My child Has Autism

My child Has Autism
Written by Clarissa Willis, Ph. D.
Published at Gryphon House

About the book
"Autism isn't something a person has, or a 'shell' someone is trapped inside. There is no 'normal' child hidden behind the autism… Autism is a way of being." --Jim Sinclair

There are no words to describe how families feel when they learn that a child they love has been diagnosed with autism. This book was written for those families. It explains autism in simple terms, discusses the major characteristics associated with autism, and offers simple strategies for helping children with autism function in their homes, at school, and in the community.

With the help of this book, families will begin to understand the puzzle called autism. It provides strategies for families to help their child: Learn to be independent, Succeed in school, Build social skills, Communicate with others

Although there is no cure for autism, there is certainly hope. My Child Has Autism provides strategies that are the result of Clarissa Willis' 30 years of experience working with children with autism and their families, as a teacher, speech pathologist, early interventionist, and consultant.

Who is Clarissa Willis?
Clarissa Willis, Ph.D., has worked for the past 20 years on behalf of children with autism spectrum disorder and their families. She is the author of five books including the award-winning titles Teaching Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Inclusive Literacy Lessons. Her articles on child development and early childhood special education have been published both nationally and internationally. Formerly an Associate Professor of Special Education and the Associate Director of the Center of Excellence in Early Childhood Learning and Development at East Tennessee State University, she currently works as an early childhood consultant and frequent speaker at national and international conferences. Clarissa Willis lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

My Thoughts

I had the opportunity to review this book from PTPA during a time where I was debating if one of my kids might have autism. After reading more about autism, I quickly realized that it wasn’t the case.

This book will explain autism using a terminology that is easy to understand. It will describe the various characteristics that are associated with autism and gives some strategies to the parents for helping their child who is autistic.

The strategies will help the child to function in a proper manner at home, at school and in the public. It will help the parent to establish a communication with their child, to understand their child and his/her world because each autistic child might react differently to something like light or sounds, understand the importance of routines and gives guidelines to the workers who will interact with their child.

From what I can see, it can become challenging to have an autistic child. And having some help is always important. When parents just learn that their child is indeed autistic, it is important that they get all the information necessary to understand autism.

I learned a lot while reading this book and I would recommend it to anyone who might need it.

My child Has Autism is available everywhere even at Amazon.ca and indigo.ca.