Understanding Autism For Dummies

by Shore, Stephen; Rastelli, Linda G.; Grandin, Temple

• ISBN13: 9780764525476
• ISBN10: 0764525476
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-09-19
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Autism affects more than 1 million children and adults in the United States, and parents may be confused by the behavior of autistic children. This book provides help-and hope-by explaining the differences between various types of autism and delivering the lowdown on behavioral, educational, medical, other interventions. Featuring inspiring autism success stories as well as a list of organizations where people who support those with autism can go for additional help, it offers practical advice on how to educate children as well as insights on helping people with autism use their strengths to maximize their potential in life. Stephen Shore, EdD (Brookline MA), serves on the board for several autism spectrum-related organizations and he has written Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome (1-931282-00-5) and edited Ask and Tell: Self Advocacy and Disclosure For People on the Autism Spectrum (1-931282-58-7). Linda G. Rastelli (Middletown, NJ) is a veteran journalist who specializes in health and business. Temple Grandin, PhD (Fort Collins, CO) is the author of the bestselling Thinking in Pictures (0-679-77289-8) and Emergence: Labeled Autistic (0-446-67182-7).

Author Biography

Stephen M. Shore received a regressive autism diagnosis at age 18 months, became nonverbal, and was deemed “too sick” to be treated on an outpatient basis. Today, he’s finishing a doctoral degree focused on helping people with autism lead fulfilling and productive lives. When not teaching college-level courses in special education and teaching children with autism how to play musical instruments, he consults and presents on autism-related issues internationally. Some topics of particular interest to him include comparative approaches for helping people with autism, education, and disaster preparedness for people with disabilities. He also focuses on challenges faced by adults in terms of self-advocacy, disclosure, post-secondary education, employment, interdependent living, and relationships.
Stephen holds bachelor degrees in music and accounting and information systems from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He also holds a masters degree in music education and is on the cusp of finishing his doctorate in education from Boston University. Although he seems to spend most of his time traveling in airplanes (Boeing 747-400 preferred), he resides in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his wife on the rare occasions when he’s home.

Linda G. Rastelli is an award-winning journalist, instructional designer, and author with 20 years of experience in writing and designing instruction for health, education, and business topics. In her career, she has focused on making complex and technical information understandable to the layperson. Although she has covered subjects ranging from financial ratio analysis to educational reform, her most challenging inquiry to date — an undertaking that has made her other projects look like finger painting in comparison — has been autism.
Linda holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Delaware and a masters degree from Columbia University. She lives on the New Jersey coast with her husband and her cat, who have reached a blissful state of detente. She hopes to keep her day job.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xvii
Introduction	1	(1)
About This Book	2	(1)
Conventions Used in This Book	2	(1)
What You're Not to Read	3	(1)
Foolish Assumptions	3	(1)
How This Book Is Organized	4	(2)
Part I: Understanding Autism	4	(1)
Part II: Addressing Physical Needs	4	(1)
Part III: Enhancing Learning and Social Skills	5	(1)
Part IV: Living with Autism as an Adult	5	(1)
Part V: The Part of Tens	6	(1)
Icons Used in This Book	6	(1)
Where to Go from Here	7	(2)
Part I: Understanding Autism	9	(84)
Autism: The Big Picture	11	(16)
What We Know --- and Don't Know --- about Autism	12	(1)
Making the Diagnosis: Learning Your ASDs	13	(4)
Understanding the diagnostic criteria	14	(1)
Seeing the signs: Autism symptoms	15	(2)
Understanding the Far-Reaching Impact of Autism	17	(3)
How autism can affect the diagnosed individual	18	(1)
How autism can affect families, schools, and communities	18	(1)
How autism can affect caregivers	19	(1)
Navigating the Sea of Interventions	20	(5)
Using behavioral, developmental, and other educationally based interventions	21	(2)
Implementing occupational and speech-language therapies	23	(1)
Medicating symptoms that can accompany autism	23	(1)
Applying biomedical and natural interventions	24	(1)
If You Think You (Or People You Care for) Have Undiagnosed Autism	25	(2)
From Classification to Treatment: Scanning the Autism Spectrum	27	(12)
Surveying the Colors of Autism	28	(4)
Severe (or ``classic'') autism	29	(1)
PDD and PDD-NOS	30	(1)
Asperger Syndrome	31	(1)
Considering Conditions That Resemble Autism	32	(3)
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder	32	(1)
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder	33	(1)
Other possible diagnoses	33	(2)
Understanding Why Early Treatment Matters More than Classification	35	(4)
Attempting early identification and intervention	35	(1)
Getting good medical care	36	(1)
Enrolling in effective early programs	37	(2)
Causes, Clusters, and Clues: Where Does Autism Come From?	39	(14)
Considering the Rise in Diagnoses	40	(1)
Exploring the Genetic Link	41	(4)
Familial patterns	41	(1)
Brain size and structure	42	(2)
The brain-gut connection	44	(1)
The testosterone link	45	(1)
Examining Biomedical Theories	45	(5)
What do allergies have to do with it?	46	(1)
Heavy-metal poisoning hypotheses	47	(2)
Autoimmune or virus-induced theories of causation	49	(1)
The Backlash Against the Cure	50	(3)
Getting a Diagnosis	53	(18)
Tracking Your Child's Medical History	54	(1)
Broaching the Possibility of Autism with a Doctor	55	(3)
Preparing for the consultation	56	(1)
Requesting a referral	57	(1)
Consulting a Specialist	58	(9)
Contacting a qualified specialist	59	(3)
Sharing information	62	(1)
Embarking on the assessment process	62	(3)
Diagnosing related conditions	65	(2)
Dealing with the Impact of the Diagnosis	67	(4)
Coming to terms emotionally	68	(1)
Taking action	68	(1)
Avoiding scams	69	(2)
Asperger Syndrome and Autism	71	(22)
Discovering Where Asperger Syndrome Sits on the Autism Spectrum	72	(6)
Examining common characteristics of Asperger's	72	(1)
Diagnosing Asperger Syndrome	73	(3)
Examining typical nondiagnostic personality traits of Asperger Syndrome	76	(2)
Helping People with Asperger Syndrome Socialize	78	(4)
Finding the hidden curriculum	79	(1)
Handling idioms and figures of speech	80	(2)
Dealing with the Emotions Triggered by Asperger Syndrome	82	(7)
Avoiding the rage cycle	83	(4)
Working through frustration	87	(1)
Using emotion thermometers to gauge emotional states	87	(2)
Recognizing Bullying and Its Emotional Repercussions	89	(2)
Signs of bullying	90	(1)
Taming the bullies	91	(1)
Transitioning to Adulthood	91	(2)
Part II: Addressing Physical Needs	93	(52)
Injecting Yourself with Knowledge about Autism Medication	95	(14)
Considering Drug Therapy	95	(4)
Looking at how medication can realistically help	96	(1)
Educating yourself and pursuing drug therapy	96	(1)
Using medication wisely	97	(2)
Identifying Helpful Medications	99	(8)
Beginning the process with a qualified doctor	100	(1)
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)	101	(1)
Atypical antipsychotic drugs	102	(2)
Tricyclic drugs	104	(1)
Antiepileptics (also known as anticonvulsants)	105	(1)
Medications for challenging behaviors in severely affected people with autism	106	(1)
Maximizing Safety When Vaccinating Your Child	107	(2)
Considering your child's medical history	107	(1)
Looking at an alternate vaccination schedule	108	(1)
Improving Immunity and Boosting Biochemistry	109	(20)
Taking a Look at the Balancing Act of the Immune System	110	(2)
Exposing the Relationship between Autism and Immune Abnormalities	112	(4)
Analyzing immune measurements in the blood	113	(1)
Exploring gut problems	114	(1)
Studying brain tissue	115	(1)
Improving Immunity	116	(5)
Focusing on first-line fundamentals	117	(1)
Seeking out second-line strategies	118	(1)
Tackling third-line therapies	119	(2)
Biochemistry Begets Behavior: A New Way of Thinking	121	(3)
Shedding light on the broken pathways	121	(1)
Maximizing metabolism	122	(2)
Getting the Lead (and Mercury) Out	124	(5)
Why the autistic child?	124	(1)
Testing for toxicity	125	(1)
Chelating	125	(4)
Optimizing Nutrition	129	(16)
Tempering Your Expectations	130	(1)
Considering Your Dietary Intervention Options	130	(8)
Cleaning up your child's diet	131	(2)
Going wheat and dairy free	133	(3)
Supplementing your child's diet	136	(2)
Implementing Your Plan	138	(7)
Keeping a food and symptom diary	138	(2)
Involving professionals	140	(1)
Easing the transition	141	(1)
Experimenting with specialized diets	142	(1)
Eating on the road	143	(2)
Part III: Enhancing Learning and Social Skills	145	(126)
Choosing an Appropriate Behavioral, Developmental, or Educational Intervention	147	(34)
Understanding What to Look for in the Alphabet Soup of Approaches	148	(2)
Actions and behaviors that lead to success in all interventions	149	(1)
Keys to success in educational interventions	149	(1)
Exploring Popular Intervention Approaches	150	(26)
Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)	151	(4)
Daily Life Therapy (DLT)	155	(2)
Developmental Individual Difference Relation-Based Intervention (DIR)	157	(3)
Miller Method	160	(4)
Relationship Development Intervention (RDI)	164	(5)
Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH)	169	(4)
Social Communication Emotional Regulation Transactional Support Model (SCERTS)	173	(3)
Deciding Which Method Is Best for Your Child	176	(1)
Financing the At-Home Program of Your Choice	177	(4)
Exploring your at-home options	177	(1)
Obtaining government assistance	178	(3)
Dealing with Learning and Sensory Differences	181	(26)
Autistic Learning: Transferring Skills and Providing Structure	182	(4)
Thinking conceptually and transferring concepts	182	(2)
Incorporating routine into daily life	184	(2)
Bridging the Communication Gap	186	(8)
Developing sign language as a communication bridge	186	(1)
Working toward functional communication	186	(1)
Using assistive communication technology	187	(6)
Enjoying music therapy	193	(1)
``Retraining'' the Brain through Neurotherapy	194	(3)
Examining and implementing neurotherapy	195	(1)
Reviewing a neurotherapy study	196	(1)
Making Sense of Sensory Confusion	197	(5)
Observing sensory integration challenges	197	(3)
Using hippotherapy	200	(1)
Working with speech-language pathologists	200	(1)
Seeing through Irlen-branded lenses	201	(1)
Handling Your Child's Sensory Issues	202	(5)
The supermarket test	202	(1)
The eyes have it	203	(1)
The auditory-processing blues	204	(1)
Socially unacceptable stimming	204	(2)
Dealing with the most severe behaviors	206	(1)
Finding a Learning Environment That Fits Your Child's Needs	207	(28)
Inclusion: To Be or Not to Be?	208	(1)
Recognizing an Effective Classroom	209	(6)
Maintaining routine and predictability	209	(2)
Learning through all the senses	211	(1)
Evaluating the room itself	212	(3)
Observing a Good Teacher	215	(2)
Characteristics to look for in an educator	215	(1)
Warning flags to avoid in an educator	216	(1)
Developing Effective Accommodations	217	(7)
Accommodations in action	218	(1)
Addressing the fairness of accommodations	219	(3)
Considering educational techniques for promoting inclusion	222	(2)
Weighing Your Options when the Public School System Falls Short	224	(2)
Exploring the world of home schooling	224	(2)
Considering other educational options	226	(1)
Understanding and Reducing Challenging Behaviors	226	(9)
Getting to the core of the behavior	227	(1)
Performing a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)	227	(8)
Legally Speaking: Making the Most of Your Child's Education	235	(18)
Navigating the Legal and Education Systems	235	(3)
Understanding what the law allows	236	(1)
Keeping track of changes in the law	236	(2)
Staying Involved with Your Child's Education	238	(2)
Working within the system	238	(1)
Supporting your child at home	239	(1)
Acting Early with an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)	240	(1)
Specifying Special: Entering the Public School System	241	(9)
Initiating an evaluation to establish eligibility	241	(2)
Implementing an Individualized Education Program (IEP)	243	(7)
Assessing Your Child's Progress	250	(1)
Flexing Your Educational Rights When You Need To	251	(2)
Fostering Healthy Relationships	253	(18)
Recognizing the Social Challenges an Autistic Child Faces	254	(4)
Understanding social norms	254	(1)
Conversing and cooperating	255	(1)
Supporting a child when verbal communication is minimal or nonexistent	256	(2)
All in the Family	258	(6)
Talking about autism with your kids	259	(1)
Considering the challenges siblings face	260	(3)
Including extended family	263	(1)
Encouraging Your Child to Form Friendships	264	(7)
Staging an emotional rescue	265	(1)
Creating social stories and calling on Power Cards	266	(2)
Making conversation	268	(1)
Sparking interactive play	269	(1)
Respecting differences	270	(1)
Part IV: Living with Autism as an Adult	271	(62)
For Adults with Autism: Living Well after K-12	273	(28)
Discovering How to Live Interdependently	274	(3)
Managing your daily life	274	(1)
Deciding where to live	275	(1)
For caregivers: Preparing your dependent to succeed from day one	276	(1)
Out of the High-School Daze: Pursuing Higher Education	277	(8)
Evaluating your educational options	278	(4)
Getting the accommodations you need for higher education	282	(1)
Practicing self-advocacy and disclosure	283	(1)
Easing into higher education	284	(1)
For caregivers: Helping your dependent realize his/her higher-education dreams	285	(1)
Time to Nurture Your Bank Account: Finding (and Keeping) Employment	285	(10)
Matching your skills and desires with job opportunities	286	(1)
Working with a job coach	287	(1)
Applying for and obtaining a position	288	(3)
Maintaining your job	291	(1)
Gracefully exiting your position	291	(1)
Considering self-employment	292	(1)
For caregivers: Helping a dependent find employment	293	(2)
An Advocate Off the Ol' Block: Getting Involved with Your Community	295	(6)
Becoming a part of your community	296	(1)
Looking within the autism community	297	(2)
For caregivers: Encouraging an adult with autism to get involved	299	(2)
For Adults with Autism: Fostering Friendships and Romantic Relationships	301	(18)
Developing Friendly Relationships	302	(5)
Understanding the circle of relationships	302	(2)
Making first contact	304	(2)
For caregivers: Helping your dependent establish friendships	306	(1)
Recognizing (And Overcoming) the Challenges of Dating	307	(5)
Asking for a date	307	(2)
Behaving appropriately during the date	309	(1)
Opting for full or no disclosure	310	(1)
For caregivers: Moving on to dating	311	(1)
Taking It to the Next Level with Sexual Behavior	312	(7)
The most important part of boyfriend or girlfriend is ``friend''	313	(1)
Engaging in sexual activity	314	(1)
For caregivers: Exploring sex education for people with autism	315	(4)
Special-Needs Planning for the Future	319	(14)
Avoiding Common Financial Mistakes	320	(1)
Putting Plan to Paper: Getting Started	320	(3)
Taking account of your child's prognosis	321	(1)
Keeping eligibility for government services in mind	322	(1)
Sizing up your estate	323	(1)
Considering living arrangements and guardianship	323	(1)
Involving an Attorney and/or Financial Planner	323	(2)
Writing Your Will	325	(8)
Setting up a special-needs trust	326	(4)
Giving a morally obligated gift	330	(1)
Designating guardianship	331	(2)
Part V: The Part of Tens	333	(12)
Ten Tactful Responses to Challenging Questions or Comments	335	(6)
``What Special Talent Does He Have?''	335	(1)
``Why Can't You Control Your Kid?''	336	(1)
``Asperger Snausperger. He Looks Fine. He Just Needs a Better Attitude.''	337	(1)
``Who Did He Inherit It From?''	337	(1)
``Why Should Your Child Get Special Treatment?''	338	(1)
``Are You Kidnapping That Child?''	338	(1)
The ``Bad-Parent'' Look	339	(1)
``Is She Still in Her Own World?''	339	(1)
``They Grow Out of It, Don't They?''	340	(1)
``But She Doesn't Look Autistic . . .''	340	(1)
Ten Things to Do after a Diagnosis	341	(4)
Learn and Read as Much as Possible	341	(1)
Network with Other Families	342	(1)
Test, Test, Test	342	(1)
Investigate Sources of Financial Aid	342	(1)
Consider Major Lifestyle Changes	343	(1)
Set Up an Educational/Behavioral Program in Your Home	343	(1)
Begin Therapies	343	(1)
Address Your Child's Diet and Nutrition	344	(1)
Don't Give Up	344	(1)
Get Out and Relax	344	(1)
Appendix: Where to Go for More Help	345	(10)
Finding Other Helpful Texts	345	(3)
Specializing in autism spectrum disorders	347	(1)
Special-education publishers	347	(1)
Research journals and magazines	348	(1)
Surfing Informative Sites on the Web	348	(6)
Connecting with advocacy organizations	349	(1)
Perusing general-information sites	350	(1)
Having some fun	351	(1)
Gaining insight from people with an ASD	351	(1)
Chatting about autism	352	(1)
Exploring listserves	353	(1)
Accessing World-Wide Autism Organizations and Resources	354	(1)
Index	355