Understanding Autism for Dummies in depth

So what does this book really have to offer? In my last blog article I told you about one in particular section. Today I am going to tell you just what this book has to offer you and why I think it will help a lot of families.

First of all, the "For Dummies" franchise has a reputation for making information simple enough for the "layman" who doesn't know jack about the subject at hand. This book carries that reputation nicely. I have to admit, I will likely be quoting this book often as a resource in the future. This book is written by Stephen M. Shore and Linda G. Rastelli (and EdD and MA respectively).

In the beginning of the book is a handy cheat sheet with exceptional information listed as: Inquiring about Interventions, Important Acronyms, What to have on an emergency ID card, Helpful autism websites, Getting the most out of your child's education, Preparing for emergencies, Communicating with autistic people. And the ID card has a front AND back with great info.

The foreword is written by Temple Grandin, nuff said on the department. It compliments the book nicely and you just have to read to see for yourself on that one.

The rest of the book is neatly arranged and meant to be read in the parts you need. You don't have to read the book cover to cover thanks to the indexing and chapter positions. Each part of this book and it's chapters are clearly labeled. Here they are:

Part One: Understanding Autism: This section is all about classifications, treatments in general, ideas on where autism comes from, getting a diagnosis, and where Asperger's fits on the spectrum.

Part Two: Addressing physical needs: Medications and treatments are talked about here. Biochemistry and nutrition are also touched on in this section.

Part Three: Enhancing learning and social skills: I'm going to list the chapters as they appear, should tell you all you need to know about this section:
-Choosing an appropriate behavioral, developmental or educational intervention.
-Dealing with learning and sensory differences.
-Finding a learning environment that fits your child's needs.
-Legally speaking; Making the most of your child's education.
-Fostering healthy relationships.

Part Four: Living with autism as an adult: This is about life after high school and touches on special needs planning and getting into healthy relationships. It even talks about romantic relations and adult friendships.

Part Five: The part of tens: This section is where the quotes are in dealing with things that people say and do in public regarding you or your child. It includes the first ten things you should do after a diagnosis.

The appendix lists a long line of places to go for more help. The whole book goes farther and deeper into the information that I show here. It's a book with more than 300 pages and all of them are very useful.

Nothing is perfect for everyone, but if you wanted to get a guide on autism, this is the place to start. I got my book for less than fifteen bucks (including shipping) on Amazon. It's cover price is still affordable at 19.99. You may be able to find it at used book stores too for even less. Check around and get this book. I can't advise it enough. Every autism library should have it.