How to Talk to Parents About Autism
Roy Q. Sanders
Praise for How to Talk to Parents About Autism:
"In a refreshingly honest voice, Dr. Sanders combines scholarly, evidence-based practice with the pragmatism of a seasoned clinician. ??What truly distinguishes this book, however, is its biographical perspective. As the father of an autistic son, Sanders has the unique outlook of a parent negotiating the maze of raising a child with an ASD, as well as that of a learned professional. This is a well-organized, all-encompassing text."
—Lisa C. Sacco, Psy.D., Adolescent and Adult Clinical Psychologist, Apex, NC
“As parents of children with ASD, we spend a great deal of our time and energy navigating a confusing, and sometimes painful, world. It’s a rare and marvelous thing when we find a professional who has the information we so desperately need. Even more wonderful is finding a fellow parent who has a wealth of information as well as empathy for our plight. In Dr. Roy Sanders we have both.”
—Paige Pierce, Executive Director, Families Together in New YorkState, the New York Times Book Review
“Sanders employs a user-friendly, conversational style that is easy to follow, providing important information for professionals as well as parents in a practical, helpful manner. Beginning practitioners should find this text very helpful.”
—Arden D. Dingle, MD, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
Overview—Contents—Excerpt
The most recent epidemiologic data from the Centers for Disease Control suggests that 1 in every 150 children has some form of autism. Autism’s core symptoms surface as problems with social interaction, restrictive interests and abnormal language development, and they often appear quite differently in various children.
Parents of children diagnosed with autism are often overwhelmed. They experience a range of feelings that may include denial, wishful thinking, and desperation. Sometimes they pursue unproven or useless treatments and interventions. This book will help professionals who consult with parents to understand autism’s symptoms and to provide proactive guidance. It will also give parents knowledge to understand more fully the problems associated with autism and make decisions that help their child develop to be as fully happy and engaged as possible.
Contents
Part I: Introduction
1. How to Talk with Parents When Autism is First Diagnosed
2. How to Talk About Different Kinds of Autism and Other Labels
3. How to Talk About Common Co-existing Diagnoses and Labels
Part II: Behavioral Issues
4. How to Talk about Communication
5. How to Talk About Social Skills
6. How to Talk about Repetitive Behaviors, Restrictive Interests, and Rigidity
7. How to Talk About Tantrums and Aggressive Behavior
8. How to Talk about Sleep
9. How to Talk about Toilet Training
10. How to Talk about Food and Eating
Part III: Medical, Social, and Psychological Issues
11. How to Talk About Medical and Other Biological Treatments
12. How to Talk About Family Stressors
Part IV: School
13. How to Talk About Preschool
14. How to Talk About Elementary School
15. How to Talk About Middle School
16. How to Talk About High School
17. How to Talk About Transitioning from School
Part V: Entering Adulthood and Planning for the Future
18. How to Talk About Further Planning for the Future
19. How to Talk About Community, Relationships, Romance and Sex
Conclusion
Excerpt
From How to Talk to Parents About Autism:
We cannot underestimate the stress on families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder. Perhaps your most important professional response is connecting them to other parents of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Professionals help in many critical ways, but often times another parent feels like the only secure lifeline in a sea of disappointments and confusing choices.
I know this confusion. My oldest son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I know a parent’s anger and agitation at professionals as well as the comfort from another family going through the same struggles. When Frankie was diagnosed at 15 months, I was sad and incredibly angry. Oddly, irrationally, I was most angry with the pediatrician who finally gave us a diagnosis. For months I had known that something was wrong, and because of my own work and training, I knew it was autism and possibly worse. Nonetheless, I did not want to fully acknowledge the extent of his disability. I kept hoping that I was misreading the signs and symptoms. […]
On the way home that evening the car was quiet. My mind was reeling with what we would do. The life I had imagined for my son and our family was now clearly impossible. I was unaware at the depth of my denial. I did not know what to say. I wanted to talk with someone who had answers, someone who could give me a roadmap — tell me where to go, what to do, and what to expect. When we were finally able to connect with other families, it was a blessing. They knew better than anyone where to go, what to ask, what to expect and even more, what to demand.
I believe most parents experience many of the same feelings and thoughts when their child is first diagnosed. They usually don’t know where to look for answers, what to ask. They don’t know whom to ask their questions.
That is the purpose of this book. I want to give you, the professional facing a family that has been given the diagnosis of autism, a place to start. I base my advice on my experience as a parent of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder and intellectual disabilities and as a child psychiatrist who sees and treats autistic children every day. I hope this book will be a useful guide to enlarge your understanding and ability to assist children with autism and the families who love them.
About the Author
Roy Q. Sanders, M.D., is a child and adolescent psychiatrist who practices medicine at the Marcus Institute in Atlanta, Georgia. His practice serves children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities. Additionally, he holds a faculty position with Emory University in the Department of Psychiatry. He has been in practice for 15 years and is the parent of a son with autism and mild intellectual disabilities.
ISBN 10: 0-393-70529-3
ISBN 13: 978-0-393-70529-4
January 2008; 256 pages; paperback
