Author(s): Catherine Johnson

Parenting

A hopeful parent-to-parent reference for the exploding number of families facing the diagnosis of autism

The incidence of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade-the condition now affects 425,000 children in the United States alone. In this helpful, hopeful first reference guide, Catherine Johnson, a science writer, autism activist, and mother of two autistic sons, draws on a wealth of anecdotes and profound personal experience to provide a balanced overview of the whole range of issues facing parents and autistic children. In an accessible, empathetic voice, she discusses
- well-documented positive treatment outcomes
- what the world looks like viewed through an autistic
child's eyes
- the schools of thought about types of treatment (behavioral,
psychopharmacological, dietary, and sensory), what they have
to offer, and their emotional and financial costs to the family
- the steps parents need to take to get autistic children the
educational help they need

Complete with an extensive resource guide with details about where to find treatments, advocacy groups, and the latest research, "A Parent's Guide to Autism" will at last give parents an objective and thorough understanding of how to proceed from a diagnosis of autism.