Disability-and-Health Books

As a layman, I was used to see disabled people as those who suffer severe technical obstacles in managing their lives, and should be helped by the healthy, as much as possible. Reading this book, with the actual cases described and the related theoretical observations, I came to understand that the disabled are just like any other human being, with some additional physical constraints. These constraints sometimes cause psychological challenges which are hard to understand for the non-disabled. For example, if you send a letter to a blind person, you actually force him to give up his privacy for having to ask someone read the letter for her (Mary's story, p. 15). This and other stories in this book tell us that disabled people need those who relate with them to be careful and attentive; but who does not need it ?
From a theoretical point of view, the book describes (chap. 2) three static models of disability (social, medical, analytical), but especially elaborates the a fourth, more dynamic "relational" model, which sees the relations between the disabled, himself and others, as a process in both the temporal and the cognitive axes.
Reading the observations in this book, I came to understand that we are all disabled in one way or another, and the book really applies not only to the physically disabled.
I recommend this book - it gives a new perspective on disability in particular, and on human relations in general.

This book is written by a disabled parent and it is FOR disabled parents as well as ABOUT them... it is open, honest, and balanced in its presentation. PARENTING IS POSSIBLE!!!

I wish I had read this before I got pregnant a second time (first time with my disablity). This should be on all disabled women's preconception booklists along with Taking Charge of Your Fertility.

Diversity And Visual Impairment: The Influence Of Race, Gender, Religion, And Ethnicity On The Individual is a scholarly collection of insightful essays which look at how visual impairment interacts with certain social characteristics to affect human personalities. Very helpful for anyone who works with blind or visually impared people, Diversity And Visual Impairment is fascinating and thought-provoking in its own right. Also highly recommended are two other titles from AFB Press: Vison Loss In An Aging Society: A Multidisciplinary Perspective and Issues In Low Vision Rehabilitation: Service Delivery, Policy, And Funding.

It is refreshing to find a book devoted to the experiences of dyslexic adults, since much of the available literature focuses on children. The Dyslexic Adult in a non-dyslexic world was a welcome addition to my bookshelf. It is eminently readable and combines an `academic' understanding of the issues with down-to-earth examples based on interviews with dyslexic adults. I particularly liked the fact that it gave a `voice' to many people who have previously been ignored; namely, those adults whose dyslexia was not identified at school. Their stories, told through their own words, are well integrated into the various themes of the book. As the parent of an adult dyslexic son, I was able to identify my son's experiences with many of those described by the interviewees.

This book presents a realistic view of the problems and difficulties encountered by many dyslexic adults, but gives a balanced account by also exploring the many strengths which dyslexic adults may possess. It should appeal to a wide range of readers, including non-dyslexic members of the dyslexic adult's family, teachers, employers, friends and, perhaps most importantly, to dyslexic adults themselves.

Education for All is a collection of diverse perspectives of the many parents, individuals, and professionals involved in the development of exceptional education principles, policy, and procedures over the last forty years. Chapters are written by well-known professionals who address current issues such as early intervention, family collaborations, implementation of special education law, and disproportionate representation of minorities in special education programs. An added feature that makes this book unique is the inclusion of an insightful essay at the end of each chapter. These personal experiences offer the reader a glimpse into how classroom teachers, parents, individuals with disabilities and others were affected by each particular aspect of exceptional education. Several reflections will bring the reader to tears. The book also contains chapter by chapter questions which promote discussion. The publication of this book provides a valuable resource for educators, parents, and lawmakers as it recounts the history behind the historic 1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act which guaranteed all pupils with disabilities the right to a free and appropriate public education.

"Enabling Communication in Children with Autism" is a very practical book which helps teachers ,parents and others working with Autistic childen to provide an environment which will optimise the opportunities for communication to take place. I found the book easy to read in clear "bite sized" chapters with a good mix of case studies and practical examples. As a teacher I found I could apply it well to my own setting.

It does not require expensive resources, or staff to completely re-organise classroom settings. Rather, it emphasises how crucial it is for adults to examine their own communication strategies with childen, and how this can be vital in extending children's own communicative acts.

Two of the main stategies are the use of minimal speech and proximal communication. In applying these approaches described I felt very comfortable, and I have observed positve changes as a result over a period of a few weeks. These ,and other strategies are clearly and easily explained with practical examples. The approaches described fit well with other techniques for teaching children with Autism, eg PECs and TEACCH.

Medical writer Carol Tarkington and clinical psychologist Ruth Anan Ph.D. present The Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders, a comprehensive reference filled cover to cover with alphabetized entries covering everything from early intervention programs to genes and autism, high-functioning autistic disorders, language delays, safety issues, sensory sensitivity, the role of vitamins, and much more. One hundred and sixty-four pages are devoted to the encyclopedia itself; the entire second half of the book is filled with appendices that list autism-related organizations, helpful web sites, state autism organizations, autism resources by state, collaborative programs of excellence in autism, clinical trials for autistic disorder, and a thorough index. Written in straightforward terms accessible to lay readers and healthcare professionals alike, The Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders is enthusiastically recommended for medical institution library, college library, and public library reference shelves, as well as the personal reference collections of anyone living or working with autism spectrum disorder individuals.

Now in an updated and expanded second edition, the Facts On File Encyclopedia Of Deafness and Hearing Disorders provides a comprehensive and "user friendly" reference of basic information on hearing disorders and deafness, from types of conditions to the legal rights for the hearing impaired, treatment options, and degrees of hearing loss. An excellent, basic reference which should be considered for any serious health library collection.

This book, seven strong chapters and a brief, personal Preface, ably discusses and deconstructs historic notions of disability ("the missing term in the race, class gender triad")and fully describes the harrowingly destructive - because so socially, culturally, and psychically damaging - concept of 'the norm,' historic uses (and abuse) of the body, and with it: the body politic.

Dr Davis supplies the reader with a bit of context. He grew up as the hearing child of Deaf parents in New York's South Bronx, where his parents, he reports, "were as good as any other person in the South Bronx, which is to say they were pretty badly off."

Chapter Four, "Nationalism and Deafness: The Nineteenth Century" offers historic perspectives on deafness, including the fact that by the beginning of the nineteenth century, sign language had become a transnational language. Anyone fluent in sign language could communicate with any other signer - worldwide. This is no small thing. The Deaf "became a subgroup within each state throughout Europe." Some additional topics are: oralism and sign language, disability, class, nationalism, eugenics, politics, poverty, industrialization, and health. The bigger concepts of inclusion and exclusion are touched upon, too.

"Deafness and Insight" is a challenging and complex chapter in which Davis explores "deafness as a critical modality." A main assertion throughout this book is that the concept of the "normal" body informs cultural assumptions about art, literature, and the totality, in fact, of culture.

Other chapters with much to offer and challenge the reader are "Universalizing Marginality," in which Davis explores the reasons behind the intense cultural and philosophical interest during the European eighteenth century of deafness. Health and 'fitness,' images of the 'normal' and the not-normal body, and the fact that disability is most often an acquired thing (you get hurt or get old - and wind up with a 'disability.') are investigated. Art, literature, and media are cited with success.

This is a book that is thought-provoking, remarkably informative, and completely worth the effort it requires. Dr. Davis'world view is clearly presented and wholly graspable. His methods of analysis are consistently intellectually muscular, Occasionally he ventures into academic methodologies that are a bit out of the range of the common reader. Tough stuff, and worth the effort. Many pages of endnotes, a (long) list of works cited, and a very good index.