Overcoming Autism

Rating:
Summary: Worth the Read
Review: I like the way this book is broken down into process-friendly, itemized chapters about autism and autism-related behaviors. The one thing I take issue with is the high-functioning person with autism or its closely related spectrum condition Asperger's as not having autistic symptoms. That is a question that remains to be proven and mere behaviorism does not explain autism.

As an inveterate, lifelong Beatles' fan, I had to smile when I read about Andrew, the brilliant young boy with Asperger's who had an avid love for the world's Number One Band. A gifted artist, Andrew would draw the Beatles at different points in their careers and kept abreast of any news relating to them. I like the way he was able to use his vast knowledge of the Beatles as an entree to conversation - how well I understood that! Asperger's and Beatles - two specialized areas that I have a vast amount of knowledge of myself. I love the way the authors say that because of Andrew, they listen to the Beatles and appreciate them all the more. How well I understood that!

I would have rated this 3 stars, but the description of how the Beatles played and continue to play an important part in the life of a young boy on the spectrum raises this to 4.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite autism book to date
Review: I love this book because it combines the personal story of one family with the terrific clinical advice of Dr. Koegel. The behavioral analysis is straightforward, and easy to apply even in the hectic life of any parent of an autistic child. The mother's perspective is highly valuable because she is a "real" mom, not the obsessed supermom that we often encounter in biographical autism accounts. I thought that the advice hit all major areas of import when raising a child on the autism spectrum, minus sensory issues. But there are plenty of other books that deal with that- my favorite being "The Out-of-Sync Child" and Temple Grandin's "Thinking in Pictures."

This book will not make you feel guilty for not doing enough of the supposed "right thing," nor will it allow you to sit in complacency. It will give you motivation to do what is right for you and your family. I have found it to be a wonderful resource for me, and I'm insisting that my husband read it! It is a FANTASTIC book.



Rating:
Summary: Finally, an autism book for the rest of us
Review: I've read probably hundreds of books about autism spectrum disorders since having a child diagnosed with such. This book marks the first time I felt I was reading about a parent like myself. I almost cheered out loud early in the book when the author with a child with autism said she was not a tigress, not the type to confront any and all to help her child, just a parent that loved her child very much and was devoted to helping him. So many books written by parents about autism are all about how far they have gone to help their child, and generally by following some quite narrow path, such as dietary intervention, ABA, etc. I am always struck by how so little mention is made of any other children in the family, or of the great aspects of their child OUTSIDE the autism. In this book, I really felt like I was reading about a whole family and a WHOLE CHILD---one with interests that while they might be unusual, were still kind of cool and not just obsessions to be gotten rid of.

The clinical advice here is very well done. It's practical to the extreme---right down to giving ideas about helping children know what to talk about during lunch at school (hint---all kids love to discuss how gross some foods are!) While it is plainly said that helping your autistic child needs to take place full time, you are told how to do this in the course of continuing to live your life.

I do think this book would be more helpful to those with verbal children. While it does contain some advice for the non-verbal child, it seems to be more aimed at those with verbal and middle to higher functioning children.

It meant so much to me that in the personal narratives, there was such a sense of reality---for example, although we all know how we are supposed to deal with night wakings, we might not all be primed to follow through in the middle of the night!

It may be fascinating to read about the latest "miracle" to "cure" autism. However, I think the reality is much more what is contained here---practical little things and big things we can do day after day after day to help our precious and valued children.

Rating:
Summary: Helpful and Compassionate
Review: If you don't have a child with autism, chances are you know or will know someone close to you who does. "Overcoming Autism" is your key to unraveling the mystery of behavior modification. There is so much good practical advice that you trust the authors instantly. Dr. Koegel's approach is professional yet easy to follow, giving a parent or caregiver the confidence to tackle issues that were previously left to doctors and therapists. Co-author LaZebnik's words ring true in such an honest and loving manner. Parents have so many worries for their children and autism is just one of them. It's only part of your child's makeup and accepting autism is accepting your child...LaZebnik helped me do that. Dr. Koegel gave me the tools to start the lifelong path that may be different than I had expected but just as wonderful. Caring for a child with autism is a fulltime commitment. When the therapy sessions are over, life begins-- "Overcoming Autism" could be the first step in preparing yourself.

Rating:
Summary: An important book - with some caveats
Review: Lynn and her husband Robert Koegel have done some of the most important research work in the autism field. Their work on the use of naturalistic and motivational strategies has proved that communication can be taught most effectively when it's functional and meaningful, not as rote drills.

This book includes the first widely-available account of those methods, and would be extremely valuable for that reason alone. Hopefully it will prove to many parents and professionals that '80s Lovaas-style "ABA" is not the only (let alone the best) option around.

There are aspects of the book that I'd argue with, though. As a behaviorist, Koegel is determined to treat autism simply as a cluster of symptoms, and pays very little attention to what it feels like from the inside (despite the many people on the autistic spectrum who've written accounts of their experiences). She pays no attention to sensory problems, for example. She is horrified at the idea that autistic children might be allowed to isolate themselves on the playground (even if that's what they'd prefer?). And she only rather grudgingly accepts that a child might be permitted to "stim" in private, even though she mentions that research has shown that many stims don't interfere with learning at all.

Her claim that a child or adult who can pass for "eccentric normal" has "no symptoms of autism" anymore is something that many high-functioning autistic spectrum adults - like me - would question.

This is not to dismiss just how far many autistic spectrum kids can go with the right education and support, as Claire LaZebnik's account of her son Andrew demonstrates. Far from it.

But one of the things that touched me most in the book was LaZebnik's gentle acceptance that her son may still stim "finger puppets" in private, and her eloquent description of how his "obsessions" have contributed positively to his life. Such autistic spectrum traits may never go away, although many of us learn to hide them in public. But with the right support, they can be as much of a blessing as a curse.

Rating:
Summary: Easy to use activities!!!!!!!!
Review: WOW! As someone who teaches children with autism and has a child on the autism spectrum I was amazed with this book!!! It breaks down the symptoms of autism and provides simple activities to help children with autism! It hits on speech, communication, self-stimulatory activities! It is written in a practical and manageable way so you can start using it the day to receive it! I highly recommend this book to parents of children who have just been diagnosed, but experts and all parents will love it!!!