I have always been a voracious reader, mostly of fiction. This passion has continued in the last few years, albeit with a shift towards the non-fiction side of the aisle.
The topics have varied somewhat as time progressed, from an emphasis on sensory processing and general autism information to books on biomedical intervention or special education advocacy, as well as stories written by families or individuals who are dealing with autism on a first-hand basis. Recently I picked up two books that are giving me some new ideas to process.
The first one is Kids in the Syndrome Mix by Martin L. Kutscher, MD, which is designed to be a “one stop guide for parents, teachers, and other professionals.” In it, Dr. Kutscher provides basic descriptions of a variety of diagnoses from ADHD to OCD to CAPD and more. He also gives helpful suggestions for treatment and support of each disorder and covers the general topic of medications in the final chapter.
From what I have read so far, this book looks like a good jumping off place for those who are in the processing of obtaining a diagnosis or who have a child with co-occurring conditions. It would also be a good resource for teachers and other professionals who do not have the time to read entire books on each of these disabilities (or for parents, like me, who want to understand more about other disorders but who are usually focused on what is at hand).
The other book I have started reading is The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome by Tony Attwood. In a number of ways, my son has progressed to a point where he looks more like a child with Asperger’s than one with classic autism, and this book addresses many of the concerns and issues that arise in connection with that profile.
I have been very impressed by the depth and thoughtfulness of this book. Just in the first chapter, the discussion of the ways young children respond to the realization of their differences has been eye-opening to me in light of some of the emotional responses and resulting behaviors we have been seeing in Michael over the last few months.
It has shown me that there can be other things going on inside of him which need to be examined rather than simply accepted as “part of being on the autism spectrum.” While it’s great that everyone is working with him on shaping behaviors and how to handle emotions, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t address where all the negative self-image and destructive self-talk is coming from.
Is there anything you have learned recently that has opened your eyes in a new way?
Trish can be found writing here at 5MFSN every Friday in addition to hosting Try This Tuesday. You can also find Trish at her blog, Another Piece of the Puzzle.