Disability-and-Health Books

Everybody Is Different, by Fiona Bleach, is a fantastic little book. At around 75 pages, it's perfectly accessible for kids, as the subtitle indicates: A book for young people who have brothers or sisters with autism. It's written mostly in a question/answer format, divided into six parts: general information about autism, main characteristics of autism, odd behaviour (the author is English, hence the alternate spelling), sibling feelings, therapy and help, and a glossary at the end. It also features cute little illustrations by the author.

The book tackles some difficult questions, such as "Why do some people have autism?", answering them in a way that kids can understand, without being too simplistic. One of the book's strengths is that it not only answers questions, it also makes a point of discussing how the NT sibling feels and what they can do about it. This includes dealing with such emotions as anger, resentment, frustration, sadness, and embarrassment.

My younger son, Aidan, and I have consulted the book many times regarding various subjects and found it to be helpful and encouraging. Aidan benefitted from reading about why his brother makes strange noises, why he says and does the same things over and over again, why he throws or breaks things, and why he hurts himself. The book also listed some good tips for maintaining privacy and how to respond to an autistic sibling who doesn't know what that means.

Of the many attributes of Everybody Is Different, one that really stands out is the encouragement of siblings to talk with their parents and friends about how they feel. I also appreciated the positive suggestions for interacting with autistic siblings and explaining their behavior to friends or others who are unfamiliar with them. I highly recommend this excellent book for any family with autism.

I bought this for my 9 year old daughter who has a 7 year old asperger brother who can be very difficult. I thought she might ignore the book, but she read it, laughing and commenting on what reminded her of her brother. I will by more of this type of thing. Even if the kids in the books are different than mine, I think it helps her to know she is not the only girl with this situation in her family.

This book is specially designed to give answers to the many questions of brothers and sisters of young people on the autistic spectrum.

As well as explaining the characteristics of autism, it is full of helpful suggestions for making family life more comfortable for everyone concerned.

I found it to be interesting and helpful in explaining simple answers for little ones and more in depth info for older children and adults.

This book is great at addressing the kinds of questions that come up for kids in a very kid-friendly way.

This is a short enough read that my 5th grader buzzed right through it. We skipped over several parts though, because our person in our family has Asperger syndrome and the book is geared toward Autism mainly. I did find it refreshing to find a short enough read that would help my son understand some of the things going on with his sibling, however I think we had already covered the majority of the book with him. I read the book in 1 hr. It was well written I thought.

About 10yrs ago, I developed CTS....pain was similar to electric shocks at some moments...desperation and internet searching found the Rossiter method.... a few weeks of determination found complete relief and I've never experienced any further discomfort. btw...I'm an Electical Designer who spends 8-10hrs/day on the 'puter; plus 5-10 hrs/week on the home 'puter...

Half of this book explains Repetitive Motion Injuries (RMI), and the other half describes exercises to overcome RMI. I never read the half that explains RMI. I just read the half that describes the exercises. I had Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and was wearing a cast 24 hours a day. My doctor was ready to start injections and then maybe surgery. The exercises in this book completely cured my problem with no medical treatment needed. I then gave the book to my doctor.

I am sorry, some people say this book helped them but I found the exercises to be very tedious and ineffective. It was actually a pretty upsetting experience, because it was all so uncomfortable to do, and I really needed to find a solution to my Repetitive Strain Injuries but could not.

Finally I discovered The Triggerpoint Therapy Workbook by Clair Davies (which saved my life) and It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome by Suparna Damaney & Jack Bellis (which is essential for anyone who has a computer-related Repetitive Strain Injury). The MindBody Prescription by John Sarno also gave me a different perspective, though it didn't help me personally as much as the others a lot of people swear by it. If you happen to live in Los Angeles they are all available from the library, I don't know about other cities.

Oh, and Sharon Butler's book, Conquering Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is also good for teaching gentle stretches. In the end, it was this collection of books that told me all I needed to know and now I have completely recovered. But unfortunately the Rossiter Way did not help me at all. I'm giving it 2 stars just in case it has some merit I missed.

As a musician, I play the piano about 30 hours per week. This became difficult with the onset of tendonitis and carpal tunnel symptoms. I did these exercises daily for about 6 mos. with a personal trainer and physical therapist. I now live symptom free! Thank goodness I said no to the cortisone injections! I highly recommend it to anyone with similiar problems. You can be healed with this system of exercises.

I had a chronic clenched muscle on the left side of my mid back for about 7 years. Some days it would be no problem, some days the pain was almost totally debilitating--I couldn't sit still for more than 5 minutes, which was a huge problem since I spent most of my time on the computer or at a drawing table. I tried chiropractic, massage, rolfing, yoga. Nothing gave me long-term relief. Then I found this book through my rolfer. I was skeptical about the back exercises, because you work on the thighs, not the back at all. Well, after doing the back exercises twice, the pain was gone. Entirely. Doing them once every three months now is enough to keep me pain free.

The exercises on the arms are fantastic for relieving carpal stress. Both my girlfriend and I have had periods of intense computer activity where we can feel the tightness building dangerously. But running through the forearm, bicep and shoulder stretches offers *instantaneous* and sustained relief.

It seems too simple. But it works.

Definitely, this is a good book for clinicians in the field of orthopedic and a believer of manual therapy and exercises. This contains the heart and soul of orthopedic physical therapy. Ad Astra per Aspera.

Delivery was a little slow but then again we are in NZ, the book is ideal for referencing in relation to the work I do, Personal Training and Sports Rehab. Thanks Amazon

I supervise an orthopedic and neuro PT clinic, and this is a great resource for widely-accepted, evidence-based protocols.

Excellent for clinic, if you are a student, clinician, or need a quick reference. Great pictures, and protocols. I have used many of the protocols for the Physical Therapy Clinic and most of the referring physicians like the response they see their patients have benefited from. If I have forgotten a particular special test, when evaluating a patient this book has all the tests names and positions for testing.
Highly redommend it.
A PT in DC

I am a physiatrist specialized in musculoskeletal pain from Lima, Peru, and I can say that this book is a wonderful review of rehabilitatión in orthopaedic surgery. It has plenty of protocols very useful as guides of our treatments. Of course each patient is different and each pathology has its unique features, but after a careful medical evaluation one can fit the protocol for every individual clinical case.
Fantastic work!

My mother suffered a brain injury when the family house burned down and my father and brother died. She was left in a coma. We are grateful to still have her but some times it has been hard. this book had helped us understand better. Thanks for your book.

This young woman's struggle to recover from devastating head injuries is compounded by her problems with the law and lawyers. The way she recovers from both difficult situations is a fabulous read.

When I first bought this book, I thought I would never be able to finish it until I read the introduction and I couldn't put it down. I passed it on to my sister. Debbie's story is heartbreaking and her recovery miraculas. I can't wait for Ms. Quinn's next book.

Deborah Quinn details a nightmare of personal, financial, legal and medical entanglements. Her story is one relatively few brain injury victims experience. The lifestyle she describes is an exclusive one and the rehabilitation resouces available to her are not generally accessible to any but the very well funded.

She reveals strategies and priorities of the legal and insurance world in an interesting way as well as her means of arriving at decisions during the process.

Many survivors do not reach the level of insurance disputes or legal representation she generated because they are not as lucrative a subject as Ms. Quinn. This does not diminish the anguish she endured, her sense of loss or the difficulty of her journey. That is a part of each person's recovery and no amount of money can spare that.

I am a brain injury surviver just like Deborah is. I was in an automobile accident in January of 1998, but my injuries weren't as bad as Deborah's and my recovery time was much less. I thought the description of the legal battles was too long and boring, but the emotional aspects kept my interest. I sat crying while reading this, remembering my similar experiences and pain. This book is great for anyone who has suffered from a brain injury and also for their family members. I would definitely recommend this!

I bought this book for my 9-year old son who was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease. He normally does not like to read unless he has to, but he read the entire book in two days and actually informed me of a few things I was not aware of, like McDonalds french fries are gluten free. It's an easy read with a lot of pictures so kids will not get bored with the book.

This is a great book for kids with celiac. It is a fun book to read and for my daughter, knowing that there are other children out there going through the same thing that she is, makes the transition a little easier to deal with.

I LOVE this book! It is so upbeat and positive, fun and funny! It is a great way to introduce the children in your family to Celiac. We used it to help our Celiac son and his brothers why it is so important to become, and remain, gluten-free. It is also a great reference tool to share when your child goes to a friend's house, etc. Some things are a little outdated (e.g. McDonald's French Fries are no longer gluten-free), but you need to constantly review ingredients, and that is clearly explained in the book. I would recommend this book to anyone that knows someone with Celiac Disease as it is a great general overview that really keeps your attention!

I am not impressed with this book at all. In fact, I am a bit disappointed. Not much "new" or inspiring information and ideas for us. My daughter has had celiac for 3 years so maybe it is just too basic for us/her. The book is cute, and could be interesting to a NEW celiac child but was not a worthwhile purchase for us three years down the gluten-free road. I also think the price is a bit steep for the type of book. Very plain, black and white sketches, not even drawn by the child! 5 or 6 dollars would be more appropriate for what you get. I guess after all the reading and research I have done to educate myself, my daughter and our family about celiac, I was looking for a kids version of some of that content and information. This just wasn't it for us. Looking for something a bit more educational and informative. Sorry! Cute idea and a great project for a school report.... May just have my daughter write up her own story and celiac knowledge for a school report/ project!

The GF Kid: A Celiac Disease Survival Guide is our favorite reference book for Celiac Disease. We have two children with Celiac Disease. My eight year old was diagnosed right before she started second grade. I sent the book in to school and her teacher read it to the class so that the teacher and students could better understand my daughter's condition and what she can and cannot eat. (Her third grade teacher is currently reading it as well).

It's a quick read - the only book my husband has read about Celiac - and it's very informative. I am purchasing my second copy so that I always have a spare. I plan to send this book to my newly diagnosed daughter's daycare.

I also send the book along when my daughter visits a new friend's house so that the parents can understand her condition and what she can and cannot eat. There are great drawings and examples of wonderful GF lunches and snacks.

I highly recommend this book to any parent with children with Celiac.

I've been in the alternative health world for a long time so was very interested in perusing this book. I was pleasantly surprised how thorough and concise Alan Smith's book is. Concise, yet, full of very valuable and researched material, this book gives the reader glimpse into a variety of therapies available to enhance health.

I can see this book being of great importance to those entering the field of alternative health, or those wanting to know what alternative/complementary therapies are available and what they consist of. The options are plentiful and it doesn't look like Alan missed any.

Great resource, a must-have in the library, and informative, Alan gives the reader options to healing. Highly recommend.

This is the most comprehensive complete listing of alternative health approaches. I am very familiar with about a dozen listed and all were given a even balanced write up. Well done. A complete reference work. Achieving health without meds.

For some reason, I thought this was going to be more of a guide to help those of use with health problems instead of just a list of complementary and alternative therapies.

It wasn't that long ago that your family doctor was the only option when you were faced with health issues. You'd make an appointment and he'd prescribe a pill. If that magic pill didn't help you'd get another. Finally, given no other alternative, you'd just learn to live with your pain symptoms.

Today, it seems that more and more people are becoming open to complimentary and alternative health resources. Many are unhappy with their present care. Others are simply looking for ways to compliment their current treatments.

Although the actual methods vary substantially, most of these therapies look to the root cause of dis-ease and then seek to understand, release, or heal that issue. Still, the sheer number of options can be overwhelming for the average person. Where to even start?

In my opinion, reading UnBreak your Health is a very good way to begin. This book provides quite an extensive list of possible alternative and complementary therapies. Moreover, for each method, the author provides important contact information and comments from individuals who have actually tried the option.

Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (1/08)

"UnBreak Your Health: The Complete Guide to Complementary & Alternative Therapies" by Alan E. Smith presents a comprehensive guide useful for when you want to explore other options beyond traditional medicine. If you are considering complementary or alternative therapies you are not alone! According to a statistic presented in the introduction, in the year 2002 over half of all Americans turned to trying one of these therapies. Complementary and alternative therapies are positive on many levels. They focus on the fact that each person is a "unique individual composed of mind, body and spirit (or life-force energy)" and that each problem should be solved by tailoring the treatment to the specific person. Instead of focusing on the specific symptoms or issues as traditional medicine oftentimes does, complementary and alternative therapies often look at the body as a whole and work to heal the entire entity to make the body function in a more efficient manner. They go to the inner source of the problem rather than just treating the topical symptoms.

The author divides the different therapies up into three areas: the body, the mind and the energy/spirit. The "body" section presents an overview of such therapies from the familiar like chiropractic care and massage to the lesser known like Emei Qigong and the Nambudripdad Allergy Elimination Technique. The "mind" chapter focuses on therapies such as Art Therapy, Guided Imagery, Hypnosis, and Traumatic Incident Reduction. Finally, the "energy/spirit" section focuses on therapies which use human energy to heal such as Acupuncture, Crystal Bowl Therapy, Polarity Therapy and Qi Gong.

Each therapy examined in the book has a description explaining the origins, beliefs and techniques used in the method. After most descriptions is a favorite part of mine called "user comments" which aids in understanding how effective these therapies are. These are comments from actual users of these particular methods. It is very interesting to see the results that these people have had using the different techniques. This section makes the book more personable instead of strictly a reference guide. Websites are listed for most therapies if readers would like to seek out more information or specifics.

I recommend this thorough guide to complementary and alternative therapies to anyone who is frustrated with conventional medicine's approach to his health issues or to anyone who just wants to educate himself as to what is out there in terms of non-traditional care. "UnBreak Your Health: The Complete Guide to Complementary & Alternative Therapies" presents so many different options and techniques, some of which I never knew existed, and the information is presented in a very reader friendly and easy to use way.

Purchased this to assist a very disorganized boy! It has a lot of helpful hints and guidelines for making your life easier and keeping track of your stuff!

I got my 12-year-old son to read this by assigning little parts of it that applied most to him. We talked about what he read, and it seemed to really be opening his eyes and giving him ideas. We were able to get right to what was hindering him, both in attitude and in his physical space. It's a simple book to read, very basic, but full of basic truths and fun ideas that work.

This book has helped me to the extreme. I used to be the kid that turns up in class with the math homework from last week when the teacher is asking for the essay on stonehenge. Which i forgot about becuase my planner gets washed off my hands every time i took a shower. This book outlines easy and practical strategies that allow you to take control of your backpack. Worth every penny.

I am messy, theres no denying it. My mom is always on my case about my room or the kitchen or the living room and so on. But as a high school student I have so many more IMPORTANT things to do than to spend my time trying to clean up my house, only to have it get messy again. This book had so many good ideas about how to be organized, not only at home, but at school too! Now my mom doesnt yell at me anymore, and I have more time to focus of my life. This book rocks!

The moment I put this book down, I wished that I had found it befor emy Senior year. "Where's My Stuff?" contains nearly every little bit of study and and organizational wisdom I've picked up throguh my high-school career, and it would have been helpful going into it with all that knowledge condensed in one book, whick I'm quite glad this book does. The practical, step-by-step instriuctions on how to organize class materials were incredibly helpful, and this book does a great job of preparing you to manage your time and your personla space. With its diagrams, charts, and overall utility, I would recommend "Where's My Stuff?" To anyone entering high-school. I'm definitely keeping it for college.

Drugs are effective for some people with ADD. Or so I've been told. I tried Ritalin, Welbutrin, Adderall, Zoloft, Lexapro, Neurontin and others in various combinations. My ADD did not improve but I experienced a host of side effects including dizziness, insomnia, headache, increased irritability, loss of physical abilities and back pain.

Getting Rid Of Ritalin explains how neurofeedback works as an alternative to drugs. Neurofeedback trains the brain to regulate itself. The book is easy to read and filled with common sense. The author uses a scientific approach and shows a personal concern for those who suffer from ADD. There are insights that help to explain symptoms and how they can be improved. One of the best things about this treatment regimen (neurofeedback) is that it has virtually NO side effects!

Neurofeedback has helped me. I am in a better mood, more organized and less irritable. According to Robert Hill- drugs, even when they work, are only a temporary solution. After a while they lose their effectiveness. And I can testify to how expensive they are. Before you spend thousand on brain scans and psycho-active drugs try letting your brain heal itself with neurofeedback.

I found that only a very small part of the book is about Neurofeedback. All the rest is about issues surrounding ADD. The author writes as if he is explaining the material to a 5-year-old child. I found that this book did not increase my knowledge (gathered on the net) of Neurofeedback

I picked this book up because I was seeking to learn more about neurofeedback, and now it is one of my favourite works on ADD and brain care. I appreciated the background given by the authors on how they arrived at their current position; their range of experience is reassuring.

Neurofeedback is only a fraction of this book. I enjoyed the introduction to "low-arousal hypothesis" in the chapter on what causes ADD. The authors address forms of ADD both with and without the hyperactivity component. The chapters on nutrition and toxins were thorough, although it's always a little disappointing to read those lists of "Things to Not Eat." I felt the chapter on television and video games was important as well -- documentation that that stuff _slows down your brain_.

My biggest complaint, if you can even call it that, was that I skipped over some parts I felt I already knew. But the book is clearly organized so that it's pretty easy to figure out which parts you do (or don't) need to read.

Overall, I think this book is very well-informed and very readable. They provide more references to back up their statements than many books I've read. I'll definately recommend it to anyone who expresses an interested in reading more about ADD, and it will stay on my list of neurofeedback resources.

There are so many books about ADD but this is by far the best and most helpful one I've read.

For any parent considering Ritalin, this book is a must-read. It not only addresses the benefits of Neurofeedback but gives the reader a better understanding of Attention Deficit Disorder. The authors offer a holistic approach to treating ADD which unlike Ritalin, has no negative side effects! Thank you Dr. Castro and Dr. Hill!!!

I started reading this book on a Sunday morning and could not put it down until I finished it that same day. I can't even imagine how frustrating Ruth had to have felt all those years. How it shows that when you go to work every day, and do a good job, how that can totally impact another persons life without even realizing the extent of that kindness. When those 5 women entered that state school, little did they realize how they touched those kids lives. I am proud to say that one of those women was my mother, although she also is in heaven now, I am sure their eyes have met there somewhere.

I read this autobiography for an Occupational Therapy graduate school course. I was truly, truly inspired by Ruth's story. It opened my eyes to what the proper medical treatment of an individual SHOULD be. Mind, Body, and Spirit all need to be addressed. Ruth can be proud that her story will literally shape the way in which I will practice Occupational Therapy in the future. Her struggles will be my fuel toward change and healing. I thank her from the bottom of my heart for having the courage to put her story into writing.

This book was truly inspiring. The main character displayed courage and strength as she persevered through the challenges of living in an institution in the late 1960-70's. This book will give anybody with a little adversity in their life a new perspective of what it means to be faced with hardships.

This was an agonzing graphic depiction of what life is like to be severely disabled. With little family support Ruth is treated like an object subjected to inhuman living conditions and abused at a state institution. It is also a story of triumph as Ruth fights to reach goals and finally reaches some independence.

Thank you all so much for your praise of my sister's book. She would have been thrilled to have read these.

Ben Polis set out to write a book that would help parents understand their ADHD children. In that regard, I feel he succeeded admirably. It certainly provides a lot of insight into the mind of kid who just can't control himself.

I would absolutely recomment this book to parents who have a child that has, or may have, ADD/ADHD. I would also consider it a must-read for teachers and students aspiring to be teachers. The classroom is a really rough place for kids with ADD and there are too many teachers who'd rather ignore a trouble-maker than actually put the effort into helping them. I think this book might give them what they need to be more compassionate with children who need the attention.

There are a lot of good ideas in this book for staving off temper-tantrums and explaining to the child how he is misbehaving.

I addition to the advice and insight, it's a really touching story. You really get a sense of the sadness and confusion Ben went through, as well as the horror his parents felt on more than one occasion.

The book would probably be great for someone in their teens or older who is living with ADD and wants to feel that they are not alone, or could benefit from his coping strategies.

I do have a couple criticisms. First, it should be noted that while Ben grew up with ADHD, he is not an expert on the subject. His advice comes from personal experience, not research. His techniques, while probably very helpful, will not apply in all cases. There are also times in the book where he simply does not undertand what it is that he's talking about. He tries to talk about stuff that is beyond his own experience, and in a few cases he is not correct, or, for example, displays that he doesn't actually know what the word "symptom" means. The average person will probably not catch these mistakes, but they are there, and it should be remembered that he is not an expert.

The other problem I had was that it was very male-centric. When giving advice he always refers to "your son". The book probably has little to offer parent of daughters with ADHD unless the daughter follows a pattern of symptoms more typical of a boy.

Overall, the book really is excellent. It's a good read and I expect very helpful. But keep in mind, especially if you are a parent of a child with ADHD, that he not an authority.

This book is ok, but I found it hard to focus on Ben's story and experiences. I felt like I had ADHD (which I don't anymore)- with his disjointed story line and how it skips around, like reading a story written by a parrot on crystal meth. It was good though, and he is a pretty good author - I hardly found any spelling mistakes and it was over 100 pages.

All round good book helpful for those seeking support through all of the issues ADHD sufferers experience. Good Work Ben!

A long awaited book.My son is the same age as Ben and it's taken a long time for this condition to be recognised. At last a book that helps parents with school age children. A book that made me laugh and cry yet reassured me as a parent I'm not the only one going through this. I take my hat off to Ben for being able to write such a book to help others. Once I started reading I could not stop, in fact stayed up until 4.00am to read it all. A brilliant book with really good advice.

I was at school with Ben Polis. He was a very naughty boy. We had lots of naughty boys at our school. When boys were naughty, us good boys would put them in a big blue junk jinker. Ben spent alot of time in the junk jinker. He behaved himself inside the junk jinker. That's how we triumphed over ADHD.

I really thought that this book is brilliant. My younger sister Isabelle, she is 9, has A.D.H.D and I never quite understood her. I have at many times told her that she was stupid and that I wished she was never born. She has put a large burden on our family in many ways, yet when I read this book it opended my eyes. It has taught me how to deal with Isabelle in a way that works best for her. I have tried to read books written by doctors and experts on the subject but those made me feel like she was even more "less normal" than I thought, and that I would never understand her. I am so thankful for this book and the opportunities it has opened up for Isabelle and me. I can finally see one of her crazy fits for what it really is, an expression of love.