Offering a unique overview of a child's point of view of life with autism, this guidebook will help parents and teachers better understand how this condition is experienced in day to day life. Organised by topic for easy reference, it explores the issues that can arise in everyday situations from toilet training to homework. Learning points, situation-specific activities, and further resources offer practical guidance, while discussion tools such as original poetry illustrate the perspectives of children with autism. Concise and accessible, this book takes a creative approach to understanding autism, and will be an invaluable reference book.

Anxiety is one of the biggest challenges faced by children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders and Asperger syndrome. Help them conquer their fears-and participate more fully in home, school, and community life-with this innovative group therapy program for children 8-14 years old and their parents. Facing Your Fears-At a Glance Number of sessions: 14, plus a follow-up booster session Length of sessions: 1 hours Participants: Children 8-14 years old and their parents Recommended group size: 4-5 children Conducted by: Psychologists, behavior analysts, and other professionals in clinical settings Components: Facilitator's Manual, Child Workbooks, Parent Workbooks, DVD with sample Facing Your Fears videos Ideal for small groups of 4-5 children but also effective in one- to-one therapy, this proven, ready-to-use program is a must for mental health professionals who work with children and families in clinical settings. Developed to address the specific needs and challenges of children with high-functioning ASD and Asperger syndrome, Facing Your Fears works because it targets specific fears or worries that interfere with day-to- day functioning at home and school actively involves parents in every session-the key to helping children make progress and ensuring that families provide skillful, sensitive support is backed by more than 7 years of funded research, including two clinical trials with positive outcomes engages children with memorable, age-appropriate strategies for defeating anxiety, from creating "worry bugs" to filming movies of themselves facing their fears gives children repeated opportunities to practice their social interactions with others uses the highly effective principles of cognitive behavioral therapy helps children and parents generalize the skills they learn in group to other settings Facing Your Fears includes everything professionals need to run a successful program. With the Facilitator's Manu

A growing number of parents are considering part time or 'flexischooling' as an option that might benefit their child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but face concerns such as: Is it possible? Has anyone tried it? How can it be set up? Above all, does it work? This book answers all these questions, and many more. Covering both the home and school angle, it explores ways to evaluate whether the option is right for your child, organising the arrangement effectively with the school and ensuring that curriculum and examination goals are met, and also includes case examples of successful part time schooling at both primary and secondary level. This is the first resource of its kind to bring together all of the information needed for both parents and schools to consider the merits and disadvantages of this approach, and to evaluate it as an option for individual children.

Does your child struggle with brushing their teeth? Is it difficult to get them dressed and undressed each day? Do they struggle to understand their body's relationship to the world? This book is brimming with simple ideas, activities and exercises to address these daily challenges that young children with autism face. Easy to carry out and to fit into your routines, they will help improve a child's sense of body awareness, coordination and motor skills, and address key tasks such as eating meals and healthy sleep. There are also ideas for tackling social challenges, including playing with friends, going on holiday and staying calm at school. The final chapter of the book explains the different support professionals parents of a child with autism are likely to encounter and how each can help their child. This jargon-free book shows how occupational therapy techniques can be used to help your young child with autism to live life to the full, and will be an essential tool for parents and carers.

Containing life-changing strategies and solutions, this book will enable everyone who knows, lives with or works with an individual with autism to achieve a positive relationship that fosters cooperation and mutual respect. The author has dedicated over 20 years to studying, observing and implementing communication strategies that help him, his wife, their three children and his clients experience positive relationships. His immediate family are all on the autism spectrum and they work together to understand one another, resolve misunderstandings, and help each other feel important, loved and respected. Sharing their inspirational personal experiences and interweaving every chapter with practical hints and tips, the book looks at how to get communication working for everyone and emphasizes the importance of laying down ground rules and building confidence. This book will be essential reading for family, friends and professionals who wish to communicate more effectively with those on the autism spectrum.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is recognized as one of the most effective ways to teach children with autism and studies have shown that the earlier the interventions take place the more likely they are to have a profound, positive impact on a child's later development. Using the latest research into best practice for children with autism, this curriculum gives a clear outline on what to teach and how to teach it utilizing the principles of ABA. The book is divided up into three sections, each with built-in data collection, and features a CD with all the material in the book so you can print off the section you are working on. The Assessment section allows you to initially measure the child's level of learning and then track their progress over time. The Curriculum section covers nearly ninety crucial steps in a child's development spread over twelve chapters that each focus on a different pivotal area, such as 'Motor', 'Expressive' and 'Academic' Programs. These are broken down into simple tasks that can be taught and monitored easily. The final Mastered section guarantees that progress can be maintained by checking that learnt skills continue to be retained. Generalization assessment is included throughout to make sure the child has adapted to using the skills in a variety of settings. This book will equip teachers, therapists and parents with a thorough and comprehensive program to help ensure the young learners in their care are achieving developmental goals and are able to reach their full potential as they grow.

Finding a way of simultaneously addressing the sensory, motor, emotional, communicative, cognitive and social needs of children on the autism spectrum can be a real challenge, and choosing from the vast array of options available is a daunting task. This book provides a blueprint for an educational intervention program that is evidence-based, comprehensive in scope and integrative in its approach. Grouping techniques into five categories for discussion, the book examines autism spectrum disorders within a developmental context, and shows that interventions with autistic individuals are not only possible, but can be really successful. Specific intervention strategies and program examples for developing competencies in areas such as joint attention, sensory integration, motor functioning, impulse control, memory, self-awareness, theory of mind and empathy, abstract thinking, problem-solving, social skills and community engagement, are presented. Techniques for dealing with specific behavior problems are also examined, including toileting delays, temper-tantrums, and eating and sleeping problems, amongst many others. This book will be essential reading for families, teachers, and other professionals working with children with autism.

In All My Stripes, Zane the zebra feels different from the rest of his classmates. He worries that all they notice about him is his "autism stripe." With the help of his Mama, Zane comes to appreciate all his stripes - the unique strengths that make him who he is! Includes a Reading Guide with additional background information about autism spectrum disorders and a Note to parents and caregivers with tips for finding support. Foreword by Alison Singer, president Autism Science Foundation

Searching for the right school for a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) opens up a huge and complicated world, and it can be difficult to know where to begin. What should you look out for in a school? What questions should you ask? How do you choose between different educational approaches and programmes? This accessible guide cuts through all of the jargon surrounding special educational needs (SEN) and walks parents and professionals through the entire journey of securing appropriate educational provision for a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The author explains the implications of having, or not having, a diagnosis; how to obtain a Statement of SEN; how to find and secure an appropriate school; and how to work effectively with outside agencies. She provides clear explanations of all of the legal aspects of the process, including SEN law, the SEN Code of Practice and the new guidelines for SEND tribunals. Recognising that mainstream schooling is not the best option in every case, she also shows that independent schools and home-schooling can be viable options in some cases. A multitude of useful resources, websites and other sources of further information are also included. Whether you are the parent or carer of a child with ASD, or a professional working with children with autism, the ideas and information in this book will steer you through the complex maze of issues surrounding how to secure appropriate education provision for children with ASD.

Can you imagine not being able to recognize those you know if they wore glasses, changed their hairstyle, or perhaps put on a hat? Prosopagnosia is a severe facial recognition disorder that is thought to impact around two per cent of the population. Frequently found in children on the autism spectrum, those with the condition have difficulties distinguishing between one face and the next, meaning that they may not recognize even those who are closest to them. Nancy L. Mindick provides parents, teachers, and other professionals with an accessible explanation of the different types, causes, and characteristics of prosopagnosia. Providing an insider's perspective on the condition, she suggests ways to recognize the signs of facial recognition difficulties in children, and offers specific ideas for ensuring that they are properly supported in their learning and social development. The issues of diagnosis and disclosure are explored, and the author offers practical management strategies for helping children to cope with the condition and to navigate the many different social situations they will encounter at home, at school, and in the community. This book offers specific, practical information for parents, teachers, child psychologists, and anyone else who wishes to support the learning and development of a child with a facial recognition disorder.

Millions of children have been diagnosed with autism or fall somewhere within the autism spectrum. Early intervention, education, and training programs have been found to support these students immensely, leading to a higher level of independent social life than has previously been seen. Anxiety, bullying, communication, and learning abstract concepts can be a great challenge for autistic children and can also provide an obstacle for social interaction with other children. It is important to continue offering these students access to a broad, enriched, and balanced curriculum while also devising new approaches and alternative systems of communication that will help to facilitate their access to the educational process and foster adaptive behaviors. Interventions for Improving Adaptive Behaviors in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders offers a current overview of modern practices regarding the teaching of autistic children. This book seeks to update the current practices for professionals working with autistic children, offer practical information regarding interventions, and provide tools for managing autistic children in critical situations. Covering topics such as autism diagnostic observation schedule, inclusivity in schools, and vocational training for autistic people, this text is essential for teachers, special education teachers, administrators, speech therapists, academicians, researchers, students, and professionals and practitioners involved in the upbringing, education, social, and vocational inclusion of people with ASD.

`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.

Anxiety is one of the biggest challenges faced by children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders and Asperger syndrome. Help them conquer their fears-and participate more fully in home, school, and community life-with this innovative group therapy program for children 8-14 years old and their parents. Facing Your Fears-At a Glance Number of sessions: 14, plus a follow-up booster session Length of sessions: 1 hours Participants: Children 8-14 years old and their parents Recommended group size: 4-5 children Conducted by: Psychologists, behavior analysts, and other professionals in clinical settings Components: Facilitator's Manual, Child Workbooks, Parent Workbooks, DVD with sample Facing Your Fears videos Ideal for small groups of 4-5 children but also effective in one- to-one therapy, this proven, ready-to-use program is a must for mental health professionals who work with children and families in clinical settings. Developed to address the specific needs and challenges of children with high-functioning ASD and Asperger syndrome, Facing Your Fears works because it targets specific fears or worries that interfere with day-to- day functioning at home and school actively involves parents in every session-the key to helping children make progress and ensuring that families provide skillful, sensitive support is backed by more than 7 years of funded research, including two clinical trials with positive outcomes engages children with memorable, age-appropriate strategies for defeating anxiety, from creating "worry bugs" to filming movies of themselves facing their fears gives children repeated opportunities to practice their social interactions with others uses the highly effective principles of cognitive behavioral therapy helps children and parents generalize the skills they learn in group to other settings Facing Your Fears includes everything professionals need to run a successful program. With the Facilitator's Manu

Exposure anxiety is increasingly understood as a crippling condition affecting a high proportion of people on the autism spectrum. To many it is an invisible cage, leaving the person suffering from it aware, but buried alive in their own involuntary responses and isolation. Exposure Anxiety: The Invisible Cage describes the condition and its underlying physiological causes, and presents a range of approaches and strategies that can be used to combat it. Based on personal experience, the book shows how people with autism can be shown how to emerge from the stranglehold of exposure anxiety and develop their individuality. It progressively shapes the individual torn between experiencing it as the sanctuary and the prison. Exposure Anxiety makes it hard to stand noticing you are noticing. It can make love a form of torture, repel you from the sound of your own voice, make you meaning deaf to your own words and those of others and compel you to avoid, divert from or retaliate against the very things that which most have the power to reach you. Exposure Anxiety progressively co-opts the identity of the person as separate to the condition or it leaves them aware but buried alive in their own involuntary responses and isolation. Exposure Anxiety is the involuntary social-emotional self-protection response that needs no enemy. It turns the world upside-down, makes no yes and yes no and co-opts and defies conventional, non-autistic teaching techniques. Exposure Anxiety has many faces. By defeating it at its own game, Donna demonstrates how the person can progressively be inspired to fight for themselves and attempt to emerge, from the undercurrent, as the tide.

This evidence-based programme is designed to help young people on the autism spectrum to cope with the many challenges of adolescence. It encourages them to explore their identity, develop their friendships and to begin to think more about adult relationships, tackling the important related issues of puberty, sexuality, gender identity, body image, dress codes, self-care, safety and conventions for touching along the way. Designed to be used either as a 30-consecutive-session programme or to be dipped into as particular issues arise, it contains engaging lesson plans, supplementary activities, take-home tasks, group discussion points and over 200 downloadable and printable flash cards. This is a vital teaching resource for educators, SENCOs, educational psychologists and other professionals working with children aged 11+ with ASDs in SEN and mainstream settings.

All adults need strong social skills to find and keep a job, establish relationships, and participate fully in adult life--but building these skills can be a special challenge for people with autism, Asperger syndrome, nonverbal learning disorder, social anxiety, and other disorders affecting social learning. Give them the essential support they need with this field-tested curriculum for high-functioning adults, designed to build a broad range of social skills through explicit instruction and coaching.

Based on the highly acclaimed Social Skills Seminar at the University of Pennsylvania, this engaging, hands-on curriculum is an invaluable addition to college counseling programs, vocational rehabilitation groups, and any other program helping people with social learning disorders. The first program of its kind to target the social learning needs of young adults and adults, "Social Literacy"

• Is proven effective. During more than 7 years of field testing, these lessons improved the social skills of young men and women with a range of social learning disorders.
• Goes far beyond the basics. Participants will learn more than how to smile and make eye contact--they'll learn and practice the high-level social skills they'll need to manage the complexities of adult interaction.
• Helps participants generalize skills. Adults will reinforce and generalize the skills they learn in class by working one to one with a social coach (often recruited from a local college or university).
• Adapts to any program's needs. Program leaders can choose which lessons to emphasize, based on participants' specific needs.
• Targets the areas most critical to success. Each in-depth, 2- to 3-hour class focuses on a key aspect of social success, so adults will have the specific skills they'll need for employment, relationships, and more.

With this book-and-CD set, professionals will have everything they need to conduct a full 12 weeks of lessons. They'll get practical guidance on establishing a social learning course, strategies for recruiting and training social coaches, photocopiable handouts, and exercises that help participants understand and practice social skills, and a CD-ROM with more than 100 PowerPoint slides for instructional use.

A highly effective way to teach critical social skills to high-functioning adults, this proven curriculum will prepare participants to successfully navigate the joys and challenges of adult life.

A Step-by-Step Conversation Framework for Teaching Conversational Balance and Fluency for High Functioning Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders Conversation is everywhere - at the lunch table, at after-school activities, in the line for the water fountain, at overnight camp during downtime, at work with a coworker, and at a Thanksgiving gathering. Regardless of the setting, this critical skill - human conversation - is challenging for many individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HF-ASD) - children and adults alike. For these reasons, it is essential to equip individuals with ASD with effective conversational skills. The Conversation Framework is a unique strategy that provides an approach to assessing and teaching conversation skills in a group setting that is effective for most students who have difficulty engaging in conversations, including students with HF-ASD. The Conversation Framework presented in Talk With Me breaks down the elements of a conversation which must be mastered in order to be proficient at carrying out conversations. The framework was developed and refined across many years based on a review of the relevant research along with close observation of how people talk to each other - what conversations really sound like. Many find it difficult to teach conversation skills, but the Conversation Framework provides a simple and easy-to-implement process for teaching effective conversational habits. If you're looking for a comprehensive model with assessments, data collection, visual supports, drills, and prompt examples - this is your book!

Over the past 25 years, we have been on a journey to discover, describe and teach social skills. The modelpresented in this book has had many incarnations, from checklists, to diagrams, and even conceived as apicture frame one especially creative year! As we began conceptualizing the steps, we learned that each stepneeded to be broken down into still others, allowing the opportunity to analyze this task that is "being social"and support those for whom it does not come naturally. The "steps" are more of an escalator, ever moving andinfluenced by so much that happens within the day to day interactions of a real person's life. Creating the ""Foundation," derived of the desire to understand and communicate the essence of what it meansto be "engaged" with another person, is one of the highlights of this process, and this guide. The Foundationcomponent of the model is currently being implemented as part of a research project related to Fetal AlcoholSyndrome in South Africa - affiliation of Stellenbosch University, University of North Carolina, and Universityof New Mexico. Marci Laurel uses this model extensively in her work in Russia, Nicaragua, and in her privatepractice (Theraplay in New Mexico). Our goal is to address both a growing understanding of the nature of what it means to be in social relationshipwith others and how to "step on" to the learning process on any given day and over time. Indeed, as we havelearned from so many extraordinary teachers, the process can be exhilarating! It is our hope that people whohave an interest in promoting social skills - family members, teachers, therapists, and the individuals they careabout so deeply - will find Social Engagement and the Steps to Being Social to be a meaningful and practicalguide.

In the fall of 2009, Amy Lutz and her husband, Andy, struggled with one of the worst decisions parents could possibly face: whether they could safely keep their autistic ten-year-old son, Jonah, at home any longer. Multiple medication trials, a long procession of behavior modification strategies, and even an almost year-long hospitalization had all failed to control his violent rages. Desperate to stop the attacks that endangered family members, caregivers, and even Jonah himself, Amy and Andy decided to try the controversial procedure of electroconvulsive therapy or ECT. Over the last three years, Jonah has received 136 treatments. His aggression has greatly diminished, and for the first time Jonah, now fourteen, is moving to a less restricted school.

"Each Day I Like It Better" recounts the journeys of Jonah and seven other children and their families (interviewed by the author) in their quests for appropriate educational placements and therapeutic interventions. The author describes their varied, but mostly successful, experiences with ECT.

A survey of research on pediatric ECT is incorporated into the narrative, and a foreword by child psychiatrist Dirk Dhossche and ECT researcher and practitioner Charles Kellner explains how ECT works, the side effects patients may experience, and its current use in the treatment of autism, catatonia, and violent behavior in children.

Discrete trial instruction or naturalistic, incidental teaching: How do you choose which approach to use with young children with autism? Now there's no need to "pick a side"-this groundbreaking book helps professionals skillfully blend the best of both behavioral approaches to respond to each child's individual needs. Developed by one of the nation's leading experts on autism, this innovative, evidence-based guidebook cuts through the chaos of conflicting information and gives readers a logical, child-centered way to plan and implement intervention. Professionals will begin with an in-depth guide to creating an autism intervention profile. for each child, based on the type and severity of the child's autism characteristics and common predictors of how the child will respond to intervention (such as anxiety level, language, and social interest). Once the profile is complete, readers will learn how to match the child's individual characteristics and needs with a specially tailored blend of DTI and naturalistic teaching. To help them select and implement the right interventions for each child, professionals will get more than a dozen practical tools, including the Autism Intervention Responsiveness Scale, sample data collection forms, schedules, intervention plans, and progress reports. Readers will also learn from detailed before-and-after case studies of five children with very different characteristics and intervention needs. Through vivid accounts of their diverse intervention plans and first-person stories from their parents, readers will see exactly what individualized, child-centered interventions look like and how they help children make improvements in key areas (see below). A must for early childhood educators and interventionists, this book will demystify competing autism treatments and help readers create custom-tailored interventions that really improve child outcomes. Develop child-centered individualized interventions that help children: join in play read nonverbal cues communicate more effectively overcome social anxiety increase empathy

More Than Hope, For Young Children On The Autism Spectrum describes powerful intervention strategies to change areas of early child development most impacted by autism. With the specialized knowledge of Dr. Tanya Paparella, a leading expert with over 20 years of autism intervention and director of the UCLA childhood autism program, the book takes each significant area of development and explains why children with autism learn differently. It then provides step-by-step intervention strategies to develop communication, social interaction, and normal behavior. The teaching strategies are known to work, they are practical, and can be used in everyday activities. This book offers parents, care givers, and professionals the opportunity to do more than just hope for a child's successful future; it directly empowers them by providing critical knowledge and intervention tools towards long-lasting benefits for each child and their family. More Than Hope, For Young Children On The Autism Spectrum is easy to read, yet powerful in its simplicity and depth. Why is this book unique? Parent friendly intervention strategies. Interventions target areas of specific difficulty in autism. Intervention in critical areas results in dramatic improvement. Incorporates intervention strategies as part of everyday activities. Efficiently targets core deficits perfect for busy parents. Explains why each area is important, why a child is having difficulty, and exactly how to intervene. Content derived from cutting edge research distilled for parents by a specialist with over 20 years of autism experience and outstanding treatment results. Significantly reduces financial overheads incurred by specialist only intervention. Book Features: Table of Contents, Illustrated, Appendix, Glossary, References, Resources

A practical resource filled with information, tips, and checklists for helping kids with autism

This useful, accessible guide offers teachers and parents a better understanding of children on the autism spectrum and provides them with the kinds of support and intervention they need. Written in an easy-to-read checklist format, the book is filled with up-to-date research, practical advice, and helpful resources on a wide range of topics. The book covers five areas: basic information on autism, checklists for parents, checklists for teachers, effective support strategies, and helpful resources.Provides vital, accessible information for parents and teachers working with children in the autism spectrumContains a wealth of useful strategies, information, and resourcesA volume in the popular Jossey-Bass "Checklist" seriesOffers a comprehensive yet affordable resourceKluth is the bestselling author of "You're Going to Love This Kid : Teaching Students with Autism"

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has received considerable educational, research, medical and media attention the past ten years. Yet the condition was first described more than a hundred years ago. Due to the disorder being confused with childhood schizophrenia, there was a lack of definitive attention by special educators, medical professionals and mental health clinicians to advance parameters related to: causes; prevalence; identification and diagnosis; education and treatment. Positively, this confusion changed starting in the 1980s with the clarification of the differences between these disorders with the 1980 publication of the" Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-III). Soon after, the 1990 federal legislation "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" recognized the disorder as a disability category eligible for special education services. Both of these events lead to an explosion of information related to: finding causes; accurate identification and diagnosis; best educational practices; and social, emotional, and behavioral treatments. Even with this explosion in the body of knowledge concerned with this disorder, much more needs to be learned and discovered. The successful use of this body of knowledge requires that accurate information be provided to educators, parents, clinicians, medical professionals, and mental health professionals to counter misinformation that exists among the general public, educators and clinical professionals. This is the primary purpose of "Autism Spectrum Disorders: Inclusive Community for the 21st Century." It is accomplished by chapters on: the delineation of a blueprint for systems of care for persons with ASD and their families; a model to assist professionals in tackling the challenge of developing employability for individuals with high functioning ASD; best practice and research guidelines that lead to an affirmative ASD diagnosis; a comprehensive and current synopsis of genetic factors associated with ASD; adjustment challenges that may be present for a sibling of an individual with ASD; a comprehensive description of an innovative community-based clinic that provides services needed by Individuals with ASD to meet their social, behavioral, educational and mental health needs; and effective treatment strategies and techniques that can be utilized by parents and educators to work effectively with children who have ASD. The chapters are written by researchers, clinicians, business professionals, and university professors who have an extensive knowledge of ASD. The contents of the book are an excellent reference for special education teachers, school psychologists, practicing mental health clinicians, and parents and family members of children and adults with ASD.