ITEMS FOR SALE...
LOOK AT OUR PUZZLE PIECE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS...
ORDER YOURS TODAY! ONLY $5.00 PER SET OF 4
EACH PUZZLE PIECE IS MADE OF PLASTER OF PARIS, PAINTED, GLITTERED AND SEALED.
THESE ARE PERSONALIZED AUTISM AWARENESS RIBBONS YOU CAN EITHER HANG ON YOUR REAR VIEW MIRROR OR USE AS A CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT. THEY WOULD MAKE GREAT GIFTS TO HELP SPREAD AUTISM AWARENESS. THEY SELL FOR JUST $3.00 EACH! They are made with the autism ribbon, coated with a coat of glitter glue, then coated with a coat of finish....making the ribbon feel like a vinyl. Don't forget to let me know what name(s) you want on them.
AFAC'S CURRENT HELP LIST....If you can help with any of these needs, please do so.
AFAC is planning their Christmas Party for Autistic Children and are in need of donations of items for gifts for about 30 children. Some ideas of items needed are:
Sensory items
~squeeze balls
~light up toys...spinners,etc.
~Koosh balls
~P $ Q's or regular chewy tubes
~weighted lap quilts around 3 #lbs.
Toys:
~Dora the Explorer toys
~Thomas and Friends
~any musical toys
~Matchbox cars
~Puzzles
~Dinosaurs
~Dolls
~Barbies
~Transformers
~Books, color books, crayons
~small drums
Music and DVD's:
CD's of classical music or nature sounds
DVD's of Children's shows
ITEMS CAN BE MAILED TO:
AFAC
RR2 Box 174
4020 #17 Meadowbrook Rd
Clinton, IL 61727
CONTACT US VIA E-MAIL AT:
[email protected]
or you can contact us via myspace.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!
<
My little friend Jayden is a cancer survivor/fighter and is trying to get donations for St. Jude's. If you can help him he would be so grateful....
http://www.myspace.com/jaydensjourneymiracle
This is our good friend Jenny! She has CP and loves to support people with disabilities and illnesses. She loves to make new friends. If you click on her picture, you will be taken to her myspace page where you can request friendship.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE ORGANIZATIONS....
We support Project Child Smiles by sending stuffed toys to children who are hospitalized...many of them battling serious or terminal illnesses.
ANGELS FOR AUTISTIC CHILDREN OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Please use the code below and post our banner on your page to show your support. Thanks!
" cols="40" rows="4">
David Militello
http://www.myspace.com/davidmilitello
Samantha E.
http://www.myspace.com/samanthaemusic
Mark Leland
http://www.myspace.com/markleland
There are a lot of things about raising a child with an autistic spectrum disorder that teachers, therapists, and doctors don't know much about. The way you live will change, like it or not.
The good news is that the behaviors that cause these changes usually don't last forever: the child who this week broke wine glasses just to hear them smash will probably not be tossing them two years from now. But if you want to avoid rushing from disaster to disaster, you must have a proactive parenting style. Avoid conflict, redirect behavior, and always be on the lookout for an alternative solution to behavior problems.
Click here for some advice from parents on handling typical trouble spots...
~Haircuts, nail clipping, bathing, clothing, and more.
AUTISM ISOLATION SYNDROME
Families with autistic children face many challenges. Emotional, physical, financial, and social difficulties arise in a variety of different contexts. The stress of dealing with these challenges can be overwhelming. One way families cope with this stress is to isolate themselves from people and situations. I call this pattern of coping "Autism Isolation Syndrome".
The three main components of the syndrome are:
· emotional isolation from the self
· physical isolation from others
· social isolation
The patterns' goal is to create a sense of control for parents who often feel overwhelmed. Couples often go for long periods of time without seeing their friends and avoid multi-family gatherings. A complex set of emotions explain why the isolation occurs. Conflicts like, "How will I deal with my feelings in public?", "How much should we share?", "How will I deal with people if they are judgmental or insensitive", "Will I be able to relax and have fun?" are common. Because autism, autistic behavior and how it effects each child in an individual way, is so hard to explain to people, many families opt for isolation as a way to feel more in control of the disorder and its challenges.
Fatigue also becomes a problem. Intensive schedules of treatment and schooling consume many hours on a weekly basis. Sleep patterns are often erratic in an autistic child and the entire family is affected. So fatigue is often used as an "excuse" not to socialize.
Many people lose sight of the importance of staying socially connected. This is partly because many of their personal feelings and needs are being over-shadowed by their love and concern for their autistic child and other children in the family. They forget their own needs to laugh, be nurtured, intellectually stimulated and self actualized. This pattern of deprivation often leads to depression and other emotional and physical problems. Addressing the issue of fatigue with a doctor may become necessary in order to regain the energy to resume a more socially active life, both as a family and as an individual.
EMOTIONS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO ISOLATION
Many parents experience overwhelming feelings of grief, anger, sadness, guilt, and even shame in the early stages of the isolation syndrome. Emotional isolation usually starts within the home itself, and between family members themselves. Concerns about having "wrong" feelings or burdening other family members with feelings arise. Individuals can decide to deal with many of their feelings by themselves. This suppression is normal on an occasional basis but becomes unhealthy as a pattern. It keeps family members from getting the support and nurturing they need from each other and can lead to depression and depletion. The suppression of emotions can also facilitate denial. Denial can be a coping mechanism which helps people function during difficult times. It can keep feelings contained to a manageable level, which allows for success in seeking and securing proper medical and education intervention for their autistic child. At the same time it can block powerful feelings and the awareness of the need to talk and to get support. The focus becomes about doing what has to be done to deal with the demands of daily situations in the family, and it becomes too threatening to feel. Lost in the frenzy of trying to follow professional advice to help the child, one can lose a sense of their own feelings and needs. In the breakdown of emotional communication, exhaustion can occur ("isolation syndrome" stage 1), judgment can be lost, and the likelihood of inappropriate decisions regarding treatment strategies for the child can increase.
BREAKING THROUGH STAGE 1 - ISOLATION WITHIN YOUR FAMILY
Talking about sadness is essential in helping families break the pattern of emotional isolation from each other. Feeling sad about your child's autism is normal. There are things you imagine that he/she will never experience such as a career, a relationship, security or happiness in their lives. Before treatment and education begins to yield progress for your child, it is understandable to feel more loss than gain, more despair than comfort. Families who fail to vent this emotion become less intimate in general and more isolated from each other. It is as if each person in the family represents a trigger for raw emotion, and it is scary to go into the feelings. To avoid the discomfort of emoting, excessive time is spent talking about autism schools and programs instead of broader issues pertaining to the lives and feelings of the entire family.
One method for breaking through this emotional isolation is to schedule a family meeting and have what I call "an open book session". This involves everyone in the family revealing feelings and being open to each other. Asking questions like "Why do you feel sad about Johnny having autism?" "Did you cry this week about anything that we have been dealing with?" "What do you think we are missing out on? Are you angry, and if so what are you angry about?" Questions specifically about sadness and anger can open up communication and put feelings back into the vocabulary of the family. If the family gets used to "venting" in a structured way about issues pertaining to their autistic family member, they can feel a release that allows them to access their individual desires to focus on themselves and the parts of their life that are not consumed with dealing with issues related to autism.
Discussing guilt within the family is crucial. Many people feel guilty about their feelings. They feel guilty about their sadness as they perceive it to imply pity and the diminishment of the value of their autistic child. They feel guilty about their anger, in the realization that their child's problems are a result of a disability that is not their fault.
Parents struggle with questions about their responsibility in the appearance of the disorder. "Is there something I did or did not do to cause this?" is a common conflict. If guilt is not resolved, compassion for oneself will continue to be blocked. The result of this can be lead to "isolation state II syndrome", the physical and social isolation from others. If a person does not feel compassion and acceptance of themselves and their feelings, it lowers self esteem and raises shame and anxiety around other people. It is only through the venting of sadness, fear and anger that guilt can be resolved. It is through the experience of these difficult feelings that positive and constructive feelings about oneself and life in general can emerge.
STYLES OF PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL ISOLATION
(Stage 2 and 3 of the "Autism Isolation Syndrome")
One style of physical isolation is to cease physical contact. This helps to keep emotions buried. Less hugging and touching is a common result of emotional suppression. This physical shut down discourages socialization where the possibility of physical contact is high. Allowing people to comfort you in a physical way can re-open the door to your normal pattern of socializing. Having a child with autism exposes one to the extremes of social and inter-personal disconnectedness, and it can take effort to fight the temptation of "joining" the child's world in order to feel connected to them. The family's ability to stay connected to themselves, each other, and social connections can greatly increase the child's potential for socialization.
SOCIAL AWKARDNESS
The feeling of being different from other families occurs for people with children on the autistic spectrum. In other words, the differences in their child translate to the family being different. This line of thinking can result in families thinking about where they "should" or "can" go, as opposed as where they "want" to go. Families often stop doing the things they used to do. They become unsure about how to participate now that their child's autism has resulted in difficult behaviors and emotions. Isolation provides its own form of comfort, but not without profound loss.
Fear and shame are also major emotional challenges to overcome in stage 2 isolation. "Will I look like a bad parent if my child acts out or sounds off in public?" "Will my child be ridiculed or cause fear in others?" "How will I handle it if it happens?" "Isn't it better to stay home or socialize only with families who have autistic children?" These questions can bring up fear and conflict and cause many families to decide to isolate. Developing communication skills for dealing with the public helps decrease fear and social avoidance.
Learn how to:
· Explain the situation to others in ways that respect your privacy
· Request that people not get involved
· Express your feelings of anger
· Apologize as the situation calls for
· Have a plan and a script ready to deal with your most feared situation
For example, if you are in a mall and a nice old lady tries to prompt your non-verbal child to talk you can say, "He doesn't talk to strangers". If your child is having a tantrum because he wants something that you are not going to buy him and a stranger says, "What a brat. He is spoiled", you can say, "This is not your business, please stay out of it." When emotions are running high, do not always hold yourself to politically correct standards of communication. There are rude and uninformed people out there who will hurt, embarrass or anger you. They are not worth isolating over. As a matter of fact it can be quite cathartic sometimes to let them know what is really going on with your child and watch THEM feel the discomfort of having been inappropriate and uncompassionate with you, your child and family. Also remember, there are nice, caring people out there who will understand and feel compassion and show tolerance.
ISOLATION VS COMMON SENSE AND JUDGMENT
It is understandable that situations should be evaluated for their appropriateness for the autistic child and the family. Concerns about safety and emotional and physical appropriateness are necessary. But the challenge remains for families to learn how to reduce fear and discomfort and adapt to environments in order to encourage a broader repertoire of social experiences. It is important to have plans that include specific coping techniques for public and semi-public situations. It is also important to know when things are not working out and to go home and try again another time. The commitment to try again and to learn how to better deal with the child's special needs while out in public is essential for breaking the isolation pattern.
SOCIAL SETTINGS OF PARTICULAR CHALLENGE
Many families avoid restaurants, airports and travel, sporting events, amusement parks and social celebrations. The more crowded and "rule driven" the environment, the more challenging is the management of the situation.
To assist in developing a successful plan, it is essential to understand:
· Your child's sensory and motor challenges
· Your physical and emotional state
· The goal of the social outing and it's importance and value to you
· Rules and boundaries of the social setting
THE ROLE OF SENSORY ISSUES AND SOCIAL SUCCESS
A lack of knowledge in this area can result in chaotic experiences that make you long for the safety of the insulated environment of home. Knowing how to deal with your child's sensory overload can create more social mobility. For example, taking the right equipment with you or extra people to help you cope with your child's emotions and behaviors encourages going out into the social realm. Every child has an individual sensory profile, and an experienced occupational therapist should be consulted on an ongoing basis for support in this area. Having tactile and auditory props can provide "treatment" for your child's disregulation in a situation.
After obtaining a "sensory diet" and "sensory profile" from the therapist you are better equipped to branch out into the world and return to activities that make you feel a part of a normal life, (whatever that may mean to you and your family).
TIPS TO CONSIDER FOR THOSE CHALLENGING PLACES
Airports:
· If your child must travel and has anxiety in airports, consult your physician for possible medications in anxiety reduction or sleep
· Play with airplane toys or read books about traveling by air in advance of your trip
· Drive by the airport without stopping and gauge their responses (Desensitization process can reduce anxieties and phobias)
· Check with the airline ahead of time for early boarding privileges
· Try sitting in the back of the plane.
This allows for easy access to restrooms and more controlled contact with the general public
· Bring earplugs or headphones with favorite music
· Bring comforting toys from home
· Have food and water ready at all times
· Bring pictures of where you are going as well as photos of home
To help orient the child to the experience.
Restaurants:
· Bring food for your child so he won't be ravenous and impatient
· Bring new or favorite toys to keep them busy
· Start out with short stays to build familiarity and tolerance
· Try to seat your child against a wall for behavioral containment
· See the environment as an opportunity to ready your child for the world outside of controlled environments like school and therapy
· Use the new food environment to introduce new foods, new language and socialization
· Make sure the restaurant has "kid friendly" food that works for your child
Remember: It is the being out in public, and the breaking of isolation that is the main goal here. Your favorite restaurant may need to be reserved for outings with friends.
Many of these tips can be applied to movie theaters, sporting events and other settings. The idea is to know your child's needs and be as prepared as you can be. The reality is when out in the public all tricks can fail. What you are faced with then is a decision to leave if you can, or accept that the discomfort you feel now is worth the knowledge that you can be out in the world trying to live as full a life as possible.
Access to support groups and other families dealing with autism is another way for people to keep connected. What is most important is that you find a balance between professional support, group and organizational support, and a way to resume a satisfying pattern of social connections. What better environment is there for an autistic child than one that is focused on contact with people and exposure to life's adventures.
Sponsored Links
Autism & Speech
Help Your Child Learn To Speak With Our Language Development DVDs.
www. BabyBumbleBee. com
Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)Picture Exchange Communication Systems are simply a visual representation of spoken language. Temple Grandin and other people with Autism often tell us that they "think in pictures," while the rest of us think our thoughts with words. Usually the word and a picture of what the word represents are put on a small card. The word "drink" is placed on a card that has a picture or a photograph of a "drinking glass." In this manner, people with autism understand that words have meaning - a difficult concept for many to comprehend. There are many other methods of communication available through assistive technology. Intellitools and other software companies offer valuable resources for people with Autism who are non-verbal, or who have limited verbal ability. Using pecs does not mean they will never "want" to talk, in fact I believe it was the use of pecs that started our son to verbally ask for things as he was handing us a card....building his vocabulary. It was very easy to teach him to start pecs and by the time he was 2 1/2 years old, he could scan over 300 pecs cards/pictures knowing what he was looking for. Even though he is now very verbal, he will not "let us" take down his pecs. Maybe he just feels safer when they are available for him to use. He can let me know what he wants in his lunchbox each day by placing the wanted items on his velcro holder lunchbox.
Many persons with autism have deficits in social cognition, the ability to think in ways necessary for appropriate social interaction. For example, theory of mind describes the difficulty individuals with autism have in assuming the perspective of another person. This can be addressed by a technique which is used to help individuals with autism "read" and understand social situations. This technique, called "Social Stories" presents appropriate social behaviors in the form of a story. It was developed by Carol Gray and seeks to include answers to questions that persons with autism may need to know to interact appropriately with others (for example, answers to who, what, where, when, and why in social situations.)
EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL STORIES WE USE WITH OUR SON:
As children get older and can read, a social story can have less visuals to it if any at all.
Many children on the autism spectrum have a difficult time with transitions. Visual Schedules help them with transitions and to know what to expect next hour, day, etc.
Our son uses a weekly visual schedule. This is especially helpful during the school year so he knows from day to day what classes/therapies he has. It also helps prepare him for going places like out to eat, shopping, visiting, to the doctor, etc:
Using visuals as Reminders are wonderful too. We use them for all of our children (we have several with disabilities)...they help them remember times to do things, safety reminders, even chores. We use them for taking medications so each child has his own strip and "done" envelope it helps us keep track of who needs their A.M. or P.M. meds.
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF REMINDERS WE USE THROUGHOUT OUR HOME:
IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT VISUALS, E-MAIL US AND WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP!
A few of our fundraising efforts and events we held...
AFAC Christmas Party 2006...
It was so much fun passing out gifts to some of the local autistic children....
Our very first Fundraiser was held at Wal-Mart, March 4, 2007, where we gave away Autism Awarenss information and items..
Easter 2007 we enjoyed filling baskets for some local autistic children and having a little Easter party at our home...
On May 15, 2007 we held another fundraiser at Wal-Mart....
Pictured above is Lisa Rowe, Kelby Johnson, Pam Johnson and Napoleon Kendall.
Pictured above is Jeremy Biggs, Napoleon Kendall, Lisa Rowe, a friend for Autism, Kelby Johnson and James.
A Family Fun Night was set up and held on July 28, 2007....
4 Paws for Ability Assistance Dogs
Do you know of a disabled person who needs a service dog? 4 Paws for Abilities has few restrictions for acceptance and works with most families within the boundaries of our organization's ability to train and place the type of dog needed. We says "yes" when many more traditional assistance dog placement agencies say "no."
We helped a family by supporting them and making a video in order to help them raise the funds needed for their dog Brock....
.. Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com
Matthew and Lauren have received their Dog Brock
Click on the logo below to go to 4 Paws for Ability website to learn more.
Medical Alert Bracelets can help many people with disabilities and/or allergies. A child/person with Autism could greatly benefit from wearing one. It can be life saving.
I'd like to meet:
What is Autism?
Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.
Autism is one of five disorders that falls under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), a category of neurological disorders characterized by “severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development.â€
Myths About Autism
~Individuals with autism never make eye contact; they do not look at you.
~Autism is a mental illness.
~Progress means a person doesn't have autism.
~Individuals with autism don't speak.
~Autism can be outgrown.
~Individuals with autism can't learn.
~Underneath all the difficult behaviors is a normal person.
~Individuals with autism cannot show affection and do not respond to physical affection.
~Individuals with autism do not want friends.
~Individuals with autism do not relate to peers/adults.
~Individuals with autism are very manipulative.
~Individuals with autism could talk if they wanted to.
~Individuals with autism can't smile.
~Individuals with autism don't notice others and don't pick up cues from adults.
~When a person with autism does not respond to a question/direction to which he has shown a previous correct response, he is being stubborn/non-compliant/obnoxious.
Common Co-Occurring Conditions in Autism
Mental Retardation: Although it has been estimated that up to 75% of people with autism have mental retardation, research studies have frequently used inappropriate IQ tests, such as verbal tests with nonverbal children and, in some cases, estimating the child’s intelligence level without any objective evidence. Parents should request non-verbal intelligence tests that do not require language skills, such as the Test for Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI). Furthermore, regardless of the result, realize that autistic children will develop more skills as they grow older, and that appropriate therapies and education can help them reach their true potential.
Seizures: It is estimated that 25% of autistic individuals also develop seizures, some in early childhood and others as they go through puberty (changes in hormone levels may trigger seizures). These seizures can range from mild (e.g., gazing into space for a few seconds) to severe, grand mal seizures.
Many autistic individuals have subclinical seizures which are not easily noticeable but can significantly affect mental function. A short one- or two-hour EEG may not be able to detect any abnormal activity, so a 24-hour EEG may be necessary. Although drugs can be used to reduce seizure activity, the child’s health must be checked regularly because these drugs can be harmful.
Chronic Constipation and/or Diarrhea: An analysis of the ARI’s autism database of thousands of cases show over 50% of autistic children have chronic constipation and/or diarrhea. Diarrhea may actually be due to constipation—i.e., only liquid is able to leak past a constipated stool mass in the intestine. Manual probing often fails to find an impaction. An endoscopy may be the only way to check for this problem. Consultation with a pediatric gastroenterologist is required.
Sleep Problems: Many autistic individuals have sleep problems. Night waking may be due to reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus. Placing bricks under the head of the bed may help keep stomach acid from rising and provide better sleep. Melatonin has been very useful in helping many autistic individuals fall asleep. Vigorous exercise will help a child sleep, and other sleep aids are a weighted blanket or tight fitting mummy-type sleeping bag.
Pica: 30% of children with autism have moderate to severe pica. Pica refers to eating non-food items such as paint, sand, dirt, paper, etc. Pica can expose the child to heavy metal poisoning, especially if there is lead in the paint or in the soil.
Low Muscle Tone: A study conducted by the first author found that 30% of autistic children have moderate to severe loss of muscle tone, and this can limit their gross and fine motor skills.
Sensory Sensitivities: Many autistic children have unusual sensitivities to sounds, sights, touch, taste, and smells. High-pitched intermittent sounds, such as fire alarms or school bells, may be painful to autistic children. Scratchy fabrics may also be intolerable, and some children have visual sensitivities. They are troubled by the flickering of fluorescent lights. If the child often has tantrums in large supermarkets, it is possible that he/she has severe sensory oversensitivity. Sensory sensitivities are highly variable in autism, from mild to severe. In some children, the sensitivities are mostly auditory, and in others, mostly visual. It is likely that many individuals who remain non-verbal have both auditory and visual processing problems, and sensory input may be scrambled. Even though a pure tone hearing test may imply normal hearing, the child may have difficulty hearing auditory details and hard consonant sounds.
Some children have very high pain thresholds (i.e., be insensitive to pain), whereas others have very low pain thresholds.
What is the difference between Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism?
Asperger syndrome is usually considered a subtype of high-functioning autism. Most of the individuals with Asperger syndrome are described as “social but awkward.†That is, they want to have friends, but they do not have the social skills to begin and/or maintain a friendship. While high-functioning autistic individuals may also be “social but awkward,†they are typically less interested in having friends. In addition, high-functioning autistic individuals are often delayed in developing speech/language. Those with Asperger syndrome tend not to have speech/language delays, but their speech is usually described as peculiar, such as being stilted and perseverating on unusual topics.
Movies:
Backstreet Dreams, Change of Habit, House of Cards, Rainman, The Boy Who Could Fly, Mercury Rising, Silent Fall, David's Mother, Mozart and The Whale, The Other Sister, I Am Sam, Forest Gump, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Little Man Tate, Run Wild Run Free, Silence (also known as Crazy Jack and The Boy), Down in the Delta, Radio, Relative Fear, Silence, Things That Hang From Trees, Touch of Truth, Touched by Love, and many others.
Television:
Days Of Our Lives have recently added Autism to their show as Abe and Lexi recently found out that their little boy has autism.
Books:
We are in need of books for our lending library.
If anyone has any books they would like to donate, please contact us. If you have books on special needs, autism, sensory issues, PECS, OCD, etc. and you no longer need them and want to sell them at a reasonable price, please get in contact with us.
Our parents need books to learn how to help their children.
Special Education : Autism
In Autism Caselaw, you'll find links to several important decisions about educating children with autism. The issues in these cases include what constitutes a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for children with autism, ABA/Lovaas therapy, extended school year (ESY), and LRE/inclusion.
Recommended Books:
Educating Children with Autism by National Academy Press.
Children with autism have difficulty interacting with other people, communicating ideas and feelings, and imagining what other people think or feel. Although education is the primary form of treatment for autism, educators are often poorly equipped to deal with these children.
Educating Children with Autism describes effective educational practices, programs, and strategies.
Learn:
* How children's specific diagnoses should affect educational assessment and planning
* How to support the families of children with autism
* Features of effective instructional and comprehensive programs and strategies
* How to prepare teachers, school staffs, professionals, & parents to educate autistic children.
How Well Does Your IEP Measure Up?
Step-by-step guide to writing IEPs for children with autistic spectrum disorders. Includes sample goal & objective templates for areas of functioning typically neglected in IEPs including oral-motor skills, executive function, theory of mind, & critical thinking. Includes recommendations for teaching strategies, educational programming formats & useful resources.
Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin
In this unprecedented book, Temple Grandin, gifted animal scientist who is also autistic, writes about autism from her unique personal perspective. Thinking in Pictures is a good reference to the types autism and treatments being used successfully today.
Louder Than Words by Jenny McCarthy
Jenny McCarthy takes us on journey of a mom dealing with her son’s Autism diagnosis and treatment. We learn what it is like to be a parent and have your dreams shattered. We learn about a disease and about how others dealing with similar circumstances can aid one another. We learn about alternative approaches that seem promising. We learn about healing, hope, and faith.
Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wish You Knew
This book is an amazing personal look at the joys and challenges of parenting a child with autism. Ellen gives concrete examples for each of her "Ten Things..." and educates her readers about how the world is experienced by both the autistic child and his or her parents.
