Understanding Autism For Dummies

Content: Part I Understanding Autism 4 --
Part II Addressing Physical Needs 4 --
Part III Enhancing Learning and Social Skills 5 --
Part IV Living with Autism as an Adult 5 --
Part I Understanding Autism 9 --
Chapter 1 Autism: The Big Picture 11 --
What We Know --
and Don\'t Know --
about Autism 12 --
Making the Diagnosis: Learning Your ASDs 13 --
Understanding the diagnostic criteria 14 --
Seeing the signs: Autism symptoms 15 --
Understanding the Far-Reaching Impact of Autism 17 --
How autism can affect the diagnosed individual 18 --
How autism can affect families, schools, and communities 18 --
How autism can affect caregivers 19 --
Navigating the Sea of Interventions 20 --
Using behavioral, developmental, and other educationally based interventions 21 --
Implementing occupational and speech-language therapies 23 --
Medicating symptoms that can accompany autism 23 --
Applying biomedical and natural interventions 24 --
If You Think You (Or People You Care for) Have Undiagnosed Autism 25 --
Chapter 2 From Classification to Treatment: Scanning the Autism Spectrum 27 --
Surveying the Colors of Autism 28 --
Severe (or \"classic\") autism 29 --
PDD and PDD-NOS 30 --
Asperger Syndrome 31 --
Considering Conditions That Resemble Autism 32 --
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder 32 --
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder 33 --
Other possible diagnoses 33 --
Understanding Why Early Treatment Matters More than Classification 35 --
Attempting early identification and intervention 35 --
Getting good medical care 36 --
Enrolling in effective early programs 37 --
Chapter 3 Causes, Clusters, and Clues: Where Does Autism Come From? 39 --
Considering the Rise in Diagnoses 40 --
Exploring the Genetic Link 41 --
Familial patterns 41 --
Brain size and structure 42 --
The brain-gut connection 44 --
The testosterone link 45 --
Examining Biomedical Theories 45 --
What do allergies have to do with it? 46 --
Heavy-metal poisoning hypotheses 47 --
Autoimmune or virus-induced theories of causation 49 --
The Backlash Against the Cure 50 --
Chapter 4 Getting a Diagnosis 53 --
Tracking Your Child\'s Medical History 54 --
Broaching the Possibility of Autism with a Doctor 55 --
Preparing for the consultation 56 --
Requesting a referral 57 --
Consulting a Specialist 58 --
Contacting a qualified specialist 59 --
Sharing information 62 --
Embarking on the assessment process 62 --
Diagnosing related conditions 65 --
Dealing with the Impact of the Diagnosis 67 --
Coming to terms emotionally 68 --
Taking action 68 --
Avoiding scams 69 --
Chapter 5 Asperger Syndrome and Autism 71 --
Discovering Where Asperger Syndrome Sits on the Autism Spectrum 72 --
Examining common characteristics of Asperger\'s 72 --
Diagnosing Asperger Syndrome 73 --
Examining typical nondiagnostic personality traits of Asperger Syndrome 76 --
Helping People with Asperger Syndrome Socialize 78 --
Finding the hidden curriculum 79 --
Handling idioms and figures of speech 80 --
Dealing with the Emotions Triggered by Asperger Syndrome 82 --
Avoiding the rage cycle 83 --
Working through frustration 87 --
Using emotion thermometers to gauge emotional states 87 --
Recognizing Bullying and Its Emotional Repercussions 89 --
Signs of bullying 90 --
Taming the bullies 91 --
Transitioning to Adulthood 91 --
Part II Addressing Physical Needs 93 --
Chapter 6 Injecting Yourself with Knowledge about Autism Medication 95 --
Considering Drug Therapy 95 --
Looking at how medication can realistically help 96 --
Educating yourself and pursuing drug therapy 96 --
Using medication wisely 97 --
Identifying Helpful Medications 99 --
Beginning the process with a qualified doctor 100 --
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) 101 --
Atypical antipsychotic drugs 102 --
Tricyclic drugs 104 --
Antiepileptics (also known as anticonvulsants) 105 --
Medications for challenging behaviors in severely affected people with autism 106 --
Maximizing Safety When Vaccinating Your Child 107 --
Considering your child\'s medical history 107 --
Looking at an alternate vaccination schedule 108 --
Chapter 7 Improving Immunity and Boosting Biochemistry 109 --
Taking a Look at the Balancing Act of the Immune System 110 --
Exposing the Relationship between Autism and Immune Abnormalities 112 --
Analyzing immune measurements in the blood 113 --
Exploring gut problems 114 --
Studying brain tissue 115 --
Improving Immunity 116 --
Focusing on first-line fundamentals 117 --
Seeking out second-line strategies 118 --
Tackling third-line therapies 119 --
Biochemistry Begets Behavior: A New Way of Thinking 121 --
Shedding light on the broken pathways 121 --
Maximizing metabolism 122 --
Getting the Lead (and Mercury) Out 124 --
Why the autistic child? 124 --
Testing for toxicity 125 --
Chelating 125 --
Chapter 8 Optimizing Nutrition 129 --
Tempering Your Expectations 130 --
Considering Your Dietary Intervention Options 130 --
Cleaning up your child\'s diet 131 --
Going wheat and dairy free 133 --
Supplementing your child\'s diet 136 --
Implementing Your Plan 138 --
Keeping a food and symptom diary 138 --
Involving professionals 140 --
Easing the transition 141 --
Experimenting with specialized diets 142 --
Eating on the road 143 --
Part III Enhancing Learning and Social Skills 145 --
Chapter 9 Choosing an Appropriate Behavioral, Developmental, or Educational Intervention 147 --
Understanding What to Look for in the Alphabet Soup of Approaches 148 --
Actions and behaviors that lead to success in all interventions 149 --
Keys to success in educational interventions 149 --
Exploring Popular Intervention Approaches 150 --
Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) 151 --
Daily Life Therapy (DLT) 155 --
Developmental Individual Difference Relation-Based Intervention (DIR) 157 --
Miller Method 160 --
Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) 164 --
Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) 169 --
Social Communication Emotional Regulation Transactional Support Model (SCERTS) 173 --
Deciding Which Method Is Best for Your Child 176 --
Financing the At-Home Program of Your Choice 177 --
Exploring your at-home options 177 --
Obtaining government assistance 178 --
Chapter 10 Dealing with Learning and Sensory Differences 181 --
Autistic Learning: Transferring Skills and Providing Structure 182 --
Thinking conceptually and transferring concepts 182 --
Incorporating routine into daily life 184 --
Bridging the Communication Gap 186 --
Developing sign language as a communication bridge 186 --
Working toward functional communication 186 --
Using assistive communication technology 187 --
Enjoying music therapy 193 --
\"Retraining\" the Brain through Neurotherapy 194 --
Examining and implementing neurotherapy 195 --
Reviewing a neurotherapy study 196 --
Making Sense of Sensory Confusion 197 --
Observing sensory integration challenges 197 --
Using hippotherapy 200 --
Working with speech-language pathologists 200 --
Seeing through Irlen-branded lenses 201 --
Handling Your Child\'s Sensory Issues 202 --
The supermarket test 202 --
The eyes have it 203 --
The auditory-processing blues 204 --
Socially unacceptable stimming 204 --
Dealing with the most severe behaviors 206 --
Chapter 11 Finding a Learning Environment That Fits Your Child\'s Needs 207 --
Inclusion: To Be or Not to Be? 208 --
Recognizing an Effective Classroom 209 --
Maintaining routine and predictability 209 --
Learning through all the senses 211 --
Evaluating the room itself 212 --
Observing a Good Teacher 215 --
Characteristics to look for in an educator 215 --
Warning flags to avoid in an educator 216 --
Developing Effective Accommodations 217 --
Accommodations in action 218 --
Addressing the fairness of accommodations 219 --
Considering educational techniques for promoting inclusion 222 --
Weighing Your Options when the Public School System Falls Short 224 --
Exploring the world of home schooling 224 --
Considering other educational options 226 --
Understanding and Reducing Challenging Behaviors 226 --
Getting to the core of the behavior 227 --
Performing a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) 227 --
Chapter 12 Legally Speaking: Making the Most of Your Child\'s Education 235 --
Navigating the Legal and Education Systems 235 --
Understanding what the law allows 236 --
Keeping track of changes in the law 236 --
Staying Involved with Your Child\'s Education 238 --
Working within the system 238 --
Supporting your child at home 239 --
Acting Early with an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) 240 --
Specifying Special: Entering the Public School System 241 --
Initiating an evaluation to establish eligibility 241 --
Implementing an Individualized Education Program (IEP) 243 --
Assessing Your Child\'s Progress 250 --
Flexing Your Educational Rights When You Need To 251 --
Chapter 13 Fostering Healthy Relationships 253 --
Recognizing the Social Challenges an Autistic Child Faces 254 --
Understanding social norms 254 --
Conversing and cooperating 255 --
Supporting a child when verbal communication is minimal or nonexistent 256 --
All in the Family 258 --
Talking about autism with your kids 259 --
Considering the challenges siblings face 260 --
Including extended family 263 --
Encouraging Your Child to Form Friendships 264 --
Staging an emotional rescue 265 --
Creating social stories and calling on Power Cards 266 --
Making conversation 268 --
Sparking interactive play 269 --
Respecting differences 270 --
Part IV Living With Autism as an Adult 271 --
Chapter 14 For Adults with Autism: Living Well after K-12 273.