Developmental-disabilities Books

I am new to the Early Intervention world and there are so many medical diagnosis and medical conditions out there I am very thankful that this book was available to me. It is simple to find what you are looking for and gives you the definition in layman's terms. It also gives definitions for acronyms used in the medical field. I would recommend it to anyone in the Early Intervention field!

Written by Jeanine G. Coleman, M. Ed., The Early Intervention Dictionary: A Multidisciplinary Guide to Terminology is the updated third edition of a straightforward, practical definitive reference for medical professionals and parents alike. Each entry consists of a brief (from one sentence to one full paragraph) definition of a medical or scientific term concerning medical and development issues, features, and abnormalities present in infants and children. The Early Intervention Dictionary is accessible to readers of all backgrounds, and covers everything from "abrachia" (congenital absence of arms) to "Zero Reject" (The principle that no child with a disability should be refused a free, appropriate education if other children the same age are being served). Highly recommended as a user-friendly reference.

This book was our trusted guide and friend through the first years of our child's life. We took this book with us to every new medical and therapeutic appointment, and it enabled us to quickly become knowledgable about our son's condition. I give this book as a special gift to welcome new "exceptional" families to our circle.

Highly recommended.

This book is an excellent reference tool. As a student seeking certification in early intervention, I find this book to be extremely helpful. This book will guide you through termonology and provide you with a wealth of information.

My daughter has ADD and she has been diagnosed for 3 years. Now she is in the fourth grade and is starting to ask questions about why she is differant. She wants to know if she can succeed with ADD, she is yearning for information that will help her understand herself, I think she is saddened and feels lonely and truly tries to do what she is supposed to....The First Star I see is a wonderful believable story about a 4th grade girl who always feels like she is behind the 8-ball...she finds someone who cares enough to show her that she has attention deficit and in finding out she starts to accept herself through understanding. It describes being teased, forgetting homework, missing details.....humorous story line, emotional and best of all relatable....Good starter book that is loaded with information about ADD/ADHD but presented in fiction form! Emphasis on the positive aspects of ADD .

My daughter has ADD and she has been diagnosed for 3 years. Now she is in the fourth grade and is starting to ask questions about why she is differant. She wants to know if she can succeed with ADD, she is yearning for information that will help her understand herself, I think she is saddened and feels lonely and truly tries to do what she is supposed to....The First Star I see is a wonderful believable story about a 4th grade girl who always feels like she is behind the 8-ball...she finds someone who cares enough to show her that she has attention deficit and in finding out she starts to accept herself through understanding. It describes being teased, forgetting homework, missing details.....humorous story line, emotional and best of all relatable....Good starter book that is loaded with information about ADD/ADHD but presented in fiction form! Emphasis on the positive aspects of ADD .

This was one of the first books I read about ADHD, some years ago. And now when I think back to it, I see that it laid a very good and accurate foundation for understanding the "heart" of ADHD challenges. And, it did so in an entertaining and inspiring way--not at all pedantic or "now we're going to learn about your brain wiring" preachy. If I had a child with ADHD, especially a lttle girl, I would definitely make this bedtime reading.

This book would be good a for girl with AD/HD. She could identify with the successes and the mishaps of a character who shares some of her characteristics. Since girls with AD/HD often feel isolated and "defective," this book could her realize that she is not the only person in the world like this. She may see that one can succeed with AD/HD, and that one doesn't have to be the perfect student to be a successful person.

Paige daydreams during class, so much in fact, that her classmates call her "spacey." Her class is having a competition to see who can write the best paper on a particular topic. Paige is absent-minded, so she forgets about her paper until it becomes an urgent priority. Paige's dog provides distraction for her when she least wants it. The dog is stealing toys from children and animals. Despite all of these challenging events, Paige ends up getting at least part of what she wanted.

This book would be a good addition to the library of a child with AD/HD. It is a bit more of a "teaching" book than simply an entertainment book. However, some of Paige's situations are funny and keep the plot moving.

Again, Jane Berstein has done an incredible job describing the challenges of raising a child with a disability and the struggles of transitioning that child to the adult world. The roadblocks she faced and overcame demonstrate her true love for her daughter and her determination to give Rachel that best possible life despite her disabilities. Thank you Jane for chronicling these challenges so that others may learn from your experience. I have recommended this book to colleagues and other families.

I so admire this book and author. There hasn't been enough written about the transition to adulthood for people with cognitive disabilities. Here we get an honest, incredibly well-told story of a complex, ever-shifting mother-daughter relationship. The book has room for ambivalence, contradiction, determination, despair--all of the things that make life, well, life. If, as the parent of a child with a disability, you find yourself stretching to the point of elasticity, giving even beyond the fact of total depletion, and then, the very next moment, wanting more for yourself, not to mention more FROM your child, this book is for you. It's lyrical candor will disarm you exactly as it provides the only solace that is credible.

I've long been a fan of Bernstein's work, from her novels to her scorchingly brave memoir about her sister's murder, Bereft. Rachel in the World shows the same kind of bravery. This is no treacly feel-good tome about what it is like to raise a special needs daughter and send her out in the world. Instead, Bernstein shows both her love and her irritation, and her anger at a system that doesn't exactly make it easy to do what is best for Rachel. Beautifully written and filled with photos that are like prose poems.

Once again Jane Bernstein has achieved a remarkable portrayal, adeptly balancing her intensely personal feelings with an objective view of Rachel, her mentally retarded daughter (a description Bernstein sometimes finds more appropriate than the more politically correct euphemism of "intellectually impaired"). The Rachel we met as a little girl in Loving Rachel, Bernstein's moving account of discovering her daughter's mental and physical liabilities, has grown into a young adult, craving freedom and independence in the "real world" beyond the safe haven her mother has spent years developing. Bernstein's experience of wading through the labyrinth of "the system" in order to achieve her goal of finding the right living situation for Rachel proves to be confounding and frustrating, and as social services cuts become more frequent, even scary. Add to that Rachel's own conflicted emotions, along with her constant chattering and insatiable demands, and it seems inevitable that Bernstein will succumb to the overwhelming pressures of her role as Rachel's protector and provider, while at the same time trying to maintain her own sanity. But in her own inimical fashion, and written with the honesty that she is famous for, Bernstein proves that she is up to the task, even if at times she doubts her own strength and fortitude. On the surface a story about a young woman facing a life she may not be ready for, Rachel in the World is really about the love of a mother for her daughter. And I can't wait for Rachel to grow older so Bernstein can write the next chapter in their lives.

This book really adds a new perspective on some of the behaviors that are typically associated with autism, such as toe walking and the rocking. The book addressed some out of the box ideas on how to evaluate a child with autism. If your area is like mine and does not have a specialist (Developmental Optometrist) then I think it would be beneficial to share some of Dr. Kaplan's ideas with your local optomtrist. The other thing that I liked about the book is that it described some activities that you could try with your child if you didn't have a doctor close by or one that is open to using yolked prism glasses.

This is a great book on a treatment that most people are unaware of. My 2 1/2 year old son who has Autism had a habbit of looking at the t.v. with his head tilted to the right. He would also intertwine his hands and look through the holes while on the computer or watching t.v. I was told that this was just a normal Autistic quirk. But after seeing a specialist in the Chicagoland area, I found out that it doesn't have to be a quirk. Arm Flapping, toe walking and other sensory issues can be resolved by putting his sensory vision and hearing back into sync. I just received his prism lenses yesterday, what I've noticed so far is that they actually seem to calm his need for sensory overstimulation. Example: When he is on the computer he is usually like a gymnist, climbing on the chair, the desk ect the entire time. But with the glasses on, he sat still, very still and just watched his videos on the computer. Wow. I am actually going to order 4 more books today to give to his therapists as Christmas presents. There is no better gift than the gift of knowledge.

Seeing Through New Eyes is an introduction to the treatment of visual conditions that go beyond 20/20 eyesight. Developmental or behavioral vision care can have a significant impact on behavioral, social and learning problems associated with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities. Poor eye contact and other behaviors are often the result of difficulty with "ambient vision" that drives spatial awareness, visual organization and balance/coordination. Dr. Kaplan gives guidance on how to identify the visual deficits of nonverbal children, select performance lenses that will alter ambient vision and how to create individual vision management programs in order to assist each individual in achieving maximum success in life. This book is essential reading for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and professionals in the fields of autism, optometry, ophthalmology, psychology and education.

One of the most interesting book in the field of vision, behavior, posture and
much more.
Thousand thanks to Dr M.KAPLAN.

Donna Williams is not only Autistic but a qualified teacher and this is her first text book written in a very easy style for parents, professionals and people who themselves are on the Autistic Spectrum. It became a bestselling Autism text book in the UK and one of the current teaching texts currently used in courses on developmental disabilities.

This book looks at Autism not as one condition but as something with three different faces; problems of connection, problems of tolerance and problems of control. Within each of those categories she describes in detail the way different combinations of challenges can come together to appear to be one thing and gives very simple, easy to read, often home made solutions to tackling Autism related challenges on every different front. She covers issues like 'meaning deafness' and 'meaning blindness' but also tells us what we can do about them. She covers difficulties with processing a simultaneous sense of self and other and what that means for interaction and communication but also gives very specific clear outlines of strategies and approaches that can be used to help people compensate. She covers things like anxiety disorders and sensory perceptual problems as well as impulse control disorders. But more than just describing, this book is almost like the Autism equivalent of a car owner's manual. It doesn't just describe and make vague references. it goes further to give clear instructions on strategies people can easily begin to use at home. It also compares some of the more commercial and mainstream approaches but what's refreshing about the ideas in this book is so many of them cost little or nothing to try.

Well worth having on call for troubleshooting moments or to help the novice or student get to grips with Autism not from the outside, but from the inside, and, more importantly, what can be done to help.

Kudos to Donna Williams for criticizing the popular methods of treatment for people with autism. Kudos to Donna Williams for debunking the tired stereotypes about peopel with autism. I like the way she insists the "experts" be held accountable and gives in-depth, analytical reasons for problems that exist with many existing forms of treatment. Williams' suggestion of having different methods of treatment converge under one umbrella to serve the individual needs of the autistic population sounded very logical indeed.

This scholarly work is detailed but not tedious; factual and direct. Each chapter is broken into subsections that focus on a particular issue, e.g. education, physiological "firings" in the brain; vitamins; medicines; sensory responses; information processing and developing langugage. The book also has an Appendix which includes good practical advice about working with people with autism. Her inclusion of national as well as international organizations is invaluable.

Williams raises some excellent points in her book, e.g. exposing the myth of "hug/holding therapy" as being a panacea for neurological conditions. Many people with autism find hugs restrictive. The onslaught of sensory input during enforced hugs makes an unpleasant activity even more so. Insisting that people "hug on cue" is unnatural and does not engender love. People forced to suffer through this treatment will, as she rightfully points out, outwardly go along with it until they are released. It does not change the neurology or the feelings of the autistic person; this method is just a stop-gap approach that meets the hugger's need and not that of the person with autism. It also appears to be a very self serving form of treatment and one that should be called into question. It is also a form of manipulative control. Very little attention has been given to "unpleasant" hugs and the rights of people who don't want to be hugged in the first place. There are many people, autistic and neurotypical who are not overly fond of hugs and find them intrusive.

I felt the book did an excellent job of providing a wide array of information about autism in a "reader friendly" format. A person with autism is by far and away the best authority on the subject. This book is like a magnet; readers will continue to be drawn to it and will continue "dipping into it" for information and guidance. This, as with any work cannot be all inclusive and cover every single item. Still, I feel it is exceptionally well done and one every educator, parent, person with autism should not be without. We need this book!

Autism: An Inside-Out Approach, has succeeded in telling experts on autism things they didn't know.

Donna is intelligently critical of the popular and professional stereotypes of autism. She demands an end to the professional exclusivism and arrogance of so many proponents of therapies for autism. Donna proposes a "supermarket" approach, where the different therapies work together under the one roof to meet the unique set of problems of each autistic individual they serve.

Autism: An Inside-Out Approach answers the problem of Carol and Willie, Donna's "characters" Oliver Sacks discusses a similar personality phenomenon to Donna's "characters" during his description of Dr Temple Grandin in An Anthropologist From Mars.

The appendix to Autism: An Inside-Out Approach, is full of helpful advice on issues and problems involved in dealing with autism. There is also an international list of organisations and resource people Donna has found useful in her own struggle with autism.

Two quibbles with Donna's brilliant, very readable exposition of autism: The word "refraction" is repeatedly used to refer to "shining", reflected light. Secondly, her useful coverage of nutrition and immunology problems in autistic people does not fully reflect the full raft of problems and issues in this area of autism research.

Autism: An Inside-Out Approach is "extremely recommended" reading.

This book is very informational. A very good book for teachers and people interested in Emotional and Behavior Disorders in children.

I had this book as one of my college textbooks. It is very user friendly and has a lot of great qualities. The book describes all of the possible factors associated with emotional and behavioral disorders, as well as prevalance, history, models of thinking, screening and classification. The book dexcribes many different disorders by giving definitions, types, prevalance, causes and prevention, and intervention strategies. One of the best things about the book is the abundance of ongoing case studies in the chapters. These are especially great for discussion with others about causes and stratagies for prevention. Every chapter has questions at the beginning to think about as you read, and a summary at the end. There are also personal reflections by different teachers and professionals at the end of every chapter, which relate to experiences these people have had with the various disorders. Overall, this would be a great college textbook, or a great reference book for someone seeking information about emotional and behavioral disorders.

This is an impressive book in its seventh edition since 1977 and used as an introductory text in special education on the subject of children and youth with emotional and behavioral disorders. It is also impressive, because the publisher has developed a companion website accompanying the book with resources for the professor and the student (www.prenhall.com/kauffman). The website is divided according to the chapters of the book with focus questions, multiple choice questions and web resources. The user will also find a message board and a chat room for communication with other students and professors. For the professor there is a syllabus manager in order to create and modify an online syllabus for their courses. The book has 18 chapters arranged with the text arranged around basic concepts like the nature, extent and history of the problem and conceptual approaches to it, assessment of the problem, major causal factors, the many facets of disordered emotions and behavior and each chapter ending with personal statement or reflections by someone else that the author, about teaching pupils with these disorders. I especially liked the history chapter of special education for students with emotional and behavioral disorders, because history is so important for how we deal with problems today. Before 1800 most of the children and youth with emotional and behavioral disorders were looked upon as possessed, wicked or idiotic. In the 19th century teaching went from lunatic asylums and institutions for idiots to houses of refuge, detention centers and later to public school classes for truants, troublemakers and backward pupils. In the 20th century the mental hygiene and child study movements led efforts to deal more effectively with the youth at home and in school. In the 1940s psychoanalytic oriented educational programs began, 1960s and 70s saw periods of rapid growth in educational interventions and the 1980s saw new legislation. All in all a recommended book for persons working with emotional and behavioral disorders both in children and youth.

Professor Joav Merrick, MD, DMSc Medical Director, Division for Mental Retardation, Box 1260, IL-91012 Jerusalem, Israel. E-mail: jmerrick@aquanet.co.il

I actually have a copy of her first edition (which was published only in the UK). It is excellent. As a parent of a child with severe motor and oral dyspraxia/apraxia I know exactly how difficult it can be to find qualified info on this subject. Most of what you can find (which isn't much) deals with identifying it. I already know my son has this. I need to know what to do about it. This is one of the few books that deals with exactly how to "treat" the motor dyspraxia. If you have a child or student with dyspraxia/apraxia, get this book. When I read it I said, "finally, a book that adequately describes my child." By the way, this affliction is generally known as dyspraxia in the UK and as apraxia in the US. Also, there are 2 types - motor and oral, but most people will find that their afflicted child has some of both types. I hope this helps someone!

If you can have just one book on dyspraxia, this should be it. And if you have a child with some type of apraxia diagnosis, please read this book too. Parents of children with dysgraphia (poor handwriting) may also bennefit.

If your child with apraxia has profound speech problems and cannot communicate verbally at all, this will not be enough by itself, but will be useful to help support speech therapy, especially if your child is also learning sign language but is having some motor problems with that as well.

If you are trying to help a person with aquired apraxia (brain injury or stroke,) you will probably want something different.

In the US our children tend to get the diagnosis of "apraxia" "developmental apraxia" "speech dyspraxia" "childhood apraxia" "verbal dyspraxia" or "global apraxia" more often than they get a "developmental dyspraxia" diagnosis. These different lables are supposed to indicate subtle differences in the problems and needs these people face. However, from a practical standpoint, most of the methods designed to help someone with one of these developmental dyspraxia will help someone with one of the related diagnosises, sometimes with just slight modifications.

This book is full of strategies and specific sugestions to help people facing problems with apraxia that is present since birth or childhood (developmental dyspraxia, childhood apraxia) as opposed to people who have suffered from a brain injury or stroke. It covers a wide range of ages and the sugestions are concrete and very doable. I am a parent of both a child with autism and another child with developmental dypraxia/speech dyspraxia and this is one of the most valuable resources I own for helping my boys overcome their motor planning and coordination problems. It is also very helpful for speech problems as well. I am able to create a useful home program to suppliment the activities done at school and in therapy using this book. And the school personel have also been impressed with this book. I like this book much better than the Marshalla books which seem geared to kids whose impairment is so profound. (Don't misunderstand me, her books a very good, I do like them, just less complete.) Her books don't offer many suggestions for children whose issues include other motor functions (like handling silverware) but which many children with speech apraxia also face. (Of course she is an SLP and not an OT so it's not really the point of her work, but we parents will be concerned with both.) Also, she offers few suggestions once an apraxic child becomes verbal but is still not making sense where as this book is aimed more at those kids who have a range of issues and who can talk to some degree. Not only is word pronunciation linked to motor skills, but also word order in sentences, use of pronouns and many other skills require an internal coordination that mirrors external coordination. If we can remediate these oganizational factors in our children then their other therapies (speech, ABA, floortime, social skill building, etc.) become more effective. There is so little information on this group of disorders that is truely useful to parents and teachers, but this book is very complete. It is very well done and has information useful in both settings. Indeed, most of the examples given in the book involve school settings, so professionals should also find this book to be very valuable.

Good luck to all of you parents and teachers who work daily with these kids!

This book does not dwell greatly on ideals or hypotheses, nor on soothing chat. The reader will find practical, well-organized information on a good variety of ways to assess and train a child's abilities without highly specialized equipment.

I was impressed by the differences that generalized training in motor skills seemed to make in specific tasks such as handwriting, and also by the reports that "normal" children helping with lunchtime training programs enjoyed the experience, and felt closer to the previously isolated "clumsy" children, with their associated tendency to be irritable and easily distracted (not to mention distracting!). The scope of the book really does cover both parents and schools -- this book is grounded in solid observation and experience.

Ms. Portwood stresses that intervention helps at all ages, often bolstering self-esteem and social skills along with growing achievement in motor skills.I am looking forward to using this book with my son.

I believe that Dyspraxia is also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder in the U.S.

This is an excellent book for parents, educators and other professionals who teach/live/work with people who have autism.

The "jumbled jigsaw" is what is so sadly misunderstood and mislabelled by many; sadly, many such "experts" apply the Procrustean Bed tactics to the autistic population. This helps none and hurts all.

Raun Kaufman, the child for whom "Son-Rise" and "Son-Rise II: The Miracle Continues" was written, said in "Son-Rise II" that "expert" is the biggest misnomer for that very reason above. He was diagnosed with severe autism in infancy and for the first nearly three years of his life displayed behavior suggestive of Kanner's Autism. Early intervention turned the tide for Raun; now an adult, he has no residual behaviors or tendencies of this neurobiological condition. He is also currently the CEO of a company.

Raun rightfully points out that had many people listened to these so called "experts" who recommended institutionalizing people with autism, many rays of light and hope would never shine. Raun Kaufman; Walker Stacey; Gunilla Gerland; Sean Barron; Tony Randazzo; Ben Levinson; Jeremy Kephart; Ryan Hamilton; Georgiana Thomas; Donna Williams and countless others whose stories we don't know have provided the Voice of Hope for many. Each of these above people had or still have autism to varying degrees; each have either written or have been the subject of biographies about living with autism. Each one of these people and countless others have lent their voices; their experiences and their explanations of autism so as to help encourage tolerance. Donna Williams and her scholarly books, this included have certainly helped move that process along. Had the so called experts' advice been followed, think of the loss we would all be suffering today. Just read Annabelle Stehli's books about people who have been successfully treated with Auditory Integration Therapy and who are no longer autistic; Karyn Seroussi's and Lynn Hamilton's sons were successfully treated with a special diet as was Tony Randazzo, who had an allergy to milk. Patricia Stacey's son Walker Stacey and two of Catherine Maurice's children were eased of the autism spectrum with ABA and Floor Time. Jane McDonnell's son Paul ("News From the Border") offers his own insights into living with autism; he was helped by general acceptance from others and his own desire to adapt to the neurotypical world. Paul was informally treated with ABA; he was able to see what constituted acceptable behavior, yet at the same time recognize his autistic tendencies and keep them in check. This is still another valuable book that the world at large needs.

The point is, autism is as varied as there are individuals who have it and so the approaches have to be tailored to meet each individual's needs. Instead of dismissing people with autism as their label, Ms. Williams has once again brilliantly demonstrated how important it is to encourage talents and interests. She is married; an artist and author as well as having a plethora of credentials. Her works are valuable and needed; this book deserves a place of honor.

At present the count is 1 in every 150 births...autism is on the rise. There is a real need for literature like this and the sensible approaches that Ms. Williams has written about here and in her other works. Autism does effect everybody on Planet Earth - whether or not you have autism, there is a 100% chance that you are related to someone who does or work with someone who does or just know somebody on the spectrum. Autism is an in-your-face condition that is all the more prominent due to the increase in statistics.

Institutionalizing people creates a silent underclass. It appears to do no good and is not an effective method in "treating" autism. Autism is not a mental illness; it is a sensory neurobiological condition that affects sensory responses and language. I've beaten on the Different Drum for years to get that message across and Donnna Williams brilliantly accomplishes that in her books.

Be sure to read this and buy some extra copies to give to others. We all need it.

It took me well over a year to read Jumbled Jigsaw, not because there is anything wrong with the book, but because there is so much right with it. Williams is original in her perspective (I've read shelves full of books on autism, none like this) and incredibly insightful. If you have a child on the autism spectrum with one or more co-occurring diagnosis, you are likely to find each page dense with provocative information and ideas. Such a book cannot be breezed through quickly, it takes time to really go through it in bite size, digestable pieces. It also need not be read cover-to-cover but instead by picking and choosing chapters relevant to your situation.

This fascinating and insightful book can only be described as a guide and "wake up call" for everyone.

Despite the "experts" imposing severity labels on Autism that are then used by the education community to direct intervention and expectation as well as outcomes, their lack of understanding of the "jumbled jigsaw" and the personality and individuality of the Autistic person has doomed their system to failure.

For example if one simply provided one of these "experts" the diagnostic presentation of the author, Donna Williams at various points in her life, without them being aware of her "outcome", the current diagnostic criteria who have resulted in low expectations and a life relegated to an "institutionalized" existence.

Instead, Ms Williams is married and is a successful author, sculptor, artist etc. Ms. Williams serves as the symbol of what really is possible and she took the time to write down what worked and what did not so many mistakes can be avoided : With appropriate assistance, the autistic person has the best chance to become all they would have been if the symptoms of what others call the persons "autism" were minimized.

The truth being ,the symptoms have multiple treatable etiologies ,that vary from day to day and an "inside out approach" offers the best chance these individuals have.at leading a "normal" (whatever that is) life..

1 in 166 births.

The failure of the education and support systems/institutions to foster TRUE INDEPENDENCE in this population will result in not just a moral and ethical crisis in the very near future but an economic one as well. If changes in the current thinking about Autism do not occur, more institutions at public expense will have to be created to care for this ever-increasing population.

Autism affects everyone directly or indirectly and the confusion over what part of what society calls "Autism" is the gift and what part of autism is the difference/personality inherent in the individual has resulted in many inappropriate ineffective treatments and wasted opportunity for thousands of individuals.

Read it and learn then pass it on

Monica in California

After reading this book, I passed it along to my mother. She has also enjoyed it. I feel that Dr. Stone portrays a part of her feelings that really involve you and true feelings in life. Sometimes its hard to deal with the facts and family. Sharing this with everyone can sometimes help others deal better with it. I strongly recommend this book. The book not only involves personal feelings and got me worked up, but it also involves sympathy for Dr. Stone herself. I was given the book to read by Dr. Stone herself, I had no idea that she had ever undertaken this kind of horrific event. There is not a week that goes by that I do not think "How did this women survive?" I am only thankful that her husband was there to help her through such a tragic event. If only every family was like that. There for each other.

"More than love" offers a personal view of the devastating effects of physical, mental and sexual abuse. Dr. Stone shares her heartbreaking experience of adopting Attachment Disorder children, and allows the reader to see the many difficulties that parents in every community will face. This book is a wonderful educational tool for every member of society.

Impossible to put down!! WOW!!! Everyone should read this book, even if you never plan to adopt children. As a matter of fact, I highly suggest that anyone that has children, works with them, and or is around them read this book, including Parents, Teachers, Doctors, Psychologist, Sociologist, Police Officers, Adoption Agencies, and Government officials. It will really open your eyes. While reading "More Than Love...", I was filled with every emotion possible, sadness, anger, and yes even happiness. I could not help crying, laughing, smiling, and empathizing with Dr. and Mr. Stone. I take my hat off to them.

I really like this book although haven't used it too much with my 5 year old. I think it'll be really handy as he gets older.

This book makes me think of the John Lennon 1980 classic, "Clean Up Time."

This is an excellent book geared for the adolescent or tween on the autism/Asperger's spectrum. I like the way it tackles topics such as body development; hormonal changes; basic grooming and bathroom etiquette such as when boys use urinals.

I like the way vignettes were provided using different voices, e.g. first, second, third person. Prompts such as visual cues and other teaching tools are included. This author wisely suggests using a similar approach in teaching preschoolers good grooming habits and the rationale for same.

This book is for the adult instructor and young pupil alike. The drawings are discreet and appropriate and are not likely to make a young person feel embarrassed or threatened.

The tone of this book is plainly quite instructional, which is often a good approach with the a/A population. People with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) have been called "little professors" and often seek informational books and present discussions in an informtional format. This book does a good job of recognizing this trait and responding to it accordingly.

I highly recommend this book for parents, educators and young people. It is an important work and valuable resource tool.

My son turned ten a few months ago so I decided Personal Hygiene and Puberty were topics we needed to delve into. I am very glad I purchased this book since it covered Deodorant, shaving, growth spurts and using a urinal.

My 10 year old is high functioning and his almost nine year old sibling is non-verbal and could benefit from some of the chapters as he gets older.

Throughout the book the stories are told in various points of views, either in the first, second or third person. Visual cues, communication aides and assistive technology is shown within the chapters. Mary also suggests starting self-care skills as young as three for brushing teeth and washing hands.

One thing to note is that the fonts change throughout the book. The pages that discuss developing a program and teaching various skills are presented in an easy to read manner, mostly for the adults teaching the curriculum. The remaining pages are activities and social stories that have larger fonts that are bolded. This seems to be easier to follow for my son as well.

All the diagrams inside are in black and white, plus the cover is not overstated and should not be embarassing to a pre-teen or teen.

Your student or child will not read about birth control, sexual intercourse, reproduction or sexually transmitted diseases. It is recommended to supplement this curriculum as the students become young adults. I was glad to know these issues would not be covered, yet my son ran into two words when looking up puberty in the dictionary - reproductive and sexually.

He was disappointed not to find a glossary, but liked learning about growing a mustache and how old he would be when he finally gets to high school.

None of the steps listed in the book are numbered, which I think is a good thing so the students do not get stuck on certain numbers instead of the actual steps.

The information presented is repetitious in nature, but that is needed when teaching children on the autism spectrum. There is plenty of room for note taking and creating your own social stories. This book is a useful tool for families, teachers and therapists to instill these vital lessons to children with autism.