Abstract

Can you imagine not being able to recognize those you know if they wore glasses, changed their hairstyle, or perhaps put on a hat?

Prosopagnosia is a severe facial recognition disorder that is thought to impact around two per cent of the population. Frequently found in children on the autism spectrum, those with the condition have difficulties distinguishing between one face and the next, meaning that they may not recognize even those who are closest to them.

Nancy L. Mindick provides parents, teachers, and other professionals with an accessible explanation of the different types, causes, and characteristics of prosopagnosia. Providing an insider's perspective on the condition, she suggests ways to recognize the signs of facial recognition difficulties in children, and offers specific ideas for ensuring that they are properly supported in their learning and social development. The issues of diagnosis and disclosure are explored, and the author offers practical management strategies for helping children to cope with the condition and to navigate the many different social situations they will encounter at home, at school, and in the community.

This book offers specific, practical information for parents, teachers, child psychologists, and anyone else who wishes to support the learning and development of a child with a facial recognition disorder.

Nancy L. Mindick, an educator who has prosopagnosia and who thrives socially, graduated from Harvard Graduate School of Education where she followed studies in Mind, Brain, and Education. She has been a teacher of adults and teens for more than 15 years.
Educator Nancy L. Mindick, who also suffers from prosopagnosia, attempts to fill an information hole with her important book, Understanding Facial Recognition Difficulties in Children... As one who suffers from the disorder she's writing about, Mindick has obvious insight into the emotions that go along with the condition and is brave enough to use her own history as a guide in her writing... It's also evident that Mindick has spent countless hours studying her condition. She offers lucid explanations of the science behind face blindness and explores the differences between developmental prosopagnosia, which starts in childhood, and situational, which occurs as a result of brain injury or illness. Perhaps most importantly, she encourages celebrating the individual talents and personal successes of any person learning to live with prosopagnosia. People suffering from its effects will welcome this accessible, concise, practical book.
ForeWord Digital Review