Spectrum Disorder

Jennifer Giustra-Kozek is a therapist who practices in Connecticut, and is also the mother of a son with Autism Spectrum disorders. After treating Evan bio-medically, along with other healing practices, Jennifer witnessed the kind of improvements that every parent of a similarly diagnosed child dreams of: Evan no longer grunts and screams, throws toys, hits others, or has mood swings. He no longer throws himself into fits of uncontrollable rage; he now listens to his teachers and responds appropriately. He copes better with changes in routine and makes eye contact more often.

A veteran clinical psychologist exposes why doctors, teachers, and parents incorrectly diagnose healthy American children with serious psychiatric conditions. In recent years there has been an alarming rise in the number of American children and youth assigned a mental health diagnosis. Current data from the Centers for Disease Control reveal a 41 percent increase in rates of ADHD diagnoses over the past decade and a forty-fold spike in bipolar disorder diagnoses. Similarly, diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder has increased by 78 percent since 2002.

On the morning of November 14, 1992, Annette Herfkens, a top Dutch banker, packed her luggage for a romantic getaway with her longtime fiancé, Willem. At 6:25 that morning, Annette and Willem boarded a plane out of Ho Chi Minh City, with 23 other passengers and six crew members, excited to finally have a vacation together. Six minutes before landing, flying at speed of 300 miles per hour, the plane lost altitude and crashed along a mountain ridge in the jungle of Vietnam.

Diagnosed with pathological demand avoidance (PDA) in his teenage years, Harry Thompson looks back with wit and humour at the ups and downs of family and romantic relationships, school, work and mental health, as well as his teenage struggle with drugs and alcohol. By embracing neurodiversity and emphasising that autistic people are not flawed human beings, Thompson demonstrates that some merely need to take the 'scenic route' in order to flourish and reach their full potential.

This book is a compilation of success stories from adults with autism and Asperger's syndrome. Each shares what helped them during their childhood and young lives that made them the independent adults they are today. One of the most important missions Temple Grandin has is making sure people with autism and Asperger's make something of their lives.

Written by a therapist who is actually autistic, this neurodiversity-affirming workbook offers skills to help you cultivate self-acceptance, manage intense emotions, and be your own advocate when needed. You'll take a good look at the situations or people that caused you to mask in the first place.

Early childhood development and learning disability expert Richard Bass brings another insightful book detailing the unique experiences of teenagers with ASD. Inside Beyond the Spectrum: A Guide to Parenting Autistic Adolescents, he shows parents how to adjust their parenting styles to accommodate the changing needs of their teenage children.

This is a must-have handbook written by an Aspergirl for Aspergirls, young and old. Rudy Simone guides you through every aspect of both personal and professional life, from early recollections of blame, guilt and savant skills to friendships, romance and marriage. Employment, career, rituals and routines are also covered, along with depression, meltdowns and being misunderstood.

Written for professionals and autistic women alike, the female profile of autism is demystified and associated subjects including sexuality, relationships, professional life and routes to diagnosis are explored including a lived-experience case study by Annyck Martin. In addition, an assessment questionnaire is provided, tailored specifically to the diagnosis of autism in women. Each question is supported by clinical commentary from Autism experts Tony Attwood, Isabelle Henault, Valentina Pasin and Bruno Wicker to help the reader interpret answers and reach informed conclusions.

Many people suffer from feelings of stress and anxiety in their everyday lives. For people with Asperger syndrome (AS), this stress can be particularly difficult to manage. On a daily basis people with AS must fit into a world that seems totally foreign to them, and this can increase feelings of alienation and anxiety, making life's challenges especially hard to cope with. The first book on anxiety written specifically for adults with Asperger syndrome, this book offers practical advice on how individuals with AS can manage their anxiety more effectively.

You don’t need to be a psychologist or have special training. What you need to do is act fast, because one of the most consistent pieces of advice you will hear from any ASD expert is that early intervention is always best. Every parent goes through life doubting their skills. When you are parenting an ASD child, these doubts can have a significant impact on their development. But all of that can change—starting today!

Born with autism, both Temple Grandin and Sean Barron now live famously successful social lives. However, their paths were quite different. Temple's logical mind controlled her social behavior. She interacted with many adults and other children, experiencing varied social situations. Logic informed her decision to obey social rules and avoid unpleasant consequences. Sean's emotions controlled his social behavior.

The groundbreaking book that explains Sensory Processing Difference (SPD)--and presents a drug-free approach that offers hope for parents--now revised and updated.

Autism is a subject that has always fascinated and intrigued me; a closed and impenetrable universe that, after years of research, traditional and modern approaches are allowing us to understand and treat therapeutically. I tried to understand what is hidden in the mysterious and particular world of the autistic child. I wanted, therefore, to deepen understanding of this particular condition.

How can I best support the needs of my neurodivergent clients in therapy? With so much information, and so many different perspectives, it can be difficult to know where to start. Further, the mental health field has only recently begun moving away from "treating autism" to working with autistic and neurodivergent individuals in a more affirming way. That's why Dr. Amy Marschall created A Clinician's Guide to Supporting Autistic Clients. As an expert psychologist and a member of the autism community herself, she recognized the need to move away from treatments that pathologize differences.

A comprehensive resource for parents, therapists, caregivers, and educators, packed with lifelong strategies for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) management and support.

If you have a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), your journey together through the teenage years to adulthood may be complicated—not to mention confusing, rewarding, and financially challenging. This book offers scientifically validated guidance to help you raise your tween, teen, or young adult on the autism spectrum. It contains supportive advice for finding good medical and psychiatric care, helping your teen learn executive functioning and social skills to navigate middle and high school, and talking to your teen about sexual development and sexual activity.

Understanding Autistic Relationship Across the Lifespan is an overview of autistic relationships from the early years to old age. The book combines the latest research findings with first-hand accounts to offer insight into the relationships of autistic people and how they differ to those of non-autistic people. This book offers practical recommendations for both autistic and non-autistic people on how to have the healthiest and most satisfying relationships possible.

Clem Bastow grew up feeling like she’d missed a key memo on human behaviour. She found the unspoken rules of social engagement confusing, arbitrary and often stressful. Friendships were hard, relationships harder and the office was a fluorescent-lit nightmare of anxiety. It wasn’t until Clem was diagnosed as autistic, at age 36, that things clicked into focus. Clem reflects as an autistic adult on her formative experiences as an undiagnosed young person, from the asphalt playground of St Joseph's Primary School in Melbourne to working as an entertainment journalist in Hollywood.

Recognizing Autism in Women & Girls provides the perspective needed to see how autism manifests in gendered ways allowing for a more accurate diagnosis. In addition to describing each point in the diagnostic manual to include feminine presentations, Dr. Marsh has created “Five Fictional Female Figures” who've been misdiagnosed because they also display symptoms of other similar conditions. She describes their behaviors, both obvious and hidden, from early childhood to adulthood, and demonstrates how these behaviors meet diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder.