May 11, 2003
RE: Book
List for Autism
Dear Parents:
Our son Brian was diagnosed with autism just
before his second birthday. Knowing the
confusion and emotional turmoil this can bring, I would like to share my
recommended book list with others and especially with parents who have recently
learned their child is autistic or has pervasive developmental disorder
(PDD).
Our son was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental
Disorder (PDD) in April 2001 and with autism in June 2001. In the beginning we didn’t know what lay
ahead or how to start treating our son.
Today, we see wonderful changes in him and are very thankful for the
recommendations and guidance to start timely, effective treatment. Early intervention is critical to give your
child the best chance of improvement!
Regardless of the diagnosis, PDD or autism, the treatment options are
the same.
We opted for an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
program that consists of approximately 25 hours a week of intensive
instruction/therapy in our home and additional speech and occupational
therapy. Brian has also benefited from
Cranio Sacral Therapy (CST) and Auditory Integration Therapy (AIT). We have also implemented many dietary
changes including a gluten-free and casein-free diet, and we have eliminated
other foods and additives that our son has negative reactions to. Even before the diagnoses of PDD and
autism, my husband and I took a 10-week course on communication through the
Hanen Program at the Scottish Rite Speech and Language Disorders Clinic. We highly recommend this program to any
parent, especially if you have a young child with difficulty communicating.
I know there is much hope for many other children
in the spectrum of autism because of the improvements I see in our son each
day. I hope you will find the right
treatment for your child by becoming an informed parent and by seeking out
other parents of autistic children in your community. The parents that have reached out to my husband and me have
helped us tremendously to find the right treatment for our son.
You are welcome to contact me via e-mail at Carolyn@DietarySupport.com if you
have any questions. I will be happy to
correspond with any parents needing support.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Lewis
I have categorized the books I have read and listed them
with one, two, or three stars after each listing with three stars being my
highest rating. The most important books for dietary intervention are in bold print.
Recommended Books for Teaching Communication
Skills:
The following books have been
helpful to teach parents how to begin the communication process with their
young children.
It Takes Two to Talk: A Parent’s Guide to Helping Children
Communicate by
Ayala Manolson (1992) ***
Note: My husband and I received this book in a
ten-week course of The Hanen Program taught by a speech pathologist. If you cannot find a Hanen class, you might
want to purchase the next book listed, as it goes into greater detail with much
of the same concepts.
More Than Words: Helping Parents Promote Communication and
Social Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder by Fern Sussman (1999) ***
Note: This book has illustrations that help you to see exactly how to
communicate with your child. I t also
explains how to use picture schedules and self-help boards to help your child
understand his/her world.
Books by Parents of Autistic Children:
Let Me Hear Your Voice by Catherine Maurice (1993) ***
Note: This is a very well written book from a parent of two autistic
children. It is a story of recovery
through ABA intervention.
Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive
Developmental Disorder: A Mother’s
Story of Research and Recovery by Karyn Seroussi
(2000) ***
Note: I highly recommend this
book to all parents. It is the defining
book that introduces and explains the gluten free/casein free diet.
Facing Autism: Guidebook for
Parents by Lynn
M. Hamilton (2000) ***
Note: This book covers different types of therapy including ABA,
biomedical interventions, dietary intervention, and much more. It’s a good starting point for parents.
Son Rise: The Miracle Continues by Barry Neil Kaufman
(1994) ***
Note: This inspiring story of the Kaufman’s bringing their son out of
the world of autism and then founding The Option Institute to bring hope to
others is a must read.
Confronting Autism: The Aurora on
the Dark Side of Venus by Victoria A. Beck (1999)**
Note: I love Victoria’s optimistic attitude and her words of
encouragement in her book.
Breaking Autisms Barriers by Bill Davis (2001) *
Note: Bill has been proactive in getting treatment
for his son. He shares the devastating
effects caused by his son’s poor eating habits (rotting teeth, erratic
behavior, etc.).
General Books on Autism:
The ME Book: Teaching
Developmentally Disabled Children by O. Ivar Lovaas (1981) **
Note: This book is a must read to understand ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) which was developed by Dr. Lovaas. Keep in mind that the book is outdated. I look forward to seeing an updated publication from Dr. Lovaas.
The World of the Autistic Child:
Understanding and Treating Autistic Spectrum Disorders by Bryna Siegel (1996) **
Note: This book is somewhat clinical, but it explains many aspects of
autism and various treatment methods well.
It is especially good at explaining the diagnosis for autism.
A Parent’s Guide to Autism by Charles A. Hart (1993)
Note: I cannot recommend this book as it is too outdated and offers
little hope.
Autism: Explaining the Enigma by Uta Frith (1992)
Note: This book explains “Theory of Mind” and gives a history of Kanner’s and Asperger’s work on autism, but I found it to be too outdated to recommend on my list. There are many more up-to-date books for parent’s to read.
Books by an Autistic Author:
Emergence: Labeled Autistic by Temple Grandin and Margaret
M. Scariano (1986) ***
Note: Temple Grandin is high functioning and has
done much considering her limitations.
This is her first published book and is a great book to read early on.
Thinking in Pictures and Other
Reports from My Life with Autism by Temple Grandin (1996) ***
Note: This book encompasses many aspects of the challenges of living
with autism. Temple explains the
differences that she has noticed between herself and non-autistic people. She also promotes appropriate medication for
taming anxiety and other disorders experienced by adolescents in the autistic
spectrum.
Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome by Stephen Shore (2001) ***
Note: Stephen is married and has a unique
perspective on educating children in the autism spectrum. He is college educated and now holds a Ph.D.
in special education.
Nobody Nowhere: The Extraordinary
Autobiography of an Autistic by Donna
Williams (1992) ***
Note: Donna shares her life story as an abused autistic girl and her many adventures that led to her ability to learn to live in the world outside her own. It is the most heart-wrenching book I’ve read about autism, but well worth reading.
Books for Special Diets for Autism:
Note: This is a must read for
those with children still experiencing severe diarrhea or other digestive
problems even with the implementation of a gluten-free and casein free diet as
well as other dietary and biomedical interventions.
Special Diets for Special Kids by Lisa Lewis, Ph.D. (1998)
***
Note: This is a must have if you are beginning the GF/CF diet!
Special Diets for Special Kids Two by Lisa Lewis, Ph.D. (2001)
***
The Complete Food Allergy
Cookbook by
Marilyn Gioannini (1997) ***
Note: A must have if your child has food
intolerances.
The Gluten-Free Gourmet Revised
Edition by Bette
Hagman (2000) **
Note: Dairy ingredients must be substituted with
CF ingredients.
More from the Gluten-Free Gourmet by Bette Hagman (2000) **
Note: Dairy ingredients must be substituted with
CF ingredients.
The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook by Marjorie Hurt Jones, R.N. (2001)***
Note: This is the best
cookbook I’ve found for children and adults with multiple food allergies.
Food Allergy Field Guide: A Lifestyle Manual for Families by Theresa Willingham (2001) ***
Note: This book is more of a
lifestyle book than a cookbook, although it has many great recipes. It is really great for getting parents into
the right state of mind to begin dietary intervention.
Related Books:
Children with Starving Brains: A Medical Treatment Guide
for Autism Spectrum Disorder by Jaquelyn McCandless, M.D.
(2002)
Note: This is a must read by
a physician who has treated her granddaughter and hundreds of other children
with autism with the biomedical approach.
The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory
Integration Dysfunction by Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A.
(1998)***
Note: This is a must read if your child has sensory integration issues.
Biological Treatments for Autism and PDD (revised 2002 edition) by William Shaw Ph.D. ***
Note: This is a must read to
understand the biomedical treatments in autism. This book is a must have reference book to keep in your home.
Biomedical Assessment Options for Children with Autism
and Related Problems: A Consensus Report of the Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) Scientific
Effort (2002) by Jon B. Pangborn, Ph.D. and Sidney M. Baker, M.D. **
Note: You may order cassette tapes and video tapes of the DAN! Conferences from the Autism Research Institute: www.autismresearchinstitute.com. I attended the conference in the fall 2001 and 2002 with my husband. Parents as well as physicians and other professionals are welcome to attend the DAN! Conferences.
The Yeast Connection Handbook: How Yeast Can Make You Feel Sick All Over and the Steps You Need
to Take to Regain Your Health by William Crook, Ph.D. (1999) **
Note: A great resource book to have on hand for yeast-related problems
that may be present in autistic children.
by Carol Simontacchi (2001)***
Note: This is an excellent book to learn modern day facts about food. I recommend this book to all parents.
Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills by Russell Blaylock (1997) ***
Note: This book will explain
why foods with flavor enhancers such as MSG, aspartame, hydrolyzed vegetable
protein and others should be avoided for better health.
The Immunization Decision: A Guide for Parents by Randall Neustaedter
(1990) ***
Note: This book is a good starting point to learn
the pros and cons of vaccines.
Alternative Treatments for
Children Within the Autistic Spectrum:
Effective, natural solutions for learning disorders, attention deficits,
and autistic behaviors by Deborah Golden Alecson (1999)
***
Note: A short, informative guide to the biomedical treatments of autism.
Tooth Truth by Frank J. Jerome, D.D.S. (2000) ***
Note: This is a good resource for parents to understand the negative effects of dental materials on the human body. Dr. Jerome explains the possible danger of amalgam fillings, root canals, capped teeth, and more. His book was written especially for patients. I highly recommend reading this book before having any dental work done on children with autism.
Note: See my “Book List For Better Health” for additional books regarding nutrition, allergies, yeast, allergy-free cookbooks, and books on general health.