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Summary: EATING AN ARTICHOKE
Review: A Mother's Perspective on Asperger's SyndromeAsperger's Syndrome is a developmental disorder that affects nearly one in every 300 individuals. Characterized by impairments in socialization, communication and imagination, Asperger's Syndrome is similar in many respects to autism, yet Asperger's Syndrome is more frequently overlooked and misdiagnosed. This is because people with Asperger's Syndrome are higher functioning than autistics, and knowledge of Asperger's Syndrome is only just now spreading among the medical community. EATING AN ARTICHOKE is a child's struggle with Asperger's Syndrome as seen by his mother, author Echo Fling. The title reflects the process of understanding her son's disability, that it was like eating an artichoke, requiring years of peeling off each thorny layer to get to the "heart" of things. Echo's search started during a routine parent-teacher conference in November 1991, where her long-time fears were confirmed - her son's teacher told her that five-year-old Jimmy's behavior was 'not normal.' After two years at the pre-school, Jimmy had failed to make any friends, acted aggressively toward teachers and classmates, and reacted violently to changes in his routine. This parent-teacher conference began a five-year battery of doctor appointments, visits with medical specialists, appointments with learning consultants, and consultations with psychologists. Finally, at the age of ten, Jimmy was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome - much to his mother's relief and consternation. EATING AN ARTICHOKE is her story, how she learned more about the illness, how she learned to cope with the changes it would make in their lives, and how she learned to educate others. Charting Jimmy's development from infancy to pre-adolescence, Fling's story illustrates the profound effect that Asperger's Syndrome has on a family. She provides practical advice for parents of children with Asperger's Syndrome, as well as for those seeking to gain more information about the disorder. EATING AN ARTICHOKE is the book that the author needed when she first set out to have Jimmy diagnosed, and it will enable parents and teachers to understand and help other children with Asperger's Syndrome.
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Summary: Required Reading for the Entire Family!
Review: Artichoke is not a technical read, which is what I loved about this book! I have read books written for both parents/educators which are needed to understand and implement techniques that benefit my son. What was missing was the family dynamics, and that my family had gone through some of the same things. My teenage daughter now understands that we are not spoiling her brother because he "wants" to sit in a certain chair, she now understands he "HAS" TO! Additionaly,it helped to understand my Husbands' reluctance to using medication and certain technics for helping our son. When I feel like I am the only one dealing with Aspergers I pick it up and remember that our family is not that different in learning how to deal with a truly unique child!
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Summary: We're not alone!
Review: Eating an Artichoke is a wonderful work. It was like reading our life story! It is a must-read for parents of children with Asperger's Syndrome. Heart wrenching, warm, funny, and optimistic all describe this account of a family in search of direction to help their son. It is such a comfort to read of another family with the same struggles.
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Summary: Digest Well
Review: Echo Fling has captured the essence of life with a child who has Aspergers. I feel as though we are part of a special group of people who are now able to read her book instead of trying to figure out what AS is without any clues. A very moving, open, valuable book for those who live or work with people who have Aspergers.
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Summary: All Asperger parents should read this book
Review: Echo Fling has put to words all the struggles and daily trials associated with parenting an Asperger child. I find her text both insightful and helpful. The highlight of the book is her complete devotion to her child both in the present day and her hopes for the future. We all need to know that these kids have the potential to lift us all to new levels. This book does not describe being their parent as a burden but rather a priviledge.
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Summary: Someone knows how I feel!
Review: From my solitude a voice saying "I understand!" This book made me laugh and cry at the same time. We were very fortunate to have our son now 4.5 years diagnosed early and have been using many of the treatments Echo mentions in her book. What was most useful was reading about Jimmy as he gets older and what I have to look forward too. Even though our kids are VERY unique, there is a sameness about them too. Thank you Echo for saying what what we all have been feeling. Now if we could just get insurance companies and other agencies to understand our kids!
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Summary: This book was a disappointment to me
Review: I found this book to be a simplistic look at Asperger's. This book could be useful to parents who want to hear someone else's story. However, there is no discussion of interventions or services for the author's son. Her coping strategies for dealing with some of the difficulties associated with having a child with Asperger's I felt were too simplistic for me and so I had difficulty relating to the author. There are so many other very good books available on autism/pdd/asperger's. This one is not a must-read.
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Summary: Know That Artichoke Well - Have Eaten it Many Times
Review: I have a number of friends with AS kids (mine is autistic) so I thought I would read this book. It's a lovely chronical of their family's ordeal through Aspergers. It really reinforces the biological-based NEED to do certain things. I was hoping to hear of non-educational therapies that help AS kids, even if not her own. No such luck. No discussion of AIT (for Jimmy's hearing sensitivities) or dietary trials or sensory integration therapy. But I was glad that she got the point across that these kids don't do well on Ritalin. This story was almost a fairy tale compared to most I know with AS kids to get educational services, as she seemed to luck into all good teachers, therapists and willing school districts. While I was thrilled for their family, I know that is not the norm. It's still a must read for anyone with a child with a AS diagnosis or suspects one.
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Summary: A good descriptive book
Review: I have a number of friends with AS kids (mine is autistic) so I thought I would read this book. It's a lovely chronical of their family's ordeal through Aspergers. It really reinforces the biological-based NEED to do certain things. I was hoping to hear of non-educational therapies that help AS kids, even if not her own. No such luck. No discussion of AIT (for Jimmy's hearing sensitivities) or dietary trials or sensory integration therapy. But I was glad that she got the point across that these kids don't do well on Ritalin. This story was almost a fairy tale compared to most I know with AS kids to get educational services, as she seemed to luck into all good teachers, therapists and willing school districts. While I was thrilled for their family, I know that is not the norm. It's still a must read for anyone with a child with a AS diagnosis or suspects one.
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Summary: You know you're not alone!
Review: I received the book and couldn't put it down. Like most parents with an AS child, it is so refreshing to talk to other parents who are going through the same thing. It's so helpful to have those experiences in writing to be able to give to relatives and friends so that they can understand what we're going through. Mrs. Fling's experiences are refreshing and ones AS parents can easily relate to. A great book for parents who have just received the Asperger Syndrome diagnosis.
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