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

Autismology is a great source for special needs educators, public school teachers, occupational therapists, ABA therapists, psychologists, mental health counselors, autistic adults, and parents with children on the autism spectrum. Tosha Rollins states, "As a mother of two young adults on the autism spectrum, I wish I had been better educated about autism. My children inspired my professional career of becoming a licensed professional counselor. I started the Autism in Action Podcast in 2019 and self-published Autism Unspoken Until Now.

This book will guide practitioners, early interventionists, teachers, counselors, and psychologists in identifying and implementing effective strategies that address the unique characteristics of children with autism and their families. The authors describe current research on the etiology of autism and outline a range of effective assessment procedures. Key topics include: - How to guide family participation and supports in developing goals and interventions - Procedures for intervention planning and implementation in natural settings - Methods for promoting generalization and maintenance of skills - Strategies to promote collaboration and problem-solving approaches across multiple disciplines Approaches for evaluating evidence based practices - Ways to foster awareness of recent developments related to evidence-based practices

Often thought of as a predominantly 'male' disorder, autism has long gone unidentified, unnoticed and unsupported in girls - sometimes with devastating consequences for their social and mental well-being. As current research reveals a much more balanced male-to-female ratio in autism, this book provides crucial insight into autistic girls' experiences, helping professionals to recognize, understand, support and teach them effectively. Drawing on the latest research findings, chapters consider why girls have historically been overlooked by traditional diagnostic approaches, identifying behaviours that may be particular to girls, and exploring the 'camouflaging' that can make the diagnosis of autistic girls more difficult. Chapters emphasize both the challenges and advantages of autism and take a multidisciplinary approach to encompass contributions from autistic girls and women, their family members, teachers, psychologists and other professionals. The result is an invaluable source of first-hand insights, knowledge and strategies, which will enable those living or working with girls on the autism spectrum to provide more informed and effective support. Giving voice to the experiences, concerns, needs and hopes of girls on the autism spectrum, this much-needed text will provide parents, teachers and other professionals with essential information to help them support and teach autistic girls more effectively.

This highly practical resource introduces the concept of 'Gymtherapy'; a pioneering approach to working with children that uses movement as a means of promoting emotional wellbeing. Gymtherapy brings together the physical and emotional benefits of activity alongside the importance of safeguarding and supporting children, particularly those who are socio-economically deprived or emotionally vulnerable. Written in an accessible and vibrant style, Gymtherapy provides a full programme of lesson plans, structured across five key areas: Identity and Self Esteem, Mindfulness, Anger Expression, Protective Behaviour and Gender Stereotypes. Each lesson plan is based on accessible, tried and tested strategies, and outlines learning objectives, equipment needed and step-by-step instructions for facilitating practical activities. The chapters are illustrated with engaging real-life examples, case studies, survivor stories and tips, while at the same time linking practice to the underpinning social theory. Gymtherapy is an invaluable guide for teachers, social workers, school leaders and anyone with an interest in providing for the welfare and wellbeing of the children they work with.

This ground-breaking book gives an accessible overview and synthesis of current knowledge of relevance to the development of excellence in autism education. By situating understandings of autism within a 'bio-psycho-social-insider' framework, the book offers fresh insights and new ways of thinking that bring together global pedagogic practice, research, policy, and the insider perspective. Guldberg critiques current notions of Evidence-Based Practice and suggests ways of bridging the research-practice gap. She explores the interrelationship between inclusive principles, distinctive group learning needs and the individual needs of the child or young person. Eight principles of good autism practice provide a helpful framework for how education settings and practitioners can adapt classroom environments and teaching so that autistic children and young people can thrive. Written for anyone who wants to make a difference to the lives of autistic pupils, Developing Excellence in Autism Practice provides practitioners and students on education courses with tools for best practices, and shows how to draw on these to implement true positive change in the classroom.

This practical resource takes a holistic view of the learning and development of children with autism, taking into account the nature of their social-emotional learning and the transactional nature of difficulty. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this accessible and practical text invites practitioners, pupils and parents to reflect on their understandings, beliefs and values and to make appropriate adjustments in their practice. Split into five chapters, this book covers some of the main issues involved in observation-based teaching and learning, including: educational assessment for pupils with special educational needs and disability points to consider when observing autistic pupils methods for listening within inclusive autism education learning outcomes for autistic pupils in relation to well-being, social participation and communication compiling pupil profiles that are suitable for autistic pupils. Aligning research with practice, this sociocultural perspective on autism is of interest to teachers, learning support assistants and SENCos, as well as professionals working in an advisory capacity. Observation, Assessment and Planning in Inclusive Autism Education will also be of interest to students on courses that cover autism as well as anyone who wants to develop their practice and find new ways of supporting children and young people.

Winston Wallaby, like most Wallabies, loves to bounce. However, Winston can't seem to ever sit still and when he starts school he needs help to concentrate... Luckily his teacher Mrs Calm shows Winston how to settle down and focus his mind in class, and he learns new ways to help him with touch, feel, attention and awareness. This fun, illustrated storybook will help children aged 5-10 with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) recognise their sensory needs and develop tools to support them. A helpful introduction for parents and carers explains hyperactivity and how it can affect a child's perception of the world, and the appendices at the back provide useful strategies to be adopted at school and at home.

Savant and splinter skills are seen in memory, art, music or spatial skill amongst others. They can appear remarkable, but tend to be seen as 'obsessive' behaviors. Exploring Giftedness and Autism is based on a unique study which introduces and explores a differentiated curriculum and presents a combination of strategies employed in the education of gifted children and autistic children. Providing insights on the obsessive nature of savant skills, the challenging behaviors of savants and the familial link between the subject child's savant abilities and giftedness, the author highlights how the inclusion of this curriculum is critical in promoting better school performance and post-school employment opportunities. The study has demonstrated the importance of using a 'strengths' rather than a 'deficits' approach in the education of students with a disability, and regards autistic savants as gifted students with disabilities, or as 'twice-exceptional' students with autism. With a practical section dedicated to putting the research into practice this book is an incredibly important read for anyone working with gifted young people with disabilities in the classroom.

Written to meet the needs of teaching assistants and learning support assistants, this book provides a practical toolkit for supporting students on the autistic spectrum in mainstream primary schools. The book offers a clear, jargon free explanation of autism spectrum conditions and examines the difficulties arising from these conditions and how they can impact on students' learning. Addressing issues which arise on a daily basis, it is full of practical advice and strategies for supporting students socially and academically across all areas of the curriculum. Features include: * advice on supporting students through examinations * examples and case studies to illustrate how the strategies described work in practice * forms to help with information collection and evaluation * templates to scaffold students' comprehension and learning in different subject areas Packed with photocopiable resources that can be adapted to suit individual students' needs, this book is essential reading for teaching assistants that want to help their students' on the autism spectrum to reach their full potential.

Anxiety is the root cause of many of the difficulties experienced by people on the autism spectrum, and is often caused by things such as a change in routine, or sensory overload. Deborah Lipsky takes a practical look at what happens when things spiral out of control, exploring what leads to meltdowns and tantrums, and what can be done to help. Drawing on her own extensive personal experience and using real-life examples to explain how autistic people think, the author distinguishes between meltdowns and tantrums, showing how they are different, how each can begin, and most importantly, how to identify triggers and prevent outbursts from happening in the first place. Practical and simple solutions to avoiding anxiety are offered throughout, and these are accompanied by calming techniques and suggestions for dealing with tantrums when they occur. This book will be an essential read for those on the autism spectrum, their families and friends, professionals working with them, and anybody else with an interest in autism spectrum conditions.

Supporting Change in Autism Services explores the theoretical and practical dimensions of improving service provision for children, young people and adults with autism. The core aim of the book is to identify and critically examine some of the key factors that either facilitate or inhibit the implementation of good autism practice at both practitioner level and workplace level. It shows practitioners and students how to successfully translate autism theory into practice across service contexts and showcases a range of practitioner case studies throughout the text in order to illustrate effective implementation. Topics explored include: controversies and ambiguities in autism policy, theory and discourse; understanding autism in an inclusive context; enabling participation; making sense of behaviour; autism and interprofessionalism; strategic planning for autism friendly services; bridging the implementation gap. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in improving services for people with autism in the education, social care, health and voluntary sectors.

Written to meet the needs of teaching assistants and learning support assistants, this book provides a practical toolkit for supporting students on the autistic spectrum in mainstream secondary schools.

The book offers a clear, jargon free explanation of autism spectrum conditions and examines the difficulties arising from these conditions and how they can impact on students learning. Addressing issues which arise on a daily basis, it is full of practical advice and strategies for supporting students socially and academically across all areas of the curriculum.

Features include:

Packed with photocopiable resources that can be adapted to suit individual students needs, this book is essential reading for teaching assistants that want to help their students on the autism spectrum to reach their full potential. "

Developed for individuals on the autism spectrum with a developmental age of approximately 1-4 years, this comprehensive ABA curriculum contains everything needed to teach foundational level skills such as appropriate sitting, attention, eye contact, motor skills, basic receptive and expressive language skills, play, and foundational skills of daily living. Evidence-based, the resource guides instructors step-by-step through using ABA to teach over 140 foundational skills. The program can be individualized to meet the needs and interests of the individual, and instructions are given on how to do this. Online downloadable content contains the teaching materials needed to implement the program, including over 1000 color picture cards, handy printable copies of the curriculum programs, data forms and checklists. The authors also provide guidance on creating an effective ABA teaching environment, as well as a wealth of practical teaching strategies for ensuring therapy success. This is an unparalleled resource for professionals working with children with ASDs who are looking for a robust and ready-to-implement ABA curriculum. It will be a valuable tool for behaviour analysts, teachers, psychologists, occupational therapists and students in these fields, as well as to parents working with professionals to implement an ABA program.

Containing everything needed to teach beginning skills such as imitation, visual spatial awareness, expressive and receptive language skills and skills of daily living, this comprehensive ABA curriculum has been developed for individuals on the autism spectrum with a developmental age of approximately 3-5 years. Evidence-based, the resource guides instructors step-by-step through using ABA to teach over 140 beginning skills. The program can be individualized to meet the needs and interests of the individual, and instructions are given on how to do this. The accompanying online downloadable content contains the teaching materials needed to implement the program, including over 1000 color picture cards, handy printable copies of the curriculum programs, data forms and checklists. The authors also provide guidance on creating an effective ABA teaching environment, as well as a wealth of practical teaching strategies for ensuring therapy success. This is an unparalleled resource for professionals working with children with ASDs who are looking for a robust and ready-to-implement ABA curriculum. It will be a valuable tool for behaviour analysts, teachers, psychologists, occupational therapists and students in these fields, as well as to parents working with professionals to implement an ABA program.

Visual supports have been proven to be a highly effective way to communicate with, and teach, a student with an autism spectrum disorder or other learning difficulty. This book is packed with simple, effective tools to assist in the education of students with special education needs. They can be adapted to be used with young children and older learners with a range of educational needs, including nonverbal learners. Based on the author's years of teaching experience, the book covers how the classroom environment is laid out, how to use schedules and time planning aids, different education approaches and the teaching of social rules and appropriate behavior. All the visual supports are clearly explained alongside examples and photos showing them in use in the classroom. The supports are also included with the accompanying online downloadable content as blank templates. This will be a welcome resource of easy-to-use ideas for mainstream and special education teachers. Therapists, parents and anyone working with students with learning difficulties will also find many of the ideas useful.

Does your middle or high school student struggle with sensory challenges? A Buffet of Sensory Interventions: Solutions for Middle and High School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders offers a smorgasbord of sensory-based interventions for use by educators, occupational therapists and parents. This practical and well-researched tool is unique because it focuses on middle and high school students, whose sensory needs are often overlooked. For this age group, the author emphasizes the importance of fostering independence, self-advocacy and self-regulation as a way to for teens with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to take ownership of their sensory needs as they transition into adulthood. Using simple terminology and illustrations, the book also explains sensory basics, describes the sensory systems, discusses sensory challenges experienced by those with ASD, and helps develop daily educational interventions through assessment of sensory needs. Parents and educational team members working with teens with ASD will benefit from adding this resource to their library.

Autism is in the public spotlight now more than ever as new research and information appears almost daily. Although in many ways this is a positive development it also presents challenges to families and practitioners who want to keep up with the latest developments and are left to sift through new information by themselves to see what is credible and relevant for them.Each of us needs a personal research assistant who can determine which information we need to pay attention to and let us know how it might affect our daily work and the children we are living with or serve.

Since we each don't have our own research assistants on staff, I am delighted to recommend this wonderful book by Fred Volkmar and Lisa Wiesner. Both of these talented professional leaders have combined their scientific skills and understanding of the field with great practical experience and ideas about how research can be translated into clinical practice. The result is a book that provides the best and most comprehensive information about recent scientific developments and a splendid practical guide for how they are being implemented and what we are learning in the process. The issues are presented in all of their complexity but translated into language that is clear, direct, and easy to follow. The format also lends itself to understanding the complex issues and their implications through excellent charts, question and answer sections, and chapters that vary from describing diagnostic issues to stating very specifically how to expand and evaluate the services one is receiving. The comprehensive references and lists of additional resources also add greatly to the overall package.

As a professional dedicated to understanding scientific advances and helping families and teachers to utilize them most effectively, I am very pleased to have an ally like this book available. I am very grateful to the authors for providing a very credible, practical, and relevant addition to our field to help the many advocates and family practitioners to better understand the exciting new developments and how they can be implemented in our day to day work. Those taking the time to read through this superb volume will find it time well spent that pays back dividends in many different ways.
--FOREWORD by Gary B. Mesibov, Ph.D., Professor and Director of TEACCH, Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

`This deceptively little book contains more truth and provides more insight into what it is like to have Asperger's Syndrome than many a weighty tome on the subject. It offers a view from the inside, but it is not yet another autobiography. Admirably and refreshingly, the author has refrained from giving an account solely based on her own experiences. Instead she sets out observations from 25 different suffers, giving often astonishing and sometimes harrowing glimpses of what actually happens to a child with Asperger's Syndrome in the classroom, in the playground, in the lunch queue and at home' - The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry This award-winning book illuminates what it means to be a person who has Aspergers Syndrome by providing a window into a unique and particular world. Drawing on her own experience of schooling, and that of a network of friends and correspondents who share her way of thinking and responding, Clare Sainsbury reminds us of the potential for harm which education holds for those who do not fit. This book holds insights that take us beyond the standard guidance on how to manage autistic spectrum disorder. It challenges the way we might handle obsessional behaviour. It invites us to celebrate the pure passion of the intellect, which such obsessions can represent, and to recognise the delight which can be experienced by children who love to collect. It reminds us that many of the autistic mannerisms we might try to suppress actually help the child to think. This revised edition includes an additional introduction and extensive summary of research in the field of Asperger's Syndrome, both by Tony Attwood.

This choose your own adventure story is a unique, illustrated resource and a compelling mystery, focused on developing the social skills of children on the autistic spectrum. Trapped in Tudor England in 1535, in a world very different from their own, the reader must take on the role of the main character and work out why horses are mysteriously dying. Confronted by challenging social situations and decisions that will either help or hinder the narrative, they need to solve the mystery in order to get home. The story provides a springboard for children to test out different actions and to experience a range of possible consequences and pathways. Decisions the reader must make tackle challenges such as working together and overcoming conflict, processing information and managing emotions and anxiety. This book: is an engaging interactive story to enable discussion and create moments for deeper thinking and self-reflection; can be used either in small groups or 1:1 intervention; links directly to worksheets from the accompanying teacher resource, providing a personalised development tool that can be flexible according to the child's needs. Although created with girls in mind, positioning the reader as the main character allows all children to become fully immersed in the narrative. This is an invaluable resource to develop social skills and build confi dence among children aged 8-12.

Recognising, expressing and understanding emotions helps young children make sense of their life experiences. Children diagnosed with autism can have significant difficulties with recognising and processing emotions which can lead to high levels of anxiety as they struggle to make sense of the unpredictable world around them. The 'Fun with Feelings' programme is designed to help parents support their children with emotional regulation and to decrease anxiety. This guide is structured around 10 stages. The initial four stages prepare parents to implement the programme with their child. These stages help parents understand the causes of anxiety and provide practical strategies for creating a toolbox to reduce anxiety. The final six stages are used in conjunction with Having Fun with Feelings on the Autism Spectrum: A CBT Activity Book for Kids Age 4-8, allowing parents to support their child while working through the activity book. Written by world-leading experts in the field, 10 Steps to Reducing Your Child's Anxiety on the Autism Spectrum provides the steppingstones for parents of young children with autism to better understand their child's emotional skill set and empower them to understand and articulate their feelings.

Psychoanalytic Work with Autistic Features in Adults deals with the diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties of working with patients with autistic residuals, formed in early life experiences that have remained dormant in the unconscious mind. Laura Tremelloni traces the process of identifying them in adult patients, and stresses the need to develop a treatment plan suitable for this kind of pathology. This book uses clinical cases to examine the difficulties of work with hard to reach adults with 'gaps' in their sense of Self and symptoms related to primitive experiences of "non-being". Tremelloni presents new, adaptive therapeutic intervention methods for overcoming such obstacles and identifies the personification and permanence of undeveloped parts of the Self, in hard to reach adults who have otherwise developed satisfactorily and would not be diagnosed as autistic. In such cases, the author suggests the need for clinicians to adapt classic psychoanalytic approaches to the alternating levels of development of the separate parts which the Self has broken into. Psychoanalytic Work with Autistic Features in Adults will help clinicians in psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy to more effectively reach such patients, whilst attempting to address the problematic limitations of therapeutic techniques in very difficult clinical cases.

This practical guide provides a complete picture of how non-physical and physical interventions can be used to manage behaviour and keep children with autism spectrum disorders or emotional, social and behavioural difficulties safe. With clear advice and strategies that can be easily implemented in practice, Steve Brown explores various options and interventions, and explains how professionals can manage the behaviour of children (aged 3-18) in the safest possible way, promoting assertiveness and confidence. He includes a range of de-escalation and behaviour management strategies, information on risk assessments and legalities, advice on how to create safe spaces, insight into non-verbal communication and positive listening, and an honest and open discussion about the important role of physical interventions and positive handling techniques. Providing clarity and insight into this complex subject, this book will allow professionals working with children and young people with ASD or ESBD to use non-physical interventions with confidence and understand the role of physical interventions as a last resort, within a legal framework.

Winner of the 2017 IDEC Book Award, 2017 EDRA Great Places Award (Book Category), 2017 American Society of Interior Designers Joel Polsky Prize and the 2016 International Interior Design Association TXOK Research Award Designing for Autism Spectrum Disorders explains the influence of the natural and man-made environment on individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other forms of intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD). Drawing on the latest research in the fields of environmental psychology and education, the authors show you how architecture and interior spaces can positively influence individuals with neurodiversities by modifying factors such as color, lighting, space organization, textures, acoustics, and ventilation. Now you can design homes, therapeutic environments, work environments, and outdoor spaces to encourage growth and learning for the projected 500,000 children with ASD (in the United States alone) who are expected to reach adulthood by 2024. Topics discussed include: -Environmental design theories -Symptoms of ASD -Sensory processing deficits -Design needs of individuals on the spectrum at all ages -Design methods and solutions for spaces, including residential, learning, work, and therapeutic environments encompassing a wide range of budgets -Designing for self-actualization, well-being, and a high quality of life for the duration of an individual's life -Avenues for healthy living and aging in place -Biophilic design -Environmental impact on well-being -Strategies to promote active living as an integral part of the welfare focus.

Many teenagers with Asperger's Syndrome leave school feeling unsure of how to take the next steps in their lives. Leaving the comforts of home and facing the unknown can be daunting, but with the right support and advice these young adults can adapt and enjoy their newly-acquired independence. Filled with useful advice, easy-to-apply techniques, and insights from both the author's own experiences of Asperger's Syndrome and those of his students, this book is a practical guide for helping young adults on the spectrum achieve independence and learn life-long skills of self-knowledge, self-sufficiency, and self-advocacy. With chapters on social skills, handling finances, keeping healthy, and succeeding in higher education or first employment, Dr. McManmon provides the encouragement that any young Aspie needs to make the transition from an adolescent into a happy, confident and engaged adult. This book will be essential reading for parents, young adults with Asperger's Syndrome, high-functioning autism or learning differences, and any professionals who work with them.