Just a few weeks old, Dasha the cat found herself in a family with an autistic child. The publication of Temple Grandin's book Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behaviour turned the household into a research laboratory, with the humans observing Dasha's behaviours and the cat experimenting with the 'human guinea pigs'. The feline perspective provides a new outlook on autism conditions, challenging long established stereotypes and analysing controversies in the field with an unbiased attitude and humour. The text is interspersed with Dasha's 'wisdoms', 'research notes' and definitions of concepts based on her own understanding, such as 'A pet shop is a place where humans come to be adopted by the animals who are brave enough to take a responsibility of looking after them.' Dasha's Journal provides research-based information in an amusing and accessible form and makes serious and complicated issues such as sensory perception, memory, communication, savant skills and challenging behaviours in autism easily understandable for the general reader.

The first book showing how, in easily followed steps, you can treat your own back. Unlike the author's previous book BACK IN ACTION, which gives information on the range of treatments available for different back problems, THE BACK SUFFERER'S HANDBOOK places emphasis on the contribution the sufferer can make putting the problem right. In language that every back sufferer will find completely understandable, it describes each spinal disorder and what causes the pain. It gives helpful exercises with information about what they will achieve and how frequently they should be done. There is also advice on back pain management, the role of medication, the use of bed rest and how to return to work. This book is essential reading both for the patient confined to bed with acute back pain, and for someone with less severe back problems, but still having to cope with back pain or discomfort on an everyday basis.

Help children to master emotional self-regulation and improve wellbeing with these activities. Based on traditional yoga breath and mindfulness exercises, each activity is adaptable for a range of abilities and they are also ideal for working with children with autism and other special needs. The book explains how being conscious of the breath is the key to unlocking calm during busy moments, and shows how this can be taught in a child-friendly way. Including activities such as lion breathing, bubble breathing, and sensory yoga games, children will love to learn self-regulatory techniques they can carry with them for life. Suitable for one-on-one and group work with children aged 4+.

This impressively honest book explores the effects a challenging disability or illness can have on the mind and personal relationships, and how friends, family and professionals can help. Illness or disability can isolate people by creating vast differences in their experiences where previously there were none. Friends and family can find themselves saying the wrong thing or awkwardly avoiding topics as a result. This book takes a candid look at how discomfort caused by an illness can strain a relationship between partners, families and professionals, as well as how understanding feelings of guilt or shame can transform a situation or relationship. The insights and advice offered in this book can help children and adolescents overcome anxiousness caused by a parent's condition, improve communication between partners and family members, and increase professionals' awareness of how a client feels about their situation.

Does toxic pollution cause attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? What about screen use? Are alternative treatments worth exploring? Can dietary changes help? From leading ADHD researcher Joel T. Nigg, this book presents exciting treatment advances grounded in the new science of epigenetics--how genes and the environment interact. Distinguishing unsupported, even dangerous, approaches from bona fide breakthroughs, Dr. Nigg describes specific lifestyle changes that have been proven to support the developing brain. Vivid stories illustrate ways to maximize the positive effects of healthy nutrition, exercise, and sleep, and minimize the damage from stress and other known risk factors. The book helps you figure out which options hold the most promise for improving your child's symptoms and overall well-being--and gives you step-by-step suggestions for integrating them into daily life.

How do the sights, smells, and sounds of a city affect the senses of people with an Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC)? Sandra Beale-Ellis explores the sensory benefits and challenges of cities for people with an ASC and invites readers to understand the different ways in which they can experience a city from a sensory perspective. Sandra, who has been clinically diagnosed as having Asperger's Syndrome, describes how she experiences the city through the lens of ASC, picking up on things that a neurotypical (non-autistic) person might not. As well as introducing the wonders of the city that neurotypical people rarely see, this book also provides readers who have an ASC with solutions to the negative or overwhelming sensory experiences that a city can bring about. The book covers four main areas of city life: travel, eating out, entertainment and living.

This debut autobiographical novel by a compassionate and deeply perceptive writer is raw, funny and moving. It is the story of Colleen, the little girl who has to wear boots to support her weak ankles, seen through her eyes and told in her own words. She is the third-born child of parents who share a chaotic and co-dependent relationship. Accompanied by her siblings, this is the child's journey, set against the background of Cape Town with all its mystery and beauty. The period is the 1940s, a time of innocence, social graces, the Queen's visit, and sports heroes like Vic Toweel and Bobby Locke. It is a time of religious fervour, baptisms, conversions and Sunday School picnics. Apartheid is seen through the eyes of innocent children, bemused and confused by the flawed and unjust system. The pages are crowded by a host of odd characters, lovable, eccentric, alcoholic and troubled. There's Aunty Bubble who teaches the children to jitterbug and Uncle Nicholas who speaks the Queen's English and plays a trumpet in the Royal Navy band. There is Smuts the Xhosa watchman who befriends the children and shares his brazier with them at night, and Edna the maid who tries to keep them neat and clean and fills their stomachs with angels' food. There's Aunty Beryl who carries a Chihuahua around in her handbag, and the midwife, and the home-undertaker named Two-Coffee-One-Milk. The book has universal appeal. There is a human thread recognisable to anyone who has ever been in a co-dependent relationship, or been abused, or grown up poor, or had an alcoholic father ... The text is rich in imagery and vivid detail. Sharp, insightful, nostalgic and magical, both harrowing and joyful, rich in unintentional humour, it will resonate with many. It has the charm of Angela's Ashes. You will laugh with this child, you will cry with her and you will take every breath with her. It is the author's hope that her story might help others dilute the poison of their pain. The sequel will be available in the near future.

Dyslexia won't stop you from writing your own success story. Discover the ten key traits which people with dyslexia have harnessed in order to reach success and self-fulfilment. Dyslexia brings both challenges and the potential gift of a unique skill set - through a combination of academic research and case studies, this book shows how you can use all of this to your advantage. From increasing your self-esteem to imaginative problem solving, each of the ten secrets to success is explained and brought to life through interviews with accomplished people describing how they have profited from a single star characteristic in realizing their goals. Approach the obstacles of dyslexia pro-actively, and unlock your potential with this inspiring step by step guide. Royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to the British Dyslexia Association.

Do you find it hard to make friends? Do you struggle to know what to say to start a conversation? In this book, Paul Jordan, who is on the autism spectrum, explains how to make sense of everyday social situations you might encounter at school, university or in other group settings. He reveals how, with the use of just 65 simple words, it is possible to create 'scripts for thinking' that break conversations down into small chunks and help you to think of what to say, whether you are speaking to a fellow student, starting a conversation with a new friend, calling out bullies or answering a teacher's question. These small words will be a big help for all teenagers and young people with ASD.

Advocating for dementia for 20 years, Christine Bryden has been instrumental in ensuring that people with dementia are included in discussions about the condition and how to manage and think about it. This collection of her hard-hitting and inspiring insider presentations demands 'nothing about us, without us!' and promotes self-advocacy and self-reflection. Provocative and insightful, the pieces included in the book address issues that demand attention, and will change the way dementia is perceived, and the lives of people with dementia and their families.

"I knew this guy was out of the square. He was so far out, he was in the hexagonal prism that was past the triangle next to the square." When the author met her future husband, she was instantly charmed by his intensity, wacky conversation choices, and innate desire to create peculiar names. Seventeen years, one wedding, one baby and several adopted names later, it began to dawn on 'Herscue' that family jokes about her husband having Asperger's Syndrome may be closer to the truth than she had first imagined. Filled with moving and hilarious tales, one of which provides the origins of the author and her husband's adopted names, Herscue and Jomphrey, and their even stranger pronunciations, this personal account grapples with the highs and lows of a 25 year marriage to an Aspie husband.

"Are you beginning to see past the disability and starting to appreciate the gift?" In this unashamedly honest book, David J. Burns draws on his own lived experience of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to provide guidance on how to take advantage of the supposed disadvantage. The book is filled with often hilarious anecdotes, spanning the confusion of his early diagnosis, to his marriage and life with his four children, as David proffers his advice on how to cope with everything from school work to flirting. Part memoir, part guide, and written with a refreshingly funny outlook, this book can be picked up and dipped into whether you're looking for encouragement, practical coping strategies, or a perspective of life as seen through the lens of ASD.

This comprehensive guide enables parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to play an active and effective role in their child's medical care from diagnosis to early adulthood. With a focus on working with health care providers to ensure the best treatment for your child's unique needs, it includes: - a description of the developmental and medical conditions faced by children with ASDs in lay terms - an explanation of common diagnostic tests - a presentation of conventional and alternative therapies and how they work - tips for managing day-to-day medical or behavioral problems - advice for parents considering enrolling their child in a research project - and all the latest medical information. This authoritative and accessible book provides parents of children with an ASD with the foundation of knowledge they need to become an active partner in the medical care of their child and the map that will allow them to navigate the complex medical world.

This publication will help all service providers to ensure that disabled children and young people with additional support needs can access services and lead a life as part of their local community, focusing on children who have behaviour that challenges as a result of either a severe learning disability and/or autism. Drawing on and including examples of good practice from across the country, Making it work for children with behaviour that challenges illustrates the ways in which all agencies can work together to develop local policies and procedures to ensure that the needs of this group of children are met in a coordinated and child-centred way. Making it work for children with behaviour that challenges is one of two companion publications detailing good practice in both inclusive and specialist settings across education, health, social care and leisure.

AutiPower! presents a series of candid interviews with adults on the autism spectrum that offers a unique insight into their work and life experiences. Through these inspiring accounts we hear of the many ways that people with autism have overcome challenges and used their autism traits for employment success. Despite his doctorate in Mathematics, Jaap struggled to keep many jobs before realizing that his intense attention to detail that was making him a slow worker became a strength once he learnt to set goals and communicate his progress. Wendy's autism is a big advantage as a special education teacher because she truly understands the children that she teaches. From software engineers, to company directors, to those who work in autism advocacy, the interviewees openly discuss the pitfalls and the positives of working life with autism. Also interviewed are autism professionals, career coaches and employers who discuss the value and great talents that people with autism bring to the workplace.

A comprehensive guide for improving memory, focus, and quality of life in the aftermath of a concussion.
Often presenting itself after a head trauma, concussion-- or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)-- can cause chronic migraines, depression, memory, and sleep problems that can last for years, referred to as post concussion syndrome (PCS).
Neuropsychologist and concussion survivor Dr. Diane Roberts Stoler is the authority on all aspects of the recovery process. "Coping with Concussion and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury "is a lifeline for patients, parents, and other caregivers.

The author of Diagnosing Jefferson introduces twelve more high-achieving role models - including Einstein, Mozart, and Darwin - who have made significant contributions to our world. All exhibited traits common to people with Asperger's Syndrome. Today's young people and adults with AS can also make a difference if they are given support, opportunities, and the freedom to explore their abilities. Many accomplished people have been loners, self-taught, obsessed by an idea, and known for their lack of social skills. How many of them would be diagnosed with Asperger's today? Norm Ledgin makes convincing arguments for an Asperger's role in each of their extraordinary lives.

The number of intervention options available for children with autism can be overwhelming for parents. This book provides brief, user-friendly descriptions of the most commonly publicized treatments for autism, summarizing the available information in an objective and accessible way. Each short chapter covers a single treatment from Applied Behavior Analysis to Gluten-Free Casein-Free diets, as well as lesser known therapies such as Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. Each includes a definition and description; a summary of the prevailing information gleaned from popular press; an explanation of what the science says; and an idea of potential costs to parents and schools. This straight-talking and practical guide will allow parents of newly-diagnosed children, as well as any professionals working alongside them, to sift through the avalanche of advice and make their own informed choices about treatment.

Looking at the positive influences, great talents and unique thought processes of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, this book is a celebration of those who have used their autism to shine in life. Writers from all over the world at different stages in their careers, and from very different backgrounds, share their experiences of creating a successful life on the autism spectrum. Each explains how it is possible to draw on autistic strengths not just to make your way in the world, overcoming challenges and obstacles, but also to make your life a real success. Education, the world of work, and relationships are the focus of the first part of the book, which then goes on to look at exceptional creativity, and the use of special interests. The autobiographical stories in this book are full of wisdom and humour, and will be an inspiration for anyone with high-functioning autism or Asperger Syndrome, their family and friends, and the professionals who work alongside them.

An engaging introduction to the science of vision that offers a coherent account of vision based on general information processing principles In this accessible and engaging introduction to modern vision science, James Stone uses visual illusions to explore how the brain sees the world. Understanding vision, Stone argues, is not simply a question of knowing which neurons respond to particular visual features, but also requires a computational theory of vision. Stone draws together results from David Marr's computational framework, Barlow's efficient coding hypothesis, Bayesian inference, Shannon's information theory, and signal processing to construct a coherent account of vision that explains not only how the brain is fooled by particular visual illusions, but also why any biological or computer vision system should also be fooled by these illusions. This short text includes chapters on the eye and its evolution, how and why visual neurons from different species encode the retinal image in the same way, how information theory explains color aftereffects, how different visual cues provide depth information, how the imperfect visual information received by the eye and brain can be rescued by Bayesian inference, how different brain regions process visual information, and the bizarre perceptual consequences that result from damage to these brain regions. The tutorial style emphasizes key conceptual insights, rather than mathematical details, making the book accessible to the nonscientist and suitable for undergraduate or postgraduate study.

*Highly Commended in the Popular Medicine category at the 2012 British Medical Association Book Awards* The simple sensation of touching someone's hand can have a powerful therapeutic effect. Hand massage is a positive and meaningful way of reaching out and providing comfort to those who are elderly, ill or nearing the end of life, and it can be particularly effective for people with dementia who may respond well to positive non-verbal interaction. This book offers inspiration for all caregivers looking for an alternative way to support and connect with a family member, friend or patient in their care. It teaches an easy 30 minute hand massage sequence and offers clear instructions and detailed illustrations to guide the reader through each step. Combining light massage strokes with focused awareness, and paying close attention to points on energy pathways, this book introduces a structured way of sharing touch that is grounded in Western and Eastern massage traditions. Gentle touch therapy is ideal for healthcare professionals and family members alike, and has been shown to have physical and emotional benefits for both the giver and the receiver.

Parties and celebrations can be highly challenging for children and teens on the autism spectrum and they can often feel reluctant to participate. This book shows that if parties embrace the differences intrinsic to autism, and are planned carefully, they can be inclusive events enjoyed by all. Drawing on personal experience with her son, the author highlights aspects of conventional parties that can heighten the anxieties of those on the spectrum and outlines practical solutions to these issues. The book covers considerations for party invitations, prizes, food and venues and includes chapters suggesting activities for age groups 2-8, 9-12 and teenagers. This book will empower parents and caregivers to plan stress-free parties with ease, enabling those on the autism spectrum to develop social skills and self-confidence - and most importantly, have fun!

Children need effective communication skills as a foundation for successful participation in activities at home, school and in the community. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders are often unable to learn social skills from environmental cues and require direct teaching and lots of practice. This collection of social communication cues will enable parents and professionals to help children with social development difficulties navigate their social world and enjoy interacting with their peers. Each section begins with a simple social rule; the reason why the child may be having difficulty in this area is explained; and easy communication prompts and practice ideas are provided. The younger these skills are practiced, the happier and more self-confident the child. This program is ideal for early intervention as it can be used with children aged 2 and up. This practical guide will be an essential resource for parents, teachers, speech-language pathologists, psychologists and therapists looking for a simple program for teaching social skills to young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

If you have a child with Asperger's syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism, conventional parenting principles will often prove insufficient and unproductive. This intelligent companion has all the answers, explanations and advice to enable parents to feel confident in providing effective support for their child with AS or high-functioning autism. The author explains how to help develop social and communication skills, clarifies the type of assistance needed from outside the family (and where to find it), and includes suggestions on how to ensure that the needs of other siblings are also met. Written from the insightful perspective of a child psychiatrist, this very practical book will provide concrete help for parents and carers. The experience and expertise shared will also be useful for all professionals working with children with AS or high-functioning autism and their families.