Disabilities Books

I too suffered from crippling arthritis along with some bizarre food allergies. These problems came out of nowhere! After going from doctor to doctor I was told to take the anti inflammatory drugs and learn to live with arthritis. I found this book online and started immediatly. What a difference. After a few weeks I was free of pain and back to my old (not so old) self. I too lost weight, what a wonderful side effect! This was about 10 years ago. Buy this book and stick to it for a few weeks. No cheating! It's all great healthy food. What a difference it can make in your life.

In my late 20's I was diagnosed with severe crippling rheumatoid arthritis and told to prepare for life in a wheelchair. For five years I was in constant pain in spite of daily medication. One day I found an early edition of this book and began the diet it describes. Within three weeks I was able to discontinue medication. As long as I stick to the diet I am still pain free. There is no sign of arthritis in my body. At age 52 I am more active and youthful than many women my age. I recommend that every arthritic read this book and try the diet. It gave me back my life and it might work for you, too.

I have been following the advice in this book for the past three weeks for a sore knee. I no longer take ibiprophen to control the pain { it didn't help much anyway } I also massage my knee with peanut oil which is an old Edgar Casey remedy for non-compliant clients. One or the other or both works.
The recipes are easy to follow. You get quite enough to eat with only fish and vegetables. And you lose weight. All my skirts pass the zipper test now { French Women Don't Get Fat }
I'mll thoroughly delighted with the book. I have looked for it for years and now it is mine.

George Lynn's newest book is sheer genius. He combines practical know-how with heartfelt understanding. He knows what he is talking about! One on the one hand it is a textbook for professionals and educators, and on the other hand it is a guide for parents. A must read.

Perhaps the most striking feature of the ever growing literature on Asperger syndrome, is the paucity of psychological therapeutic exploration. Models of diagnosis and education intervention are dominant, but what about the identity needs of these growing children and their families? Both are in dire need of psychological care and and a framework of meaning. Mr. Lynn has provided another wonderfully courageous and soulful discourse that will be of benefit to all parents and professionals who share their lives with AS children. He understands so well, that diagnosis and symptom are only one perspective in viewing the inherrent mystery and complexity of human psychology. Similarly, he is well grounded in the reality of the therapeutic and medical needs of this population. An excellent and much needed work to augment our psychiatric perspectives.

Richard Howlin, Dipl. Psych., Ph.D.
Clinical Developmental Psychologist
Chelsea Center for Learning and Development
Michigan

When you are a parent of a special child a diagnosis can be both a blessing and a curse. On the positive side, it can be a great relief because now you have a starting place to move out from to help your child live a full and wonderful life.
You may have received a diagnosis or suspect that Asperger Syndrome is what you are dealing with, but your child's symptoms seem to be more than just the basic criteria...now what? This is where George Lynn steps in with his latest book The Asperger Plus Child to help you navigate the often turbulent and unpredictable waters! Keeping in the delightful spirit of his previous books, the author helps us to gain the knowledge and tools we need to help our child, always pointing out the wondrous and unique gifts they have, as well as the inner strength that we as parents have to tap into.
This amazing book looks at Asperger Syndrome and the various co-existing disorders that may be present as well. The chapters are specific to each combination, well researched, extremely user-friendly, and filled with the encouragement and belief in our children and ourselves as their parents that George Lynn is famous for. The final chapter lays out a unique, easy to use tool designed by the author called A Character Map. It contains multiple yes/no questions that will help you to see what your child's diagnosis might be and then aid you in going to the specific chapter(s) in the book for help and understanding. This is a wonderful resource alone!
As a parent of a special child and as a therapist, I am so grateful for this marvelous addition to my reference library and return to it continually for guidance, understanding, and inspiration for my own child as well as my clients. I eagerly await George Lynn's NEXT book!!

This is a wonderfully written book! I have a son with Asperger's Syndrome and, I have not found a book that compares with this one. There is so much information and real positive steps toward curing, or at the very least dramatically improving your child with Asperger's. I even believe that a lot of this information would also be very helpful to anyone with any form of autism. Must read for teachers, parents, and anyone who knows anyone with autism or Asperger's syndrome!

First, let me say that I love Dr. Lawton's style of writing. She doesn't fill up space with repetitive fluff. She clearly knows her stuff and doesn't mince words while offering an impressive amount of evidence to support her claims. Dr. Lawton expertly blends both the human and clinical aspects of AS with compassion and clarity.

If you are serious about helping yourself or someone in your life with AS, this book will change your life.

Thank you Dr. Lawton! I received your book in the mail yesterday afternoon. I opened the book and read the first five chapters without a break. What a wonderful book! I have learned so much useful information reading your book! This book is a very valuable resource for those with AS, and for friends and family of persons with AS. I'm taking a copy to my therapist - I know she will love it!!!

In this poignant memoir, Anne Barnhill explores the importance of home and family. Despite living with a sister who is considered to be "different" by society, the author reveals how she and her family grew closer through caring for and mentoring "different" Becky. As society dictated at the time (during the 1960's), at first the autistic little girl was put away in a home, as her sister watched and cried. Later, fortunately, Becky, came home again. She didn't need the aid of chicking her heels. The love of family gave her the rainbow she needed.

In the author's lyrical account, the Barnhill family learns to value Becky for herself, rejoicing in her accomplishments. The possibilities for Becky, as well as others with autism, are now limitless.

Everyone with a family member who is considered "different" should read this lyrical tale. The lesson here is that loving someone "different" touches the heart in new and extraordinary ways. Once you complete this fine book, filled with humor and pathos, you'll become a fan of author Barnhill and root for her sister Becky.

Anne Clinard Barnhill, born in 1952 relates the story of her life as sister to Becky, who was born 1/31/58. Becky displayed autistic behavior almost from infancy. She became continent at 4; was marginally verbal for the first few years of her life; communicated by phrasing her statements as questions, e.g. "Does the Becky want to eat? Why can't the Becky learn at home?" Anne, 6 years her sister's senior took Becky under her wing and was lovingly protective of her. She even spent her summers working with Becky on cognitive skills.

Sadly, precious little was known about autism in those days. Becky was erroneously labled as "emotionally disturbed" and even retarded. Sadly, this was not uncommon back then. Becky's schooling was also a problem - in 1965, she was expelled for disruptive behavior from one special needs class in West Virginia and saw a therapist. One group home refused to take her until she became fully self-sufficient in toileting. Although continent and reliable, Becky still needed help cleaning up. Once she mastered that skill, Pressley House, a group home/school was willing to accept her after placing her on a waiting list.

On October 1, 1966 the Clinards took Becky to Amos Cottage, which was an interim placement. Becky served 9 months in Amos Cottage which sounded like a genuine hellhole. Nurses ran the place and the lowest functioning children were kept in crib-cages with bars across the top. Becky talked of the "water babies in the basement," which sounded like she meant children with hydrocephalus. She was able to describe Amos Cottage, which sounded horrible. The Clinards were horrified by the place as anyone would be, but sadly there was no other place forthcoming for Becky.

In June of 1967 after a nearly 9-month sentence in Amos House, Becky enjoyed the annual family camping trip; had fun dodging her sister and sneaking off to the pool which was verboten and in general loving the outdoors. Despite many of her unexplainable behaviors, Anne remains loving and tolerant of Becky. I like that.

Becky's behavior remains severely autistic. She pulls dolls apart until they are limbless and headless; she flips any object in her path and she gives her sister the nickname "Jet," explaining that she thinks Anne's face is jet-plane shaped. (Kind of makes you think of Paul McCartney & Wings' song, "Jet.")

Anne talks about her own milestones; her love of the Beatles whom she discovered in late 1963; her boyfriends; her schools; her crushes; her peers and how they all related to Becky. I like the way she describes her response to the events of the day, e.g. Viet Nam War (she had classmates and friends who were drafted); hippies and the music and the family Ford Galaxie, a singularly cool car. One funny story involves how Anne and her friends got stuck in that Ford and rescued it, with great music from 1968 as the soundtrack.

Anne introduces readers to her family. Readers are treated to both sets of grandparents, aunts and cousins as well. One of my favorite parts was when the girls' mother would sing Beatle songs and emphasize the "yeah, yeah, yeah" chorus in the 1963 classic, "She Loves You." It just goes to show you that nobody could dodge that Beatle influence! Becky's classmates wanted her to choose Beatle songs for her ballet recital. The Beatles remain a comforting presence throughout the book.

Despite their vastly different needs and personalities, the sisters really do, as the Beatles said, "Come Together." Readers get to follow Anne down her growing up years and experience into adulthood; at the same time readers follow Becky's progress as well. Becky weathers some major storms, including abuse at a group home when she was 9-11.

Becky's sentence at Pressley House ended in 1971. Then 13, she went onto a special program at the local high school and secured a diploma in 1979 for merely attending. She worked at area sheltered workshops before she entered a group home in 1990 at age 32.

Readers get to cheer Anne's successes as well; a successful second marriage; a blessing of 3 sons; her degrees and her courage and candor in sharing her life and that of her immediate family. Readers are encouraged by Becky's progress as well. Their story has helped lift the Dark Curtain of the Dark Ages that acted as a barrier towards appropriate placement and diagnosis for people with autism. Sadly, few options existed in those days.

In addition to the Beatle parts which I readily identified with and understood, I like the way Anne Clinard Hill opens each chapter with a passage from "The Wizard of Oz." This classic is one she and Becky have loved over the decades and do to this day.

This book makes me think of the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz." Readers cannot help but think that in time the Path to Acceptance and recognition of autism is closer than over that rainbow and is tangible, not illusive. I am one of the people who thinks that. I like the way Becky accepts herself as well and I think this is one of the best books I have ever read about a sibling who has autism.

This book explores the often unnoticed side of being a so-called 'normal' (or 'neurotypical') person who loves someone with a mental disorder, namely autism. I found this memoir refreshing in the way that it unapologetically gives voice to those of us on the other side of the coin--those of us who have done our best to stretch our love outside of the box by often putting our own needs on hold to be good family. This book will especially appeal to baby boomers who have grown up with autistic siblings during a time when the disorder was still unnamed, as it addresses the historically inaccurate 'parental blame' theory of the disorder's etiology. I would recommend this book to anyone who has been touched by someone with a mental disorder, and anyone who considers themselves an advocate for the mentally ill.

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.

I encourage siblings and parents to read this book if someone in their family has a disability. It hit so many issues dead on that I never realized anyone else experienced. It allows siblings to take an honest look at their experiences while growing up with someone who has a disability. It also gives great tips for how families can address these issues early on.

When I chose this book, I thought I would be adding to my teacher-knowledge of people with special needs and their families. I was stunned to find myself crying: this was me! I was reading about me and my family! The roots of my lifelong struggles and current stress were made plain. But who in MY family had special needs? I never thought of it that way. My sister has struggled with her weight and moods all her life, and so have we all. I am "the other one," and now I know why. I highly recommend this book, for speaking the "unspoken." Knowledge gives us the ability to understand, and to heal. At the end of each chapter are both a summary and strategies to deal with these issues. The author has given us an amazingly practical, working tool, in easy to read format. Whether you are a family member, teacher, or health professional, you'll be glad you read this book.

I grew up with a disabled younger brother, and am only now, in my 40s, starting to realize what affect that had on me, and on my way of reacting to life. This book gives me permission to explore this, without feeling guilty. I thank the author for her compassion and frankness. The many examples and testimonies allow a glimpse of many kinds of different affects, depending on different family situations. I highly recommend this book. It helps me understand myself a little better.

Misconceptions are addressed and resolved in this little book of 104 pages. Readers are able to see how disability is viewed from a variety of people including: parents of a child with a disability, fellow classmates & their parents, a teacher, and the person with a disability. The parents say, `Harry's got to learn to get along with non-disabled cubs too'. One classmate seeing Harry for the first time says, `he's going to need a lot of help from the rest of us - a lot of help'.

The term `cripple' or "the C-word" is talked about is this book and its' use is discouraged by the school teacher. Although `the H-word' is used several times within a few pages near the end of the book, it is only used as a noun not referring to a person such as: `everybody's got a handicap'.

The Wheelchair Commando is also a good introduction to wheelchair sports! I would say the Berenstain's have done a very good job with this story, especially considering that this book is now 15 years old!

When Brother and sister hear that there is a new cub in town. They are all hoping thatit will be someone who is good at basketball so that they can beat the pants off of too-tall. When they find out that the new cub is in a wheel chair. They feel so strange around him. Worst of all the new cub is so touchy about his wheelchair.

Will the cubs be able to make friends with the impossible cub?

It is a very good book that teachs kids that all cubs are the same and that it doesn't matter if you can walk or not.

Brother and Sister Bear's new friend uses a wheelchair and the cubs have many questions for their mother about it. The concerns and questions they have are well explained and the story moves beautifully towards the conflict where the new cub proves himself. The story is well thought out and is very well geared toward children. The story's conflict and resolution are delightful.

If I did not understand about down's syndrome, I do now. Mr. Bakely has a marvelous touch with words to make the unenlighted feel what he has felt. go buy the boo

I had to read the books to find out more about this remarkable young lady. She's intelligent, and very blessed to have such wonderful parents.

When I met her I was very impressed with her social charm, and wit!!! Her father is has an excellent relationship with her, so important between parent and child. Much love to the Bakely family.

I actually read this book for the first time and I thought it was wonderful and very well written by a great author who I know real well because that author is my father. Plus that book is about Me.

We bought this book because we thought it was a great teaching tool to introduce the subject of disabilities into our child's learning. Because the author kept the storyline simple and the illustrations perfectly fit the story, young children can comprehend this book with ease. Even though the book is simple, Beau's cute story and the wonderful illustrations not only kept our child's interest, but also raised her curiosity. We know because she asks a ton of questions. Because of this book, our child now has a positive understanding about people with disabilities. This type of book should be in every child's collection.

This book is great. It's well written and beautifully illustrated. Many of my friends have this book and their kids love it. It's simple enough and the illustration are so vibrant it keeps a small child's attention and the read itself is simple enough that a young child learning to read will be able to get through it with little difficulty and feel great about it.

The book is unique in it's subject matter. I've seen very few books out there that deal with children with mild disabilities and how live with them.

Your kids will love this book.

I wrote this book as a tribute to my beautiful son. Beau. He was born very early with mild cerebral palsy on his right side. He wears a brace to help with balance and strength. Many times children will ask Beau about his "boot" and if his leg hurts wearing it, which it does not. :) So, I thought writing a simple rhyming story about all the things Beau does for fun in and out of his boot would be a fun way to explain acceptance and understanding to any child.

Building Blocks for Teaching Preschoolers with Special Needs is an Outstanding book that specifically focuses on Best Practices for Children with Special Needs. The book illustrates strategies and provides tools for setting up both student with special needs and their teachers for success. Once more the strategies are practical to the high quality inclusion of children in the typical public school classroom. It is a must read for anyone who works with early childhood special education children.Dec Recommended Practices in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education

This is a great book if you're just starting out in the field of early childhood special education.The concepts described are clear, consise and understandable. It has a variety of great activities as well as usuable teacher-friendly assessment templates.

I coordinate a state-wide Inclusion Grant and we have purchased this book for each of our grant teams for the past 3 years. Every teacher I have talked to has loved this book. The tools can be used for all situations. I would highly recommend this book to anyone working with young children!