Understanding Autism for Dummies

"This is the first of the last two books I recommended—both of which are written by people on the spectrum. Stephen has written four books, including his autobiography which is called Beyond the Wall. Stephen has a doctorate in Special Education, he is a professional and a special educator and currently works part-time at Adelphi University in New York, but he is a man with autism. He really tried to be as non-opinionated as possible in Understanding Autism for Dummies , where he speaks about a number of different treatments and approaches and does not really come out in favour or against any of them. He does have strong opinions but, in this book, he intentionally wanted to present information about understanding autism from as neutral a perspective as possible. The book is written primarily for parents and professionals new to the field but, unlike the other books I’ve mentioned, it covers a very broad landscape. Everything from some of the biomedical and physical issues you see in autism to how we understand autism. He asks: how do we understand the diagnosis? How can we help people with autism learn? How can we help them with their social skills? Then he goes into adulthood and asks what is it like for adults living with autism. What happens after you leave school? What happens in romantic relationships? Of the books I’ve recommended this is more of a survey book, talking about the different dimensions of autism. But what’s so nice with Stephen writing it, is that he can and does infuse that personal perspective— what’s been helpful for me? What’s not been helpful for me? It is written by a person with autism, which also communicates how successful some people with autism can be."