Our Journey Through High Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome: A Roadmap

Rating:
Summary: Real People, Real Solutions
Review: This book is a very readable collection of individual families' methods of coping with their own experiences of children with High Functioning Autism or Asperger Syndrome. The authors are all parents who have been coping with a child who fits one of these categories. Their stories offer both specific activities and approaches to aspects of socializing and educating children with autism or Asperger's, and the valuable perspective of seeing what problems other families have and how they deal with them.

What fascinated me was the glimpse these stories offered into the variant function patterns of the minds of individuals with Asperger's. However, I believe the creative and useful teaching techniques described throughout the book can also have much wider applicability than merely within the world of autism. For instance, the cartoon approach presented in the chapter, "Humor, Imagination and Empathy in Autism," would work well to teach these traits to any children--and all the better on children whose brains are hard-wired to learn them more easily.

As I have a background in publishing myself, I once used short, hand-drawn picture books to teach my preschool/early grade school-aged sons what to expect when I traveled on business. Therfore, I fully appreciated the hard work and imagination that went into the creation of the interactive, autobiographical "book" produced by the parents of Max to ease his entry into second grade, described in the evocatively titled chapter, "Making Friends with Aliens." This technique would be equally applicable to the introduction of any child, but particularly one who is noticeably "different," to a new social milieu.

An Appendix, "Thank You for Trusting Me," rounds out the book with collection of comments by the children themselves: how they see themselves, what helps them, what upsets them. I am impressed by their awareness of how they differ from other kids but also by their willingness to try to overcome the habits and patterns that will get in the way of their ability to function well in a world of people whose brains work differently than theirs.

I thoroughly enjoyed "meeting" these creative and intelligent people, and getting to know a little more about how else the human mind can work. I think these insights would be of immense value to anyone teaching, caring for, or friends with someone who has to struggle with Asperger's syndrome.

Rating:
Summary: Springboard for your child's future
Review: This book is made up of several different authors and gives a multi-faceted view of dealing with Aspergers and High Functioning Autism. The most helpful section of this book for me was when a parent made a book for his Asperger child's class. It gave me the inspiration to make a book with my own AS child to give out at his IEP mtg. (which was a huge hit.)I also found the discussion of the special relationship difficulties AS kids have and how important it is to fascilitate friendships between them. It reminds me constantly that although getting AS kids together is really tough sometimes it is really an important and valuable experience for all involved over the long run. I also LOVED the chapter called Humor Imagination and Empathy in Autism. The author of that chapter made simple stick figure cartoons for her AS and High Functioning Autism sons as a regular tool to help them understand their daily lives. I have adopted this technique (and believe me I am not artist) and found it VERY effective with my AS son and my "normal" son as well. Overall, I liked this book and would recommend using it as a tool for your child's future. Knowledge is power!

Rating:
Summary: Springboard for your child's future
Review: This book is made up of several different authors and gives a multi-faceted view of dealing with Aspergers and High Functioning Autism. The most helpful section of this book for me was when a parent made a book for his Asperger child's class. It gave me the inspiration to make a book with my own AS child to give out at his IEP mtg. (which was a huge hit.)I also found the discussion of the special relationship difficulties AS kids have and how important it is to fascilitate friendships between them. It reminds me constantly that although getting AS kids together is really tough sometimes it is really an important and valuable experience for all involved over the long run. I also LOVED the chapter called Humor Imagination and Empathy in Autism. The author of that chapter made simple stick figure cartoons for her AS and High Functioning Autism sons as a regular tool to help them understand their daily lives. I have adopted this technique (and believe me I am not artist) and found it VERY effective with my AS son and my "normal" son as well. Overall, I liked this book and would recommend using it as a tool for your child's future. Knowledge is power!