Autism Parent Handbook: Beginning with the End Goal in Mind

Once a diagnosis of autism is made, a myriad of questions arises. Why is this happening? What can I do? How will I cope? What will the future bring? Will I ever smile again?

A roadmap is needed, a handbook to refer to when all seems overwhelming. The priorities are to begin the healing process and to start treatment. The way to ensure success is to begin with the end goals in mind. It is remarkable how things fall into place once a vision of the future is formulated – a productive, upstanding, and most important, happy adult!

The Autism Parent Handbook walks parents through the steps of early intervention by demonstrating ways to achieve the most optimal outcomes. We address the following:

Happy adults have a positive outlook, feel valued when their passions are honored and when interest is shown in the things they love. We can help children foster those attitudes in early childhood.

Productive adults regulate their emotions, manage their time, cope with change, make wise choices and accept responsibility for their actions. We illustrate how to develop these skills from the outset.

Adults perform skills independently and complete tasks necessary for work and home life. Children should be expected to do the same and we outline ways how to do that.

Wherever a parent is on their parenting journey, and whatever age the child is, now is the time to look forward and plant seeds for the future, beginning with the end in mind. Our shared goal is to honor the glory that is in all of us, and to enhance each child’s journey towards their fullest potential. If you are now confused and overwhelmed, you need a compassionate and optimistic guide for the early years and beyond. Where to start? Right here.

Dr. Raun D. Melmed is a developmental and behavioral pediatrician and Director of the Melmed Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is also co-founder and Medical Director of the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center, and Adjunct Senior Researcher at the Translational Genomics Institute in Phoenix. Dr. Melmed has established physician-training programs for the early identification of infants and toddlers with autism and other developmental and behavioral concerns. He is currently investigating the genetics and phenotypes of autism, as well as the use of novel therapeutic agents in the treatment of ADHD and autism. He is author of Autism and the Extended Family: A Guide for Those Outside the Immediate Family Who Know, Love Someone with Autism and Autism Early Intervention: Fast Facts: A Guide That Explains the Evaluations, Diagnoses, and Treatments for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Dr. Wendela Whitcomb Marsh, MA, BCBA, RSD, has been a special education teacher, school psychologist, autism specialist, speaker, writer, counselor, university instructor, and board-certified behavior analyst. She is the mother of two awesome individuals with autism, and was married for twenty-seven years to an amazing man with Asperger’s syndrome. People on the spectrum, and the dedicated teachers who work with them, are among her favorite people in the world. Dr. Marsh lives in Salem, Oregon with her three children.

Temple Grandin earned her Ph.D. in animal science from the University of Illinois and is currently a Professor at Colorado State University. Dr. Grandin is one of the most respected individuals with high-functioning autism in the world. She presents at conferences nationwide, helping thousands of parents and professionals understand how to help individuals with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and PDD. She is the author of Emergence: Labeled Autistic, Thinking in Pictures, Animals in Translation (which spent many weeks on The New York Times Best-Seller List), The Autistic Brain, and The Loving Push, co-written with Debra Moore, Ph.D. One of the most celebrated -- and effective -- animal advocates on the planet, Dr. Grandin revolutionized animal movement systems and spearheaded reform of the quality of life for the world's agricultural animals.