"Ah Jeeeze, not another book about Autism." But this one is different It's not all rainbows, unicorns and blessings. "The Dark Side of Autism" puts raising a child with special needs into perspective with no sugar coating of the reality.
With firsthand experience raising a nonverbal child with autism and epilepsy, Angela talks openly and honestly about the true challenges parents face raising a child on the spectrum. With contentious opinions and candid observations, " The Dark Side of Autism" tells the truth about a dark and difficult subject people don't like to talk about while fostering awareness for this sometimes debilitating and mostly unknown neurological disorder.
This offhanded, direct and vulnerable parenting chronicle will give you a new appreciation for the simple things taken for granted with neuro-typical kids like taking a trip to Disneyland, a full night's sleep and haircuts. Angela often says things people only think to themselves in fear of offending someone.
Autism has a dark side---it's learning to cope with the darkness that can lift you up. If you are a parent with a child with special needs this book may read your mind. Angela is spot on with her darkly funny observations in the world of special needs---from the taunting beeping of a short bus to mastering IEPs with a reoccurring "don't ask, don't tell" theme.
If you know someone, and chances are you do, caring for a child with special needs, you will gain new insight on what it must be like for them. This book can be easily used as a guide to the stupid things NOT to say to a parent with a mentally or physically challenged child---without checking your "foot in the mouth meter" first. "The Dark Side of Autism" can help you be a kinder, more compassionate friend, parent, spouse and human.

There should be no shame in the fact that parenting a child with Autism can be difficult and sometimes dark. There are how to "cure" your child of autism books which can leave parents feeling like a failure if those "cures" fall flat and there are many books that punctuate the "blessings". The Dark Side of Autism focuses on the importance of healing yourself and family while accepting when something may be out of your control. This book will remind parents that it's ok to grieve the loss of a child and the broken dreams you unmistakably had for them. It will help parents and caregivers come to terms that heartbreak and disappointment can be a big part of the diagnosis but also gives tips on how to break through the darkness and grief to see the light.