Description
I am a mother of a fifteen year old Autistic boy. My child Steven was diagnosed as being severely Autistic with a severe receptive language disorder at two and a half years of age. My book outlines the first hand experience that has been gained from my son Steven. The book has been written to assist and offer support to families, to create awareness of the subject of Autism and to demonstrate the complexities in brain development by comparing 'typical' development with 'Autistic' development.
The book covers the diagnostic process, concerns of parents, coping strategies, teaching methods, behaviour strategies, research being carried out on the subject, recognising educational needs, my child's developmental history and my approach to Autism. It also talks of finding an appropriate educational environment and offers practical guidance in this area. It offers guidance in teaching body awareness, developing life skills, building an understanding of the environment and everyday situations.
I gave up my career as an Interior Designer in Dubai to devote my time to Steven and used my creative skills to produce materials to further encourage his learning. I educated myself on the various strategies and the subject of Autism. Seeing some progress in Steven's abilities, I returned to the UK hoping it was the correct decision for him. Unfortunately, I have found that what I had hoped for Steven from the UK educational system wasn't what it turned out to be. I battled with the Local Education Authority to obtain the provision that Steven needed and felt frustrated at the lack of educational support that he received. Steven has been in an educational setting provided by the LEA for the past eight years and made no progress. Therefore, I have decided to teach him at home myself again on a full time basis. This is not an easy option for me but I feel that the system has failed him and I wish to provide Steven a chance to live and to show how much he is capable of achieving.
I will be picking up from where we left off when he was taught at home at the age of seven and through this book I want to help other parents to appreciate what they can achieve with their children through perseverance and love.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
This has been written to enlighten the public of the immense struggles that individuals and families of Autism and related disorders are faced with. In explaining mental development Autism is observed alongside typical development to further demonstrate the bizarre nature of the condition. Research suggests that the human mind and nervous system remain plastic for a longer period than previously believed and that individuals with Autism are known to develop cognitively throughout their lives.
Autism is not an easy subject to explain to people as the Autistic thinking would seem almost incomprehensible to people who have not come into contact with an Autistic person. It takes time to understand it fully as it is a spectrum disorder where the individual with Autism could fit in anywhere within the spectrum.
This book offers support and guidance to families in recognising the expected challenges and suggests ways on how to help our children achieve their true potential. Advice is offered in dealing with typical day to day situations, dealing with education and developing skills, while gaining an insight into the subject of Autism. In recognising a need to project awareness of Autism and it's complexities, I have explained the true meaning of Autism and included effective strategies used in coping and dealing with the condition.
Realising my son Steven's needs I taught myself the skills required to teach him. These included Speech & Language Therapy, Physical Therapy, Play Therapy and Behaviour Therapy. To manage Autism, learn to first accept Autism, think positively and act positively. Learn to love your child unconditionally, "No matter what'' the diagnosis is. This is your child. A positive outlook will gain you the strength, to assist your child in every way. In recognising your acceptance your child will seek assurance from you, which will in turn help create a greater bond between you and your child
Suggestions are offered to parent(s) who need to find time for themselves too. This will be a hard task at first which can be achieved through patience and perseverance. To bring about achieving any form of progress it is essential to make every obstacle a challenge and treat each step forward as a milestone. Your efforts will offer you the comfort of knowing that you have given your child a chance to reach their maximum potential. Autistic children vary in their behaviour, their level of intelligence and their ability to communicate. Nevertheless, they all fit into the broad Autistic spectrum and they all need help and support.
In the event that your child does not reach the level that you had expected, you can still be assured that you have done the best for your child. It is extremely difficult, almost impossible to predict the future of our children, but what you can do is to work on it now. It is never too late.
Understanding Autism: A mother's courageous saga
Book Facts: No Matter What by Sandy Howarth. Reviewed by David Stephens
'How do you deal with it when all you do doesn't seem to work, or make sense?" Autism, it is increasingly known, is a complex and puzzling social disorder where the afflicted lives in a world of his/her own, unable to relate to the outside world.
The parents of an autistic child themselves suffer from a wide spectrum of emotions, ranging from denial and shame to guilt and disappointment. Shouldering these emotions, they are forced to decipher the medical jargon thrown at them by specialists, who after diagnosis provide little help in dealing with the condition.
This is why Sri Lankan born Sandy Howarth's new book 'No Matter What' is so valuable. Not only does it help in understanding the condition and its major psychological ramifications but it also offers parents advice on how to cope with the challenges of successfully raising a child suffering from autism.
The critical aspect which separates this book from other books of its kind is that the author's 15-year-old son Steven suffers from autism. Sandy Howarth has battled bravely to teach and care for him herself and the book is her courageous saga of learning, understanding and adjusting to the challenges inherent in being the carer.
That she has decided to document it all is invaluable not only to other parents of autistic children but to society at large which needs to understand and empathise with the condition.
"My book outlines the first-hand experience that has been gained from my son Steven. The book has been written to assist and offer support to families, to create awareness of the subject of Autism," Sandy explains in the introduction to her book. A technique she uses effectively throughout the book to convey the nature and depth of the disability is drawing comparisons between what she coins as 'typical' development and 'Autistic' development.
Autism is a neurological development disorder and manifests itself in children usually after three years of age but it can also reveal itself from the time of birth. The former scenario is referred to as 'late onset regressive Autism' while the latter is termed 'early onset Autism'.
The book covers much ground ranging from chapters on the medical tests and parental responses to 'What Autism Means' - on the many symptoms and manifestations, 'Mindblindness, Innocence and Gratitude' which looks at issues like the MMR vaccine link, as well as chapters on therapy, education, the battle for rights and the latest research on autism. Steven's development is also chronicled, the little milestones, and triumphs and his development in learning life skills.
--Sunday Times
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