Living With Autism: The Parents' Stories,Used

This book presents the experiences of six parents who are raising children with autism. The children profiled here range in age from six to twentytwo years old, and exhibit a wide range of abilities and needs. One of these children needs prompting for almost every action; another child threatens to cut off the heads of his parents although he never acts on it; one child eats only five of everything; and a girl who licks plate glass.The parents' problems begin with the difficulty of obtaining a diagnosis. Autism is assumed to be a neurologically based disorder, but, as yet, there is no specific biological marker for it. Parents, often, live through many years of knowing that something is seriously wrong with their children but without receiving any professional confirmation. Even after a confirmation is obtained, there is often confusion over a specific label, such as autism or pervasive developmental disorder, where different labels can affect treatment and insurance coverage. What caused the disorder is often unknown leaving the parents with questions whether to have other children. Parents are left with mourning the loss of the child they hoped for but that never was while struggling daily with their children's unusual, disturbing, and demanding behaviors. There is often a toll on the family system, and few can really comprehend the nature of magnitude of the problem. There is no cure for autism and the problems of the autistic children persist in some form into and throughout adulthood. Somehow, despite the overwhelming odds, parents of children with autism not only manage to cope with these challenges, but also transcend them and find meaning and fulfillment in their lonely struggles.This book is addressed to the parents of children who have been diagnosed with autism as it gives glimpses of life ahead and it informs them of the successful coping strategies adopted by some of these parents. It will also help the professionals who work with children with autism and their families in becoming aware of the needs of parents of children with autism and be more empathetic toward them. These professionals include psychologists, pediatricians, neurologists, social workers, special education teachers, speech therapists, and respite workers. Finally, parents of children with autism will see in this a confirmation of their experiences which they will be able to share with their relatives and friends and health care providers.