The Oasis Guide to Asperger Syndrome: Advice, Support, Insight, and Inspiration

Asperger Syndrome has become an increasingly common disorder. One in 300 individuals may have AS—exhibiting characteristics such as average to high intelligence, obsessive behavior, intense special interests, and difficulty dealing with everyday social situations—and it is now more prevalent than childhood cancer and Down’s syndrome.

As the mother of a boy diagnosed with AS in 1994, Barbara Kirby found scant resources and support. She developed the internationally renowned OASIS (Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support) Web site in 1995 to help other parents find the information they need. She teamed up with Patricia Romanowski Bashe, now co-owner of OASIS and herself the mother of a son with AS, to write The OASIS Guide to Asperger Syndrome, which has become the standout authority in the field and a must-have for this growing audience.

Now Bashe and Kirby have crafted a fully revised edition of this comprehensive resource for parents, teachers, therapists, and anyone who knows or works with someone with AS. In addition to discussing what AS looks like and how parents can guide their unique child through the social, emotional, and intellectual challenges of growing up, this edition includes new developments made in AS research over the past four years, new thinking on diagnosis and evaluation, the latest approaches to medication and social skills development, and tips on navigating the maze of interventions, therapies, and special education. The authors know firsthand the joys and frustrations of raising children with AS, and they share their own experiences as well as those of dozens of parents facing the same issues.

Filled with practical information and emotional support, this is the most complete and authoritative guide available. Whether your child has been diagnosed or troubling symptoms are just becoming apparent, this book will point you in the right direction as you face the particular challenges of loving and raising a child with Asperger Syndrome.

Patricia Romanowski Bashe, M.S. Ed., co-owner of OASIS, has worked as an author and editor for more than twenty years. She has cowritten more than twenty-three books, including four national bestsellers. She is a certified special education teacher and executive director of the David Center, a Long Island–based not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving children and families facing autism spectrum disorders. She lives on Long Island, New York.

Barbara L. Kirby is the founder and moderator of OASIS, the award-winning online source for AS information and support. She moderates several online support forums and was a founding member of ASC-US, Inc. (Asperger Syndrome Coalition of the United States) and serves on its advisory board. She is also on the board of Homes for Independence, an organization that helps adults with autism spectrum disorders achieve home ownership. She lives in Delaware. Both Bashe and Kirby are parents of children with Asperger Syndrome.