Growing up on the Spectrum : A Guide to Life, Love, and Learning for Teens and Young Adults with Autism and Asperger's

by Koegel, Lynn Kern; LaZebnik, Claire

• ISBN13: 9780670020676
• ISBN10: 0670020672
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-03-19
• Publisher: Viking Adult

Summary

The first comprehensive guide to helping teens with autism Adolescence is a fraught time for any child. But what if your child is among the more than half million currently estimated to fall on the autistic spectrum? The toddlers diagnosed during the first wave of this epidemic are growing up, and there is alarmingly little information available on how to guide them to independent and successful adulthood. At the renowned Koegel Autism Research Center in Santa Barbara, Lynn Koegel regularly helps parents tackle these issues every day. Like the acclaimed Overcoming Autism, Growing Up on the Spectrumintegrates Koegel’s strategies and interventions with the questions and concerns of Claire LaZebnik, a writer and the parent of a teenager with autism. Additional pieces by LaZebnik’s sixteen-year-old son Andrew offer a unique first-person perspective. Addressing universal parental concerns, from first crushes, a changing body, and the challenges of being socially appropriate to how to succeed at college and beyond, this inspiring volume is the beacon of hope and wisdom that parents, therapists, and educators have been waiting for.

Author Biography

Lynn Kern Koegel, PhD, cofounded and is a clinical supervisor at the renowned Autism Research Center at UC Santa Barbara.

Claire LaZebnik is a writer with four children, one of whom has autism.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. vii
Getting Started	p. 1
Introduction	p. 3
Terms, Interventions, and Techniques	p. 17
Making and Maintaining Good Friendships	p. 41
Introduction and Some General Rules About Friendship	p. 43
The Art of Conversation	p. 54
Outings and Get-togethers	p. 88
Parties	p. 98
Dealing with Bullying and Peer Pressure	p. 109
Making and Maintaining Successful Romantic Relationships	p. 127
Introduction	p. 129
Dating	p. 133
Sex	p. 155
Making School Successful	p. 179
Introduction	p. 181
Middle and High School: Supported Independence	p. 184
College	p. 211
Beyond the College Years	p. 253
Introduction	p. 255
Jobs	p. 258
Living Conditions	p. 274
Legal Planning	p. 286
Improving Daily Life	p. 303
Introduction	p. 305
Walking Out the Door Looking Good	p. 308
Managing Behavior	p. 323
Managing Modern Technology	p. 337
Improving Coexisting (aka Comorbid) Conditions	p. 355
An Afterword for Educators	p. 367
Resources	p. 373
Index	p. 379
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