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.

Embodying Youth: Exploring Youth Ministry and Disability seeks to help close the gap between disability theology and youth ministry education. What is youth ministry? And who is it for? Christian youth workers and ministers in the West have been answering these questions either implicitly or explicitly for decades. The ways we answer these questions, and the ways in which we go about answering them, have huge implications with regards to the faithfulness and effectiveness of the church's ministry with young people. These questions have not always been pursued with the experience of disability in mind. In fact, it is often excluded, not only from the academic field but from the church's practice of youth ministry as well. In this book, scholars and youth workers seek to attend to the questions of youth ministry by putting the experience of disability at the forefront, with hope not only that the church might include young people with disabilities, but also that our very understanding of what youth ministry is, and who youth ministry is for might be transformed, for the sake of the gospel. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Disability & Religion.

""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.

When in 1996, Patricia Stacey gave birth to her second child, a baby boy, she quickly noticed an emptiness in his gaze - a vacant quality that emphasized her sense that he was ill at ease in his own body. By the time Walker was five months old, his gaze was obsessively directed towards windows - light had become his true north.;Despite the reassurance of many health professionals that Walker was fine, during the weeks and months that followed the family continued to question the experts, who finally arrived at a diagnosis of "sensory integration problems"; a term inextricably linked with autism.;Refusing to accept that this diagnosis would lead to the finality of an autistic disorder, the family dedicated four years to incessantly drawing Walker away from the sirens that seemed to call him inwards, using the latest play-based techniques. Progress was often painfully gradual, and yet sometimes they made astonishing leaps on the back of seemingly bizarre treatments like simply rubbing the roof of Walker's mouth.;Not only a story of Walker's development, "The Boy Who Loved Windows" also follows his parents' journey of understanding and coming to terms with Walker's difficulties.; In 20

Telling your child about their autism diagnosis can be daunting. Will they be better off for knowing? What's the right way to tell them? Should you inform anyone else too? As a mother of two children on the spectrum, with over ten years' experience as a psychologist specialising in childhood autism, Raelene Dundon has all the tips you'll need. In this concise book, she sets out case studies, examples and resources that will equip you to make your own informed choices and help your whole family to live well with autism. Part One provides ways to tell children of different ages and development levels about their diagnosis, including photocopiable and downloadable worksheets designed to help diagnosed children understand autism, and gives advice on what to do if they react in a negative or unexpected way to the news. Part Two explores the pros and cons of sharing the diagnosis with others, including family, friends, school staff and your child's classmates, and guides you through what to do if others don't understand or accept the diagnosis.

While much has been written about dyslexia and literacy, little has been written about dyslexia and counselling. Good counselling remediates problems in relationships. Good teaching remediates problems in literacy. When the principles of effective counselling combine with the principles of effective literacy teaching, then dyslexia becomes not only manageable but potent, a source of individual strength and wisdom.

This book is designed to be a practical resource for busy counsellors and therapists working with dyslexic clients in the time-constrained world of modern therapy. It is also a reference for anyone who is interested in the counselling perspective on dyslexia: parents, teachers and anyone working in, for example primary care or the social services.

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.

Young people with autism can be particularly susceptible to setbacks, often leading to depression and a sense of hopelessness. Using Social Stories (TM), this book introduces a different way of looking at common life setbacks, and offer tools to overcome these obstacles, build resilience and develop coping strategies for the future. Based on Carol Gray's highly effective Social Stories (TM) model, this new guide shows how to help individuals with autism deal with challenges specific to them, and how to bounce back from the negative experiences that they encounter. This book is an invaluable guide for learning to create personalised Social Stories (TM) that can be used to develop resilience in people with autism and help them to cope better with adversity.

This book is a composition of powerful, poignant and perceptive poems that depict life on the autism spectrum. Written by a young person with High Functioning Autism, the poems reflect on her school and college years, capturing sadness at being marginalised as well as appreciation for the people who supported her. The poems provide important insights on the difficulties that people on the autism spectrum face, including deep anxiety and developing social relationships. Although 1 in 100 people have this condition, as it affects everyone differently, it is often misunderstood and ignored. Lauren's book adds to the calls for perception of autism to be widened, encouraging a positive and informed attitude towards those with this complex condition. Author Bio: Lauren lives in North Somerset and has a diagnosis of High Functioning Autism. She recently completed a degree in Special Education and founded an autism company supporting young people on the spectrum, their parents, and professionals. In her spare time, I enjoy baking, travelling, and going hiking. As a young person with autism, Lauren has faced misunderstandings and adversity, particularly during mainstream education. Writing poetry was a strategy she used to channel her anxieties and frustrations as well as to communicate her gratitude towards those who supported her. Writing helped to build Lauren's confidence and resilience and enabled her to find her voice.

Labeled deaf, retarded, disturbed and insane, Donna Williams lived in a world of her own. Alternating between rigid hostility and extroversion, she waged what she termed her "war against the world." She existed in a dreamlike state, parroting the voices of those around her in the hope that they would leave her alone. Few people understood her, least of all Donna helself.
It was not until the age of twenty-five that Donna discovered the word- autism- that would at last give her the opportunity to understand herself and begin to build a bridge to join the world as most know it.
"Nobody Nowhere, Donna Williams' extraordinary autobiography, is her heroic attempt to come to terms with autism. This eloquent memoir reveals a fierce intelligence, great creativity and much humour. It will shatter many myths and misconceptions.
The poetic sensibility and extraordinary insights of "Nobody Nowhere make it inspiring reading for everyone.

"From the Trade Paperback edition.

Being diagnosed with autism as an adult can be disorienting and isolating; however, if you can understand the condition and how it affects perceptions, relationships, and your relationship with the world in general, a happy and successful life is attainable. Through an introduction to the autism spectrum, and how the Level 1 diagnosis is characterised, the author draws on personal experiences to provide positive advice on dealing with life, health, and relationships following an adult diagnosis. The effect of autism on social skills is described with tips for dealing with family and personal relationships, parenting, living arrangements, and employment. Important topics include disclosure, available resources, and options for different therapeutic routes. On reading this book, you will learn a lot more about the autism spectrum at Level 1, be able to separate the facts from the myths, and gain an appreciation of the strengths of autism, and how autism can affect many aspects of everyday life. Drawing from the author's lived experience, this book is an essential guide for all newly diagnosed adults on the autism spectrum, their families and friends, and all professionals new to working with adults with ASDs.

"Dyslexia: Students in Need" offers a positive approach to students with dyslexia in further and higher education. Students with dyslexia gain degrees and professional qualifications, and successes of this kind often depend on appropriate educational and technological support and upon funding. "Dyslexia: Students in Need", in an easy-to-read typeface, tackles the problems and challenges identified by students themselves. It provides information on applications and admissions to colleges and universities, and on seeking information, support and funding about dyslexia from institutions. It provides information on how to apply for funding from the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA), and study skills relevant to dyslexia and to course requirements, with examples of how to maximise the strengths and abilities associated with dyslexia. It also presents ideas about the use of computers, software and other technologies relevant to dyslexia, and how to cope with revision and exams. It includes personal case studies written by undergraduate and postgraduate students with dyslexia. This book is not only invaluable for dyslexic students, but valuable reading for Heads of Departments, admissions tutors, Equal Opportunities co-ordinators, lecturers, personal tutors and librarians.

"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.

Taking a look at the most common sensory issues kids face, Raising Kids With Sensory Processing Disorders offers a compilation of unique, proven strategies that parents can implement to help their children move beyond their sensory needs. This updated second edition: Shows parents how to characterize their child's sensory issues into one of several profiles. Helps parents find the best adaptations and changes to their child's everyday routines. Provides a week-by-week series of activities and checklists. Helps improve children's performance on tasks like homework, transitions between activities, and interactions with friends. Is written by parents and occupational therapists. Whether it's having to remove tags from clothing or using special dimmed lighting when they study, kids with sensory disorders or special sensory needs often need adaptations in their everyday lives in order to find success in school and beyond.

Written by and for teens and young adults with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities (NLD), as well as for their parents, teachers, therapists, and others who care about them, and backed by the latest neuropsychological research, NLD from the Inside Out offers hundreds of useful tips on: - Organization and planning, including study skills - How to successfully navigate the transition from dependent child to independent adult - Creating more harmonious family and peer relationships - Changing disabling attitudes. The book will help teens and young adults to avoid the angst and pitfalls often associated with NLD. More than that, it offers real stories from now-thriving young adults who grew up with NLD - proof that a full and rewarding life lies ahead for those who are now struggling.

A resource of fun games for parents or teachers to help young children learn social and motor skills

Barbara Sher, an expert occupational therapist and teacher, has written a handy resource filled with games to play with young children who have Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or other sensory processing disorders (SPD). The games are designed to help children feel comfortable in social situations and teach other basic lessons including beginning and end, spatial relationships, hand-eye coordination, and more. Games can also be used in regular classrooms to encourage inclusion.A collection of fun, simple games that can improve the lives of children with ASD or other SPDs.Games can be played by parents or teachers and with individual children or groups.Games are designed to make children more comfortable in social situations and to develop motor and language skillsAlso included are a variety of interactive games to play in water, whether in a backyard kiddie pool, community swimming pool, or lakeAll the games are easy-to-do, utilizing common, inexpensive materials, and include several variations and modifications

In this collection of beautiful and raw essays, Amy S. F. Lutz writes openly about her experience-the positive and the negative-as a mother of a now twenty-one-year-old son with severe autism. Lutz's human emotion drives through each page and challenges commonly held ideas that define autism either as a disease or as neurodiversity. We Walk is inspired by her own questions: What is the place of intellectually and developmentally disabled people in society? What responsibilities do we, as citizens and human beings, have to one another? Who should decide for those who cannot decide for themselves? What is the meaning of religion to someone with no abstract language? Exploring these questions, We Walk directly-and humanly-examines social issues such as inclusion, religion, therapeutics, and friendship through the lens of severe autism. In a world where public perception of autism is largely shaped by the "quirky geniuses" featured on television shows like The Big Bang Theory and The Good Doctor, We Walk demands that we center our debates about this disorder on those who are most affected by its impacts.

The bestselling guide, fully revised and updated, offering practical information and tips to help every child with ADHD succeed

"The ADD/ADHD Checklist" helps parents and teachers to better understand children and teenagers with attention problems and provide the kind of support and intervention that is crucial to kids' success. Presented in a concise, easy-to-read checklist format, the book is packed with practical advice and information on a wide range of topics, including what we do and don't know about ADHD, probable causes, critical elements for school success, the most commonly prescribed medications, what children with ADHD need at home, effective behavioral strategies, how to help kids stay organized, and advocating for an ADHD child.

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.

With the help of this handy guide, you can bring tried and tested occupational therapy activities into your home and encourage your child to succeed with everyday tasks while having fun in the process. This expanded edition of the award-winning book includes new advice on toilet training, coping with changes in routine, repetitive behaviors, self-regulation and much more. The simple explanations and easy exercises will soon make daily activities enjoyable and productive.