Maureen F. Morrell and Ann Palmer are raising two very different children: Justin, a whirlwind of activity and mood swings, who is supervised in a residential farm community, and Eric, quiet and passive, who lives independently at college. The authors give an account of the striking similarities as well as the stark differences in their experiences of parenting children at opposite extremes of the autism spectrum. The two mothers speak openly about their children's diagnosis and early childhood through to adolescence, young adulthood and the day they leave home. They give a moving account of the challenges they faced and the surprising consolations they found along their sons' very different paths in life. Through their friendship and two decades of shared experiences of parenting an ASD child, each has gained a clear understanding of her own strengths and limitations, as well as those of her child. Parenting Across the Autism Spectrum offers a personal perspective and practical guidance for parents at the start of their journey with autism, especially those whose children are newly diagnosed. It also provides useful insights for professionals working with individuals across the autism spectrum and their families. The book was elected the 2007 Autism Society of America's Outstanding Literary Work of the Year.

This book looks at what it feels like to be an autistic parent, offering valuable insights, knowledge and wisdom on parenting autistic and non-autistic children. Three mothers reflect on their experiences of growing up as undiagnosed autistics, venturing into and embracing motherhood, and connecting with their children in a unique and powerful way. They offer advice on overcoming the challenges of parenting when you are autistic, such as socialising with other parents or sensory issues that come with excessive touch. Reflecting on their own experiences, they also emphasize the positives of being an autistic parent to an autistic child, such as understanding of why their child is struggling or the open-mindedness that can come from not being constrained by societal norms. They also explain how out-of-the-box thinking leads to creative parenting of non-autistic children, forming strong and loving bonds. Full of wit and warm advice, this book empowers autistic parents and reassures them that autism is a strength in raising their children with love, knowledge and experience, while also giving non-autistic parents and professionals a fresh perspective on helping autistic children to thrive.

Riley-Hall is the mother of two teenage girls, one with Asperger's syndrome and the other with autism. She offers encouragement and guidance on issues, as well as practical advice and support.

Amid a bewildering range of treatments that promise to alleviate or even cure autism, even the leading researchers can’t predict what will work for your child. As a parent, you are in a unique position to become the practical expert on your child’s needs and strengths. Parenting Your Child with Autism will equip you with family-tested and science-based approaches for meeting the challenges ahead. You’ll learn how to get a diagnosis and navigate the health care and educational systems, make sense of your child’s treatment options, and tap into expert opinions and your own observations to find a treatment program that works. Perhaps most importantly, you will learn how to become your child’s best advocate, and build a better life for your child. This book focuses on the processes and decisions parents of children with autism face every day. To help you build an everyday life that works for your child with autism and other family members, this book shares suggestions that range from practical and educational to philosophical, closing with some personal and professional advice for your journey ahead.

How parents can appreciate their autistic children prevent them from being pathologized, over-medicated, and marginalized In this groundbreaking book, William Stillman, an expert and passionate advocate on behalf of those with autism, offers a commonsense guide for parenting children with autism. He gives mothers and fathers, caregivers, and teachers the information they need to recognize the child with autism's unique personality, passions, and intellect and therefore liberate them from today's culture of fear. He shows why the current conventional incentive and reward systems send the wrong message to kids with autism and just don't work. This book offers a sensible ten-step guide for enriching relationships with kids with autism through a belief in their essential competence. Includes information that liberates parents from the culture of fear surrounding autism Explains how kids with autism are intelligent but may have unconventional methods of communication that need to be understood and appreciated Shows why your child doesn't need traditional therapy or medication to "treat" autism Written by an acclaimed expert on the topic of autism, who is himself an adult with Asperger's Syndrome

Help remediate—and in some cases eliminate—autism and other developmental delays in young children, even in as little as 15 minutes a day with this toolkit of behavioral practices that can be taught at home. Developmental delays and signs of autism usually show up before 18 months of age, yet children are often not diagnosed until they are 4 or 5 years old. In Turn Autism Around, Dr. Mary Barbera explains why parents can't afford to worry and wait in long lines for evaluations and treatment while not knowing how to help their children. She empowers parents, caregivers, and early intervention professionals to regain hope and take back control with simple strategies to dramatically improve outcomes for their children. Dr. Barbera has created a new approach to teaching kids with developmental delays that uses the science of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) married with a positive, child-friendly methodology that any parent can use—whether or not their child has delays—to learn to teach communication skills, socialization strategies, as well as tackle sleep, eating, potty training, and behavior challenges in a positive, effective, and lasting way. Turn Autism Around is the first book of its kind that calls attention to an important fact: parents can make a tremendous impact on their child's development through behavioral practices taught at home, even in as little as 15 minutes a day. Her program shows these autism and developmental delays can be remediated, and in some cases, delays can be caught up altogether, if parents intervene while the child is young. This book is for parents of young children aged one-to-five years who are passionate about helping their child as well as learning how they can change the trajectory of their child's and family's life.

Across the Spectrum looks at six families with children on the autism spectrum over a 40 year period, from the early 1970s to the 21st century. The reader meets parents who raised their children without knowing the word "autism," to those caught in the uncertainties of labels forging ahead to blaze trails of their own, to young parents implementing modern-day therapies.Each story looks at a unique aspect of autism through the perspective of the mothers. Each story lays out the challenges presented by autism and the courage and love that the mothers demonstrate each day in meeting those challenges. The mothers speak with a directness and honesty, sharing stories of courage, love, perseverance and creativity - all while living lives with meaning and purpose. Across the Spectrum offers information, both practical and insightful, for anyone with a loved one on the autism spectrum - and provides inspiration through the telling of these unique stories.

Facing any type of change can cause confusion and anxiety for individuals with autism spectrum conditions. This book looks at the small transitions in everyday life that can be a big deal for a child with autism and offers simple and effective strategies to make change less of a daily challenge. Explaining why seemingly minor changes to routine can be emotionally distressing for children with autism, this book teaches parents practical solutions for coping with common transitions including switching from a weekday to weekend schedule, the changing of the seasons, and sleeping in a different bed when on holiday. With insights from the authors' personal experiences and helpful scripts, signs and sketches to use along the way, this book shows that with planning and preparation parents can reduce the stress surrounding change for their child and the whole family. This book is the perfect tool to help children with autism deal with change in a calmer and more confident manner and will be essential reading for parents and any professionals working alongside them.

Empowering strategies for anyone who works with children and teens on the spectrum. International best-selling writer and autist Temple Grandin joins psychologist Debra Moore in presenting nine strengths-based mindsets necessary to successfully work with young people on the autism spectrum. Examples and stories bring the approaches to life, and detailed suggestions and checklists help readers put them to practical use. Temple Grandin shares her own personal experiences and anecdotes from parents and professionals who have sought her advice, while Debra Moore draws on more than three decades of work as a psychologist with kids on the spectrum and those who love and care for them. So many people support the lives of these kids, and this book is for all of them: teachers; special education staff; mental health clinicians; physical, occupational, and speech therapists; parents; and anyone interacting with autistic children or teens. Readers will come away with new, empowering mindsets they can apply to develop the full potential of every child.