Disability-and-Health Books

functional independence measures for spinal cord injury patient

I was relieved to read Keli Lindelien's embrace of her autistic son's psychic abilities and her courageous spiritual journey through entering his world on his terms instead of the usual lamentation of the dreaded A diagnosis. This is not to say that parenting an autistic child isn't more difficult than raising a neuro-normal one. Take it from an autistic reviewer who shall continue to remain childless!

Lindelien's journey describes the transformative disruption of raising an autistic child. Parenting such a child upsets all icons of conventional success and easy creature comforts, every one of which she enjoyed until her son Benjamin started to develop autism--from the pleasant family life to the career satisfaction and fulfillment she was enjoying. Like any genuine cataclysm, Benjamin's autism forced a tectonic shift on everybody involved. Everyone in her family was forced to go deep inside themselves, look themselves and each other squarely in the eye (make non-autistic eye contact, as it were!), and be genuine with each other, rather than run for cover. Her story is one of blessing and synchronicity. This book is no sniveling war story about the tragedy of autism and a parent's alienation in a callous world.

The book unfolds from the author's psychic awakening to her psychic and then spiritual reawakening through learning to communicate with her non-verbal but incandescent son, Benjamin. She describes the regression of this heretofore normal baby after he was given the MMR shot. I have read about met all too many children who have regressed similarly after being given vaccines containing thimerosol.

She describes the treatments and methods that worked for her in nurturing and raising him, and those that didn't. She also describes how mother, father and daughter grew together in a new way to embrace the challenge of Benjamin's autism.

The congruence of psychic abilities, synchronicities and beneficial treatment modalities for Benjamin made a lot of sense to me. Benjamin is not the first autistic child I've heard of or known with psychic and healing abilities. I think that the author is right that autistic behavior is due to oversensitivity of one kind or another. On the other hand, though autists are almost invariably more sensitive and empathetic than we appear, not all are empaths in the way that Benjamin is. It is often difficult us to channel our untoward sensitivities in a creative and fulfilling way without the help of more pragmatically high-functioning people around us--usually family members or teachers. Lindelien's approach to this is inspired.

On the minus side, the book wore a little thin toward the end, where the author wafted off into philosophical speculations. Her family's and her own personal journey interested me the most.

At the end are some useful parenting tips and practical appendices, on toilet training and behavior charts. Even more of this kind of useful information might be helpful in the next edition.

Deafblind is a made up word, of recent vintage. Yet perfectly descriptive. It refers to people who are both deaf and blind. For most of us, it is difficult enough to imagine being afflicted with just one of those conditions. The text explains how such unfortunates are cared for.

Here, the discussion in the chapters often divides between subjects who have been born with these conditions and those who initially had sight or hearing. The former group is hard to educate and care for. Helen Keller is perhaps the best known such person; an inspiration to many. The biggest problem for these children is cognitive development. How to make them more aware of their surroundings, given what they have to use.

The book helps the layman by making you aware that there are indeed some caregivers who specialise in both types of patients. It also suggests that doctors and researchers have much yet to be done in the fields of sight and hearing restorations. The hope is that one day the methods described in the book will be seen as painfully limited (which is what they are right now) and obsolete.

as with the AMA guides itself, the quality of the cases presented varies widely from chapter to chapter.

The spine, pulmonary, digestive, urinary/reproductive, and ENT chapters provide excellent cases; the upper and Lower extremities chapters do not.

Nevertheless, this book is a quick read and will vastly improve your abilities as an impairment rater.

All in all, a worthwhile investment of your time and money.

This is an absolute buy for students of health policy in all its aspects. It takes the reader through all areas of health care and policy, from its legislative process to its impact on society. It discusses the socio-economic costs of health care policies adopted by the US government at various times. If you are thinking of studying health care or you want to get introduced to the topic this is the book for you. It will hold your interest and give you a sufficient back ground on the development of US health care policy from a historical as well as contemporary point of view.

Julie has worked for several years compiling the information that is in this book. It's a must for anyone that is dealing with someone that has special needs. It's truly a labor of love!

This book was written in the "pre-Ulrich" era of HR practice, and that shows. However, the editors took pains to lead their contributors to a view of HR which was strategic rather than process-focused. This book had more "meat" than the more modern "Healthcare Human Resource Management," though, and makes a better course textbbok as a result.

Some of the chapters are woefully out of date, thought, particularly those citing laws and regulations.

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned." -- Luke 6:37


"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." John 7:24

All too often people with autism are harshly judged because of the strong sensory reactions and behaviors. I think the above passages from the New Testament are very a propos. Pronouncing harsh judgment on people with autism creates a social underclass and impeded tolerance and understanding.

Jodi, born in 1989 is the young man featured in this book. Largely nonverbal, Jodi developed normally until he was a year old. At age one, he lost his speech and inclination to play with toys after receiving a routine vaccination. Jodi, his older brother Daryl (older by 21 months) cope and the book, written by the boys' mother is written as if in Jodi's voice.

The book gives good explanations for Jodi's behaviors; the impact of his severe autism on the immediate family and the treatments that were applied. Jodi did well on the Son-Rise Option method and a gluten-casein free regimen. Respite care helped the family heal. Although Jodi's behavior, once explained makes perfect sense, he still needed a great deal of help in learning how to adapt socially appropriate behaviors in public places.

While Jodi has made progress, he still has severe autism.

This book makes me think of the Beatles' classic, "The Long & Winding Road." Jodi has travelled down his Long & Winding Road which is a journey and not a destination.

It is very difficult to find useful information for people who have been injured except from the strictly medical information point of view. This book tells you how to take charge of your life when you feel so vulnerable. It begins with choosing a doctor if you don't like the one you have. Suggestions are offered for handling shock and facing changes in career and lifestyle. It gives valuable information about head injury. It addresses guilt from being a "burden" and helps you through the civil and criminal justice systems, including valuable tips about dealing with insurance companies. The author is a clinical psychologist who, herself, was seriously injured. I haven't found a book this helpful for the injured and their families anywhere.

Yuen gives valuable insight into the disability rights movements throughout the world. Though there is a slight emphasis on the US. The situation in Japan is well covered here. Giving useful comparisons to the reader, on how different societies tackle the problem of providing services to various types of disabled people.

One common theme is how to avoid or minimise stigmatisation. When a disabled person necessarily deviates from a society's norm, this is can adverse psychological effect on her.

Note that the book essentially restricts itself to developed countries. In the developing world, the difficulties are far greater for the disabled.

The book offers an extensive bibliography of research papers for the reader who wants a more comprehensive discussion.