This book is based on extensive interviews with adolescents diagnosed with AS. It includes six life stories, which present an authentic and fascinating look at the lives of the teenagers and how AS has shaped their growing identities. The stories provide the basis for a discussion of common themes and issues facing teenagers with AS.

Reflecting the views of parents, professionals and those with AS themselves, this book tackles issues that are pertinent to all teenagers, such as sexuality, depression and friendship, as well as topics like disclosure and therapeutic alternatives that are more specific to those with AS. This book is an essential survival guide to adolescence.

Sex. Slang. Slumber parties. The preoccupations of adolescents with Asperger syndrome are no different than those of other teens, but they can be much more confusing. The lack of social skills and ability to grasp conversational nuances that characterize AS make adolescence the most difficult life stage. Asperger Syndrome is characterized by a reliance on clear guidelines, and in adolescence the social guidelines become murky and confusing. In Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence, child psychologist Teresa Bolick presents strategies for helping the ten-to-eighteen-year-old achieve happiness and success by maximizing the benefits of AS and minimizing the drawbacks.

A guide to Asperger's syndrome describes what it is and how it is diagnosed, along with information on such topics as bullying, emotions, language, movement, cognitive ability, and long-term relationships.

How do adolescents with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) cope with sexual feelings and behaviour, and how do people with AS deal with intimacy and communication in sexual relationships? This guide provides practical advice on such issues as puberty, couples' therapy, and maintaining sexual boundaries.

This book is not only reassuring; it is inspiring, and bursting with ideas and achievable strategies. The authors write with authority and conviction, and tackle even the most difficult and delicate of topics. If ever you needed to be convinced that girls with ASD can overcome the difficulties and challenges of puberty and adolescence, have successful friendships and relationships and enjoy a healthy sexuality, then take the time to read this book - it is a must-have for families, teachers and therapists alike.' -Sarah Attwood, author of Making Sense of Sex: A Forthright Guide to Puberty, Sex and Relationships for People with Asperger's Syndrome Growing up isn't easy, and the trials and tribulations of being a teenager can be particularly confusing for girls with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). This book covers all the concerns commonly faced by girls with ASDs and their parents, from periods and puberty to worries over friendships and 'fitting in'. Taking a good look at these adolescent issues, and many more, within the context of specific areas of difficulty for girls with ASDs, the authors provide families with the knowledge and advice they need to help their daughters - and the whole family - through the teenage years. This book addresses core issues such as cognition, communication, behavior, sensory sensitivities, and social difficulties; it gives candid and realistic advice on a wide range of important teenage topics. Providing professional perspectives alongside personal experiences from mothers, daughters and educators, this is a unique and indispensible guide for families and their daughters with ASDs, as well as the teachers and professionals who work with them.

One in every five Americans lives with at least one disability or disorder, including both the obvious, such as those requiring the use of a wheelchair, and the less evident ones, such as eating disorders or Asperger's syndrome. Those responsible for teaching disabled students and providing services and support for them need ready access to reliable and up-to-date resources. Disabilities and Disorders in Literature for Youth: A Selective Annotated Bibliography for K-12 identifies almost 1,000 resources to help educators, professionals, parents, siblings, guardians, and students understand the various disabilities and disorders faced by children today. This bibliography consists of four major headings_Emotional, Learning, Physical, and Multiple Disabilities_which are further categorized into works of fiction and nonfiction. Annotations provide a complete bibliographical description of the entries, and each entry is identified with the grade levels for which it is best suited and resources are matched with appropriate audiences. Reviews from recognized publications are also included wherever possible. Anyone interested in identifying helpful resources regarding disabilities and disorders will find much of value in this essential tool.

This book has all the essential guidance and tools that anyone working in education will need to help students on the autism spectrum perform to their best potential and stay organised and on track with their school work. The book also covers general obstacles including social situations, anxiety, mental health and the next steps after school.

Since first being identified as a distinct psychiatric disorder in 1943, autism has been steeped in contestation and controversy. Present-day skirmishes over the potential causes of autism, how or even if it should be treated, and the place of Asperger’s syndrome on the autism spectrum are the subjects of intense debate in the research community, in the media, and among those with autism and their families. Bringing together innovative work on autism by international scholars in the social sciences and humanities, Worlds of Autism boldly challenges the deficit narrative prevalent in both popular and scientific accounts of autism spectrum disorders, instead situating autism within an abilities framework that respects the complex personhood of individuals with autism. A major contribution to the emerging, interdisciplinary field of critical autism studies, this book is methodologically and conceptually broad. Its authors explore the philosophical questions raised by autism, such as how it complicates neurotypical understandings of personhood; grapple with the politics that inform autism research, treatment, and care; investigate the diagnosis of autism and the recognition of difference; and assess representations of autism and stories told by and about those with autism. From empathy, social circles, and Internet communities to biopolitics, genetics, and diagnoses, Worlds of Autism features a range of perspectives on autistic subjectivities and the politics of cognitive difference, confronting society’s assumptions about those with autism and the characterization of autism as a disability. Contributors: Dana Lee Baker, Washington State U; Beatrice Bonniau, Paris Descartes U; Charlotte Brownlow, U of Southern Queensland, Australia; Kristin Bumiller, Amherst College; Brigitte Chamak, Paris Descartes U; Kristina Chew, Saint Peter’s U, New Jersey; Patrick McDonagh, Concordia U, Montreal; Stuart Murray, U of Leeds; Majia Holmer Nadesan, Arizona State U; Christina Nicolaidis, Portland State U; Lindsay O'Dell, Open U, London; Francisco Ortega, State U of Rio de Janeiro; Mark Osteen, Loyola U, Maryland; Dawn Eddings Prince; Dora Raymaker; Sara Ryan, U of Oxford; Lila Walsh.

Emerging Programs for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Improving Communication, Behavior, and Family Dynamics brings forward a hybrid and a transdisciplinary methodology to identify methods used to diagnose, treat, and manage those with autism within personal and social constructs and values building exemplary international experiences from across the globe. Luminary experts offer their superb level of expertise through their research, experience, and clinical work. The book addresses all the aspects of care, lifespan, and lifestyle issues from treatment to living. It will emphasize issues related to neurodiversity, individuality, best practices, and support of people on the Autism Spectrum and their families. In addition, this book includes specific case studies, highlighting family experiences and the application of best practices by therapists thereof. - Provides a multidisciplinary approach of the diagnosis, management and treatment of autism spectrum disorders - Includes specific case studies highlighting family experiences - Emphasizes issues related to neurodiversity, individuality and improving quality of life