Colouring outside Autism’s Lines- A Book Review
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book for review purpose. The opinions in this review are 100% my own and in no way influenced by the copy I received.
Autism is word that many parents dread to hear. It can be an uphill battle for a parent if his/her child is diagnosed as being Autistic.
It is not the end of the world if one is equipped with the correct tools to deal with the problems which may arise from this disorder.
Autism is defined as a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. It can be sometimes mistaken for the child having bad behaviour while in reality he is unable to express himself in a socially acceptable manner.
In her book Susan talks about how you can make daily life more interesting and less stressful for your autistic child. Even though more planning and preperation may be needed initially, it is worth the effort as the whole family would be able to enjoy the activties that were planned together.
The eleven chapters in the book she guides parents on how they can make life easier for themselves and their autistic child. She highlights how important it is to understand what triggers your child and help to avoid a total meltdown.
The two key factors to “surviving” are.
- Identifying the critical aspects of your usual routine that can (or must) be incorporated into any day.
- Be prepared with tools to smooth over trouble spots.
It does help to do some homework before embarking on your trip outside the home to see if there are facilities to cater to your child’s special needs.
Susan gives a lot of suggestions and case studies which advices parents on how to handle their child in a given situation. She talks about how autistic children too can have a “normal” childhood alongside other children.
No doubt each autistic child may behave differently depending on the serverity of their syndrome but the message given in the book is clear- You are not alone. There are many resources out there which can help you in your parenting.
I found that many tips that Susan has given in the book can also be applicable to toddlers and pre-schoolers who need a routine to make them feel comfortable and safe.
Reading the book gave me more insight on how to deal with autistic kids and helped me understand how their mind works. I have taught several autistic kids and have personally experienced how easily it is for them to fly off the handle if something like a chair is not in the “correct” place in class. You feel totally helpless and many time use the wrong techniques to retify the situation due to lack of experience or information on how to handle such a child.
This book can be purchased from Amazon or most local bookstores.