Finished 9-18-16-16, rating 4.5/5, autism, 243 pages, pub. 2010

Children with High-Functioning Autism:A Parent’s Guide by Claire E. Hughes-Lynch has been on my shelves for a few years and that’s too bad because it would have been more helpful earlier in my autism journey.  There are so many books and so much information on the internet about autism that when you first start looking it is completely overwhelming.  And all the information tells you that time is of the essence when treating children on the spectrum, so hurry, hurry, hurry.  The author was a professor of special education before her daughter was born so clearly she had a good, solid foundation, but even she was overcome with too much information when she experienced it from a mother’s side.  So many truths in this book.  She is also very evenhanded in her research.  I appreciated that Hughes-Lynch could share both things she agreed with and things she wasn’t sure about, knowing that what is true and works for one family doesn’t for another. It’s up to the parents to weed through the information and make their own decisions.

What’s it about – She talks about autism from suspecting your child has it, through the new vocabulary and therapies to hopefully coming out the other side in a good place.  It’s a primer, of sorts, laid out in a way that would be useful for newbies.  She shares her own story throughout and provides understanding and hope.

What did I learn – Okay, I’ve been at this almost four years, so much of it wasn’t new ground,  but I did learn a little more about sensory processing disorder. There are a few aspects that I always struggle with understanding and she gave me new insight.

Who would like this – Any parent or family member who has recently had a child diagnosed on the autism spectrum.  As a matter of fact, I’m willing to mail this to the first person who leaves a comment with an email address.  Information is your friend.