Additional Information
Book Details
Abstract
What if the things people need to know about autism is not the information they're getting? Combining myth-busting advice with personal experience, this book from the mother of autistic twins shares simple strategies to build children's confidence, communication, and independence.
From sharing the joy of yodelling around shops at the weekend, to finding creative ways to communicate with both her verbal and her non-verbal sons, Debby Elley gives practical and fun tips for everyday living and shows that being autistic is just another way of being. Both witty and candid, the book discusses labels, meltdowns, acceptance, happiness and much more.
This reads like a best friend's guide to autism. Elley's honesty, warmth, and positive outlook shine through making this a truly readable, relatable and hopeful book. Between the lines there is a wealth of useful information, understanding and valuable signposts to further reading. An especially great read for those new to autism. I highly recommend this book!
Adele Devine, Special Needs Teacher and Co-Founder of SEN Assist autism software
This is a great book...It's chatty, supportive, informative and will work as an antidote to more clinical, research based publications...Synthesising her experience over many years, she is a powerful advocate for positive parenting. Highly recommended.
Mary Mountstephen, Educational and Neuro-developmental Delay Specialist
Mary Mountstephen, Educational and Neuro-developmental Delay Specialist
Bright, witty, and upbeat, Debby Elley's book is a heartfelt plea for people to understand the world as those with autism see it, backed up by lots of practical examples of how to do it. As entertaining to read as it is thought-provoking.
Peter Sutcliffe, SEN Magazine Editor
This book is full of real-life humour, tongue-in-cheek truth telling, and front-line, in-the-trenches parenting know-how.
Jennifer Cook O'Toole, author of The Asperkid's (Secret) Book of Social Rules
Debby Elley is co-founder and co-editor of award-winning AuKids magazine (http://www.aukids.co.uk/), and is mum to twins who are at opposite ends of the autism spectrum. She lives in Cheshire, UK.
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fifteen Things They Forgot to Tell You About Autism: The Stuff That Transformed My Life as an Autism Parent by Debby Elley | 3 | ||
| Acknowledgements | 8 | ||
| Notes on the Text | 11 | ||
| Introduction | 13 | ||
| 1. Autism Is a Pick ’n’ Mix: Personalise your autism learning | 17 | ||
| 2. Autism Can Change: Looking beyond the traditional definition | 27 | ||
| 3. You Can’t Compare Apples with Oranges (or You Can, but it’s Fruitless): Accepting them for who they are | 41 | ||
| 4. Happiness Comes from Perspective: Living with a label | 55 | ||
| 5. If We Don’t Fear the World, the World Won’t Fear Us: Building a neurodiverse planet | 66 | ||
| 6. Learning Aut-Speak: Understanding echolalia | 80 | ||
| 7. Specialisms Make Specialists: Valuing special interests | 86 | ||
| 8. Communication Is What Happens While You’re Waiting for Speech: Parenting a non-verbal child | 94 | ||
| 9. It’s Not Your Place or Mine…It’s a Bit of Both: Entering the autistic world | 112 | ||
| 10. Hell Is Other People: Tackling problems at school | 125 | ||
| 11. You Can Learn What You Lack: Getting to know other people’s thoughts | 138 | ||
| 12. Rigid Thinking Can Bend: Helping kids to be more flexible | 149 | ||
| 13. A Stitch in Time Saves 9,000: Preventing meltdowns | 167 | ||
| 14. When You Stop, Independence Starts: Helping them to help themselves | 183 | ||
| 15. You Can Build High Walls with Scaffolding: Learning independence at school | 195 | ||
| 16. Only Autistic People Have the Answers: Learning to listen | 203 | ||
| Guide to Unusual Idioms and Phrases | 210 | ||
| References | 219 | ||
| Further Reading | 221 | ||
| Blank Page |