Growing up with a parent on the autism spectrum can be difficult, and children and teens may struggle to understand why their parent is different from others. It can be equally difficult for parents with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to explain their unique set of strengths and challenges to their child in a sensitive and positive manner, and any adult faced with this situation will be in need of a helping hand.
This supportive workbook has been designed with precisely this purpose in mind. In child-friendly language, the author describes the common characteristics of ASD, and encourages children to think about how the world might look from their parent's perspective. Topics covered include social and emotional difficulties, communication differences, sensory issues, body language, special interests, and how the child might go about explaining their parent's differences to other children, taking into account that some parents may not wish for their diagnosis to be known beyond the family. Each chapter concludes with a worksheet for the parent and child to complete together, helping them to understand each other better and to develop strategies together for dealing with particular areas of difficulty.
This workbook is an essential tool for any family with a parent on the autism spectrum, and is suitable for children and teens of all ages, whether or not they are on the autism spectrum. It will also be a useful resource for professionals who work with such families.
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Barbara R. Lester is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has been a practising psychotherapist for twenty-five years, and works primarily with children, adolescents and their families. She provides parenting classes, social skills groups and individual and family counseling to families affected by Autism
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