Children and Autism: Stories of Triumph and Hope

by Ennio Cipani

Children and Autism presents seven heartwarming and compelling stories of children who have triumphed over the challenge of autism. These are not stories of easy or simple remedies but in the end in each instance the child is indistinguishable from their same-age peers. Parents can draw hope and inspiration from these stories while also realizing that dedication, hard work, and perseverance are key elements to success. While these seven stories are the heart and soul of the book, Children and Autism is more than that. The book opens with a section on what autism and applied behavior analysis are. It closes with a comprehensive resource section that helps parent locate ABA resources, provides definitions, and offers advice on applying practices in the home. Children and Autism is also a celebration of progress in treating autism using ABA. The book provides parents with a model that they can identify with, cheer on, and draw hope and inspiration from.

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Laura]

This book is a collection of case studies of seven children who after receiving early intensive behavioral treatment . (EIBT) achieved "best outcome status". Autism has been considered a life sentence with little chance of a "normal" life for far too long. This book gives a ray of hope to parents and families. The hope given is tempered by the amount of commitment required (both resources and personal) for the successful application of the therapy. It is also obvious from the different stories that the therapy is different for every child by necessity and the length of time needed to bring it to a successful conclusion is also unique. Although the statistics are not stressed in the book the authors do claim that "best outcome status" is possible in as high as half of the children who are treated with EIBT and the vast majority of the rest show significant progress.



The parent of a child on the spectrum who has already self-educated on all aspects of the disorder will not have a problem getting value from this book, but someone newly in the process might be a bit overwhelmed by the batteries of tests the book mentions and psychological concepts it focuses on. Parents of young children on the spectrum should read this.

[Alexandra]

It took me a while to read this book. Normally I can finish a book in a week or two. I was busier than normal the past few weeks so that put my reading off, but I also found it harder for me to hold my attention in this book. I like reading about stories of triumph and when people and children overcome all kinds of trials,but this one didn't hold me like the others do.