech-language pathologists	p. 200
Seeing through Irlen-branded lenses	p. 201
Handling Your Child's Sensory Issues	p. 202
The supermarket test	p. 202
The eyes have it	p. 203
The auditory-processing blues	p. 204
Socially unacceptable stimming	p. 204
Dealing with the most severe behaviors	p. 206
Chapter 11 Finding a Learning Environment That Fits Your Child's Needs	p. 207
Inclusion: To Be or Not to Be?	p. 208
Recognizing an Effective Classroom	p. 209
Maintaining routine and predictability	p. 209
Learning through all the senses	p. 211
Evaluating the room itself	p. 212
Observing a Good Teacher	p. 215
Characteristics to look for in an educator	p. 215
Warning flags to avoid in an educator	p. 216
Developing Effective Accommodations	p. 217
Accommodations in action	p. 218
Addressing the fairness of accommodations	p. 219
Considering educational techniques for promoting inclusion	p. 222
Weighing Your Options when the Public School System Falls Short	p. 224
Exploring the world of home schooling	p. 224
Considering other educational options	p. 226
Understanding and Reducing Challenging Behaviors	p. 226
Getting to the core of the behavior	p. 227
Performing a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)	p. 227
Chapter 12 Legally Speaking: Making the Most of Your Child's Education	p. 235
Navigating the Legal and Education Systems	p. 235
Understanding what the law allows	p. 236
Keeping track of changes in the law	p. 236
Staying Involved with Your Child's Education	p. 238
Working within the system	p. 238
Supporting your child at home	p. 239
Acting Early with an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)	p. 240
Specifying Special: Entering the Public School System	p. 241
Initiating an evaluation to establish eligibility	p. 241
Implementing an Individualized Education Program (IEP)	p. 243
Assessing Your Child's Progress	p. 250
Flexing Your Educational Rights When You Need To	p. 251
Chapter 13 Fostering Healthy Relationships	p. 253
Recognizing the Social Challenges an Autistic Child Faces	p. 254
Understanding social norms	p. 254
Conversing and cooperating	p. 255
Supporting a child when verbal communication is minimal or nonexistent	p. 256
All in the Family	p. 258
Talking about autism with your kids	p. 259
Considering the challenges siblings face	p. 260
Including extended family	p. 263
Encouraging Your Child to Form Friendships	p. 264
Staging an emotional rescue	p. 265
Creating social stories and calling on Power Cards	p. 266
Making conversation	p. 268
Sparking interactive play	p. 269
Respecting differences	p. 270
Part IV Living With Autism as an Adult	p. 271
Chapter 14 For Adults with Autism: Living Well after K-12	p. 273
Discovering How to Live Interdependently	p. 274
Managing your daily life	p. 274
Deciding where to live	p. 275
For caregivers: Preparing your dependent to succeed from day one	p. 276
Out of the High-School Daze: Pursuing Higher Education	p. 277
Evaluating your educational options	p. 278
Getting the accommodations you need for higher education	p. 282
Practicing self-advocacy and disclosure	p. 283
Easing into higher education	p. 284
For caregivers: Helping your dependent realize his/her higher-education dreams	p. 285
Time to Nurture Your Bank Account: Finding (and Keeping) Employment	p. 285
Matching your skills and desires with job opportunities	p. 286
Working with a job coach	p. 287
Applying for and obtaining a position	p. 288
Maintaining your job	p. 291
Gracefully exiting your position	p. 291
Considering self-employment	p. 292
For caregivers: Helping a dependent find employment	p. 293
An Advocate Off the Ol' Block: Getting Involved with Your Community	p. 295
Becoming a part of your community	p. 296
Looking within the autism community	p. 297
For caregivers: Encouraging an adult with autism to get involved	p. 299
Chapter 15 For Adults with Autism: Fostering Friendships and Romantic Relationships	p. 301
Developing Friendly Relationships	p. 302
Understanding the circle of relationships	p. 302
Making first contact	p. 304
For caregivers: Helping your dependent establish friendships	p. 306
Recognizing (And Overcoming) the Challenges of Dating	p. 307
Asking for a date	p. 307
Behaving appropriately during the date	p. 309
Opting for full or no disclosure	p. 310
For caregivers: Moving on to dating	p. 311
Taking It to the Next Level with Sexual Behavior	p. 312
The most important part of boyfriend or girlfriend is "friend"	p. 313
Engaging in sexual activity	p. 314
For caregivers: Exploring sex education for people with autism	p. 315
Chapter 16 Special-Needs Planning for the Future	p. 319
Avoiding Common Financial Mistakes	p. 320
Putting Plan to Paper: Getting Started	p. 320
Taking account of your child's prognosis	p. 321
Keeping eligibility for government services in mind	p. 322
Sizing up your estate	p. 323
Considering living arrangements and guardianship	p. 323
Involving an Attorney and/or Financial Planner	p. 323
Writing Your Will	p. 325
Setting up a special-needs trust	p. 326
Giving a morally obligated gift	p. 330
Designating guardianship	p. 331
Part V The Part of Tens	p. 333
Chapter 17 Ten Tactful Responses to Challenging Questions or Comments	p. 335
"What Special Talent Does He Have?"	p. 335
"Why Can't You Control Your Kid?"	p. 336
"Asperger Snausperger. He Looks Fine. He Just Needs a Better Attitude"	p. 337
"Who Did He Inherit It From?"	p. 337
"Why Should Your Child Get Special Treatment?"	p. 338
"Are You Kidnapping That Child?"	p. 338
The "Bad-Parent" Look	p. 339
"Is She Still in Her Own World?"	p. 339
"They Grow Out of It, Don't They?"	p. 340
"But She Doesn't Look Autistic..."	p. 340
Chapter 18 Ten Things to Do after a Diagnosis	p. 341
Learn and Read as Much as Possible	p. 341
Network with Other Families	p. 342
Test, Test, Test	p. 342
Investigate Sources of Financial Aid	p. 342
Consider Major Lifestyle Changes	p. 343
Set Up an Educational/Behavioral Program in Your Home	p. 343
Begin Therapies	p. 343
Address Your Child's Diet and Nutrition	p. 344
Don't Give Up	p. 344
Get Out and Relax	p. 344
Appendix Where to Go for More Help	p. 345
Finding Other Helpful Texts	p. 345
Specializing in autism spectrum disorders	p. 347
Special-education publishers	p. 347
Research journals and magazines	p. 348
Surfing Informative Sites on the Web	p. 348
Connecting with advocacy organizations	p. 349
Perusing general-information sites	p. 350
Having some fun	p. 351
Gaining insight from people with an ASD	p. 351
Chatting about autism	p. 352
Exploring listserves	p. 353
Accessing World-Wide Autism Organizations and Resources	p. 354
Index	p. 355

Available:*

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Table of Contents