Parents of girls on the autism spectrum often wish their daughters were celebrated for their talents, rather than discouraged for their differences. They recognise that their children's unique natures may make them distinctive in some ways, but resent labels such as 'disabled' and 'disorder' being applied to their daughters. This book is a celebration of all the wonderful and unexpected gifts that having daughters on the autism spectrum can bring to your life. Each chapter explores a topic of concern, offering encouragement and guidance on common issues such as school, friendships, meltdowns, special gifts, family relationships, therapies and interventions. Having daughters on the spectrum presents unique and rewarding challenges and this book is packed with friendly advice and real life examples from a mother who has experienced it all first hand. The hopeful perspective given in this book is guaranteed to offer much appreciated comfort to parents, grandparents and family members. It will provide educators and anyone who cares for girls on the spectrum with an insight into what life is like for these extraordinary girls and their parents.

Adolescence has been known as the "second crisis" for some families. Successful navigation of this emotionally complex time can be difficult, and for girls with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) the teenage years can be particularly challenging, as there are issues specific to them that have been very sparsely addressed in current resources, such as menstruation, puberty, safety and the complications of girls' friendships due to fears of loneliness and the lack of group inclusion. This book is the first resource for families to provide the key information they need to know to help their daughters ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? and the whole family ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? through adolescence. It puts topics into the context of typical development and addresses core issues of ASDs such as cognition, communication, behavior, sensory sensitivities and social difficulties, and provides information, practical teaching, intervention strategies and resources regarding topics specific to being a teenage girl with ASD.

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

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