From a leading neurologist, neuroscientist and practitioner of Ayurvedic medicine, comes a rigorous scientific investigation of the healing power of sound, showing readers how they can use it to improve their mental and physical wellbeing. Why does a baby's cry instantaneously flood a mother's body with a myriad of stress hormones? How can a song on the radio stir up powerful emotions, from joy to anger, regret to desire? Why does sound itself evoke such primal and deeply felt emotions? A vibration that travels through air, water and solids, sound is produced by all matter, and is a fundamental part of every species' survival. But there is a hidden power within sound that has only just begun to be investigated. Sound Medicine takes readers on a journey through the structure of the mouth, ears, and brain to understand how sound is translated from acoustic vibrations into meaningful neurological impulses. Renowned neurologist and Ayurvedic expert Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary explains how different types of sound impact the human body and brain uniquely, and explores the physiological effects of sound vibration, from altering mood to healing disease. Blending ancient wisdom with modern science, Dr. Chaudhary traces the history of sound therapy and the use of specific mantras from previously unknown texts-traced back to the Siddhas, a group of enlightened yogis who created a healing tradition that served as the precursor to Ayurvedic medicine-to explain the therapeutic application of sounds for a wide range of conditions. Sound Medicine offers practical, step-by-step lessons for using music and mantras, whether you're a beginner or searching for a more advanced practice, to improve your health in body, mind, and spirit.

"I'm looking at the Solar System display when I hear a child close by shouting at his mum, to which she replies 'No need to bite my head off!' I've heard of laughing your head off (to laugh a lot) and even biting your tongue (to be quiet) but biting someone's head off puts a rather more vivid picture into my mind!" During a trip to London, taking in tube announcements, guitar shops, and the Science Museum Michael Barton explores and explains the confusing "neurotypical" world of contradictory signage, hidden meanings and nonsensical figures of speech. His quirky and comic illustrations bring to life the journey from the comfort of his familiar university surroundings into the hectic bustle of central London. A fun and enlightening read for friends, family, caring professionals and anyone interested in an alternative viewpoint on the world. Sure to "strike a chord" with other day trippers on the autism spectrum.

Written for dyslexic adults or anyone who thinks they might be dyslexic, this bold and imaginative book is deliberately concise and easy to dip into.

• User-friendly, essential guide to the world of study and work for anyone with dyslexia;
• Identifies the key needs of adults and young people who are dyslexic;
• Encourages them to put together their own package of ideas and strategies for success;
• Offers practical activities, examples and support covering reading, memory, organization, self-esteem, IT and dyslexia in the workplace;
• Over 100 topics from this book are expanded on our online resource.

This unique guide to overcoming the day-to-day difficulties associated with dyslexia will also be of great interest to employers, colleagues, teachers, friends and family of those with dyslexia.

Unblinded is the true story of New Yorker Kevin Coughlin, who became blind at age thirty-six due to a rare genetic disorder known as Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy. Twenty years later, without medical intervention, Kevin's sight miraculously started to return. He is the only known person in the world who has experienced a spontaneous, non-medically assisted, regeneration of the optic nerve. Unblinded follows Kevin's descent into darkness, and his unexplained reemergence to sight.

The workplace can be a difficult environment for people with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) and this often impedes their ability to make use of particular skills and sustain meaningful and fulfilling employment. This is the definitive guide to surviving and thriving in the workplace for people with AS. It includes everything from realistic strategies for meeting employer expectations, to how to get along with your colleagues and work as part of a team, multitask and manage projects, and handle anxiety and effectively resolve problems. Common employment challenges are illustrated through examples from the author's extensive experience coaching individuals with AS at all job levels, from entry-level to manager and professional positions. The pragmatic recommendations in the book will benefit anyone with AS who is entering the workforce, as well as those who struggle to maintain employment, or who want to improve their performance and advance their careers.

This is the first book to offer an in-depth review of research pertaining to individuals with visual impairments across the full span of movement-related disciplines, from biomechanics and motor learning to physical education and Paralympic sport. Each chapter highlights current research trends, future research directions, and practical implications in a key discipline or area of professional practice, drawing on empirical research evidence and opening up new avenues for cross-disciplinary working. Covering physical activity across the life course, from children and young people through to older adults, and addressing the important topic of deafblindness in some depth, the book goes further than any other book published to date on visual impairment and movement. This is essential reading for all advanced students and researchers working in sport, exercise and disability, and an invaluable reference for practitioners and service providers, from in-service teachers and camp directors to physical therapists and physical activity promotion specialists.

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.

John and Martha were an exceptionally ambitious and driven all-American couple. With six Harvard degrees between them, and living in the refined and competitive atmosphere of the Harvard campus, the last thing they expected was to become parents to a Down's Syndrome baby. Refusing to believe her child was 'defective', Martha decided to trust in the tiny life she felt growing inside her. And her hitherto ordinary life was transformed by magical visions and strange, heartstopping experiences which persisted throughout her pregnancy. By the time Adam was born, Martha and John had to redefine everything of value to them, question their deepest beliefs, and put all their faith in miracles. And it worked.

Award-winning writer Heather Lanier's memoir about raising a child with a rare syndrome, defying the tyranny of normal, and embracing parenthood as a spiritual practice that breaks us open in the best of ways.

Like many women of her generation, writer Heather Lanier did everything by the book when she was expecting her first child. She ate organic foods, recited affirmations and drew up a birth plan for an unmedicated labour in the hopes that she could create a SuperBaby, an ultra-healthy human destined for a high-achieving future.

But her daughter Fiona challenged all of Lanier's preconceptions. Born with an ultra-rare syndrome known as Wolf-Hirschhorn, Fiona received a daunting prognosis: she would experience significant developmental delays and might not reach her second birthday. Not only had Lanier failed to produce a SuperBaby, she now fiercely loved a child that the world would sometimes reject. The diagnosis obliterated Lanier's perfectionist tendencies, along with her most closely held beliefs about certainty, vulnerability and love.

With tiny bits of mozzarella cheese, a walker rolled to library story time, a talking iPad app and a whole lot of rock and reggae, mother and daughter spend their days doing whatever it takes to give Fiona nourishment, movement, and language. They also confront society's attitudes toward disability and the often cruel assumptions made about Fiona's worth. Lanier realises the biggest question is not, Will my daughter walk or talk? but, How can I best love my girl, just as she is?

Loving Fiona opens Lanier up to new understandings of what it means to be human, what it takes to be a mother, and above all, the aching joy and wonder that come from embracing the unique life of her rare girl.

""In his book "Understanding Dyslexia" Denis Lawrence leaves no stone unturned. This up-to-date book provides a comprehensive account of all aspects of dyslexia. The author's knowledge, experience and empathy is evident and the book can be recommended for all who want a simple account of the nature and consequences of dyslexia."
Professor Maggie Snowling, University of York, UK

" This book is] a very readable introduction and guide covering theories of dyslexia and important areas of practical importance to those living with dyslexia or providing support for them."
J.B.Thomas, Loughborough University, UK"

Dyslexia affects at least ten per cent of children and is the most common special educational need that teachers encounter. However, the characteristics of dyslexia can mean that it is often confused with other learning difficulties.

Whether you are a teacher or a parent, this easy-to-read book helps you to understand what is meant by 'dyslexia', providing clear guidance for identifying the signs and outlining practical strategies for helping and supporting dyslexic children.

As well as examining current popular definitions of dyslexia, the book offers a fresh definition, based on current research. Each chapter helps you to understand the unique challenges faced by dyslexic children in their learning of literacy skills and shows that the combined efforts of parents and teachers really can make a difference.

Key features include: Coverage of the most popular methods used in the assessment of dyslexia Strategies and techniques to help dyslexic children develop their literacy skills at school and at home A focus on how to enhance and maintain self-esteem in dyslexic children A look at other specific learning difficulties that overlap or can be confused with dyslexia Discussion of society's attitude towards dyslexia and the need for further understanding of the concept "Understanding Dyslexia" is valuable reading for trainee and practising teachers, SENCOs and parents.

'My life was changing and I didn't like it. Everything was so out of my control, even my own body...' Happy-go-lucky Evie Meg was an award-winning teenage gymnast who dreamed of becoming a teaching assistant. But when she developed a hiccup tic that gave way to increasingly severe health problems the doctors couldn't solve, could the power of an online community stop her from disappearing into the darkness? My Nonidentical Twin is a heartbreakingly inspirational story about finding friendship in unlikely places, what it truly means to be neurodivergent, and how hope can spring from even the bleakest of times. Why readers love Evie Meg... 'I could not put this book down' 'One of the most powerful books I have ever read' 'Well worth reading through the tears' 'It deserves more than 5 stars' 'Love love love'

This hands-on practical guide provides dyslexic young people with techniques to improve their observational drawing skills, showing them how they can work around the issues commonly reported by students with SLDs. Many creative and talented individuals with neurological differences report difficulties with short-term memory, co-ordination and planning ahead within a project, and a lack of specialised teaching may even dissuade them from pursuing art at school. This book addresses those challenges. The authors, who have many years' experience of teaching art to dyslexic and dyspraxic students, also include examples not just of the techniques described, but also of the creative ideas other neurodiverse students have come up with. Fully illustrated, with clear explanations, and space to draw and sketch, this much needed book will provide dyslexic art students with the tools and confidence to achieve their goals and become the creative professionals of the future.

In the spirit of The Blind Side and Friday Night Lights comes a tender and profoundly moving memoir about an ESPN producer's unexpected relationship with two disabled wrestlers from inner city Cleveland, and how these bonds-blossoming, ultimately, into a most unorthodox family-would transform their lives. When award-winning ESPN producer Lisa Fenn returned to her hometown for a story about two wrestlers at one of Cleveland's toughest public high schools, she had no idea that the trip would change her life. Both young men were disadvantaged students with significant physical disabilities. Dartanyon Crockett was legally blind as a result of Leber's disease; Leroy Sutton lost both his legs at eleven, when he was run over by a train. Brought together by wrestling, they had developed a brother-like bond as they worked to overcome their disabilities. After forming a profound connection with Dartanyon and Leroy, Fenn realized she couldn't just walk away when filming ended; these boys had had to overcome the odds too many times. Instead, Fenn dedicated herself to ensuring their success long after the reporting was finished and the story aired-and an unlikely family of three was formed. The years ahead would be fraught with complex challenges, but Fenn stayed with the boys every step of the way-teaching them essential life skills, helping them heal old wounds and traumatic pasts, and providing the first steady and consistent support system they'd ever had. This powerful memoir is one of love, hope, faith, and strength-a story about an unusual family and the courage to carry on, even in the most extraordinary circumstances.

'What a story and what an inspirational human. Ed is a total legend.' Joe Wicks 'A life-affirming story . . . inspirational' Tim Peake As seen in the Daily Mail From tragedy to triumph, one step at a time - an inspirational story of triumph over adversity against the odds At just 28 years old, Ed Jackson was told he would never walk again. After a miscalculated dive into a pool, he suffered multiple cardiac arrests, a broken neck and a partially severed spinal cord. Lying paralysed in intensive care, the former rugby player knew his life would never be the same. But he wasn't ready to give up hope. Driven by relentless determination, Ed embarked on an incredible journey to independence. Millimetre by millimetre, he began to regain movement in his fingers and toes. Defying the expectations of even the most optimistic doctors, step by step, Ed began to walk again. Fuelled by a renewed appreciation for life and a determination to help others suffering similar injuries to his own, Ed set his sights on a new challenge: mountaineering. Embarking on a gruelling climb to raise funds for a spinal unit in Kathmandu, Ed realises that, once again, the odds are stacked against him. Will he be able to overcome his own life-changing injury and transform others' lives for the better? Lucky is the story of how Ed faced the impossible when it seemed all hope was lost, and shows how you, too, can overcome the biggest challenges that life sends your way. Lucky was a Sunday Times bestseller in the w/b August 9th 2021

People with autism often experience difficulty in understanding and expressing their emotions and react to losses in different ways or in ways that carers do not understand. In order to provide effective support, carers need to have the understanding, the skills and appropriate resources to work through these emotional reactions with them. Autism and Loss is a complete resource that covers a variety of kinds of loss, including bereavement, loss of friends or staff, loss of home or possessions and loss of health. Rooted in the latest research on loss and autism, yet written in an accessible style, the resource includes a wealth of factsheets and practical tools that provide formal and informal carers with authoritative, tried and tested guidance. This is an essential resource for professional and informal carers working with people with autism who are coping with any kind of loss.

A Self-Determined Future with Asperger Syndrome presents an empowering, practical approach to helping people with Asperger Syndrome (AS) to succeed at college, at work, at home and in life. The authors highlight how treating AS as a `problem' is unproductive, and advocate a solution focused approach which recognizes and uses the strengths of people with AS to foster mutual respect and understanding. Drawing on both their personal experience and knowledge of counselling, the authors use anecdotes and stories to show how people with AS cope in day-to-day situations. They also illustrate how effective communication and understanding of a person's needs and goals are key to improving daily life for people with AS. The final section of the book comprises practical worksheets and resources to help people with AS to recognize their achievements and work towards their goals. This book will be of interest to people who are affected by AS, their families, and the people who work with them.

This concise and highly accessible book contains everything that parents and busy professionals need to know about ADHD.The author describes the spectrum of ADHD, the co-occurring symptoms, and common difficulties that parents face. The rest of the book focuses on solutions, based around four rules. Rule number one is keeping it positive: punishments can change behavior, but only positive approaches can improve attitude. Rule number two is keeping it calm: it's difficult thinking clearly enough to solve problems logically if you are feeling overwhelmed. Rule number three is keeping it organized: this rule relates particularly to the child's school life. Rule number four is to keep doing rules one to three. Finally, Dr. Kutscher discusses the role of medication for treating ADHD. The concluding chapter summarizes the information covered and can also be read as a complete, freestanding text. Useful checklists and further reading recommendations are also included.Realistic and optimistic, this book is the ideal source of information and advice for parents and professionals who are trying to keep up with children who are living without brakes.

Addressing frequently encountered emotional, behavioral, and academic difficulties, this essential guide shows how to help parents implement proven skills-building strategies with their kids (ages 5-17). The author draws on over 25 years of research and clinical practice to provide a flexible program for individual families or parent groups. The focus is on teaching kids the skills they need to get their development back on track and teaching parents to cope with and manage challenging behavior. Featuring vignettes and troubleshooting tips, the Practitioner Guide is packed with ideas for engaging clients and tailoring the interventions. In a large-size format for easy photocopying, it contains more than 60 reproducible handouts and forms. See also Skills Training for Struggling Kids, an invaluable client recommendation, which guides parents to implement Dr. Bloomquist's strategies and includes all of the handouts and forms they need.

'Uplifting and honest, [Tender is] about resilience and learning to look after oneself so as to be better able to care for others.' KATE MOSSE 'A beautiful and important book that is both deeply engaging and usefully practical. I loved it.' CATHY RENTZENBRINK 'An insightful and well-timed book ... forces us to confront the stereotypes - and prejudices - we hold.' SUNDAY TIMES 'profoundly important...full of wisdom and bright insights on what it really means to love someone, by a fearless and generous writer. ' CLOVER STROUD 'A beautiful and timely reminder that each and every one of us has the ability to care, the capacity for empathy, and the potential to grow.' ANDY PUDDICOMBE, FOUNDER OF HEADSPACE 'A wonderful book: compassionate, honest, carefully-reasoned and genuinely helpful... This will benefit many people.' KATHERINE MAY, author of WINTERING 'An invaluable tool for any invisible carers or anyone who wants to learn how to better support their loved ones... we ALL have many, many things to learn from Penny's beautiful, wise, charming, thoughtful words' - SCARLETT CURTIS, Sunday Times bestselling author 'Moving and beautifully written, nuanced and wise, alert to every paradox at the heart of love. A hugely important book not only for current or future carers, but anyone learning to accept that life tends to resist our control.' - OLIVIA SUDJIC, author of EXPOSURE 'Tender captures the powerful capacity of people to care for others, and all the heartbreaking and heartwarming complexity that this involves. Penny brings the crucial, yet often overlooked, role of caring into our collective consciousness and, in doing so, demonstrates what it means to be human.' -DR EMMA HEPBURN, author of A TOOLKIT FOR MODERN LIFE 'Penny Wincer's TENDER manages to combine both unromanticised honesty about the realities of care with a genuine uplifting hopefulness... is a must-read.'- RUTH WHIPPMAN, author of THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS We are all likely - at some point in our lives - to face the prospect of caring for another, whether it's a parent, child or partner. It is estimated that there are 7 million people in the UK caring for loved ones. And yet these are the unpaid, unsung people whose number is rising all the time. In Tender: the imperfect art of caring, Penny Wincer combines her own experiences as a carer with the experiences of others to offer real and transformative tools and insights for navigating a situation that many of us are either facing or will face at some time. Penny Wincer has twice been a carer: first to her mother, and now as a single parent to her autistic son. Tender shows how looking after oneself is a fundamental part of caring for another, and describes the qualities that we can look to cultivate in ourselves through what may otherwise feel to be an exhausting task. Weaving her lived experience with research into resilience, perfectionism and self-compassion, Penny combines the stories of other carers alongside those who receive support - offering an often surprising and hopeful perspective. Penny hosts a podcast Not Too Busy To Write.

Organisation and Everyday Life with Dyslexia and other SpLDs is the second book in the series Living Confidently with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs). This book is about the wide impacts of dyslexia/ SpLD on everyday life. All dyslexic/ SpLD people live with the possibility that their mind will function in a dyslexic/ SpLD way at any moment, regardless of strategies that they have acquired or developed. Even people with many strategies can suddenly find themselves struggling with their dyslexia/ SpLD again. This book is adressed to dyslexic/ spld readers. Organisation is promoted as a tool to minimise the effets of dyselxia /spLD. The book covers: * situations that might disrupt organisation * a systematic approach to organisation * everyday life, study peripherals and employment. It has many life stories to help readers recognise the impacts of their own dyslexia/ SpLD. Dyslexic/ SpLDs have the potential to offer skills and alternative approaches to tasks. Often, the solutions that they devise for themselves are very useful to the non-dyslexic/ SpLD people around them, which can enhance their self-confidence. When organisation suits the individual with SpLD innate intelligence and potential can be realised.

Participatory Case Study Work shows academic co-researchers how to adapt and implement their methods so that data collection and analysis is authentically participatory. At the heart of this text is advocating a participatory approach to case study work, with co-construction as a catalyst for shared understanding and action in advancing ageing studies. Whilst case study research has a relatively long tradition in the canon of research methodologies, little attention has so far been paid to the importance and value of participatory case study work. This is surprising as its egalitarian and democratic value-base naturally lends itself to the co-production and co-creation of personal and collective theory drawn directly from lived experience. The book brings together over 15 years' worth of participatory case study work in ageing studies in which the editors have been actively involved as either front-line researchers or as supervisors to PhD and MPhil studies adopting the methodology, and from where each of the contributors is selected. Real-life case examples are shared in the main chapters of the book and they provide direction as to how learning can be applied to other settings. The chapters also contain key references and recommended reading. This volume will appeal to undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as postdoctoral researchers interested in fields such as research methods, qualitative methods, ageing studies and mental health studies.

Social Research and Disability argues that the contemporary rules of sociological methods outlined in numerous research methods texts make a number of assumptions concerning the researcher including ambulance, sight, hearing and speech. In short, the disabled researcher is not considered when outlining the requirements of particular methods. Drawing upon these considerations, the volume emphasizes how disabled researchers negotiate the empirical process, in light of disability, whilst retaining the scientific rigour of the method. It also considers the negative consequences arising from disabled researchers' attempts at "passing" and the benefits that can emerge from a reflexive approach to method. This innovative and original text will, for the first time, bring together research-active academics, who identify as being disabled, to consider experiences of being disabled within a largely ableist academy, as well as strategies employed and issues faced when conducting empirical research. The driving force of this volume is to provide the blueprints for bringing how we conduct social research to the same standards and vision as how the social world is understood: multi-faceted and intersectional. To this end, this edited collection advocates for a sociological future that values the presence of disabled researchers and normalises research methods that are inclusive and accessible. The interdisciplinary focus of Social Research and Disability offers a uniquely broad primary market. This volume will be of interest not only to the student market, but also to established academics within the social sciences.

Over 1.4 million people sustain a brain injury each year in the United States. Add to that the number of returning veterans with a brain injury and the numbers are staggering. "The Brain Injury Survival Kit: 365 Tips, Tools & Tricks to Deal with Cognitive Function Loss" aims to give brain injury survivors, their families, and loved ones the strategies they need to improve brain function and quality of life. The book is a compendium of tips, techniques, and life-task shortcuts that author Cheryle Sullivan has compiled from her personal experience. Readers will learn successful approaches to:

Balancing a checkbook Using medication alarms Compensating for impaired memory function Locating things that have been put away Word finding Concentration exercises Communication tools And much more From basic principles to unique solutions for saving time and energy, this book is packed with helpful information for those coping with the special challenges of a brain injury.