Autism Disorder

Given the great deal of attention paid to music and autism, it is surprising to discover that autistic people have rarely been asked to account for how they themselves make and experience music or why it matters to them that they do. In Speaking for Ourselves, renowned ethnomusicologist Michael Bakan does just that, engaging in deep conversations - some spanning the course of years - with 10 fascinating and very different individuals who share two basic things in common: an autism spectrum diagnosis and a life in which music plays a central part.

Has something ever seemed a bit off about someone you met? Have you considered they might have Asperger syndrome? This book is full of confessions from a former stalker who has Asperger syndrome. The author explains his thinking and reasoning behind what he thinks is logical behavior that women think is creepy. Learn how a man with Asperger syndrome perceives the social world he interacts with. This book will give the listener insight into how someone with Asperger syndrome processes advanced social situations like dating and relationships. The author shares an honest and heartwarming account of his experiences trying to date women.

Travis Breeding has never been like others. Growing up, he just couldn't seem to fit in with anyone and didn't understand how socializing worked. He couldn't understand why people didn't like him. Why did everyone think he was so weird or creepy or psycho? Was he? When he finally learned he has Asperger's, it wasn't quite the solution he longed for. He didn't want to accept it. But once he embraced it, he realized he could begin making changes that could someday lead to living the life he wants: one that includes a family and good friends. And even more, he could help others just like him.

Clay Marzo has an almost preternatural gift with a surfboard. From his first moments underwater (he learned to swim at two months old) to his first ventures atop his father's surfboard as a toddler, it was obvious that Marzo's single-minded focus on all things surfing was unique. But not until late in his teens, when this surfing phenom was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, did the deeper reasons for his obsession - and his astonishing gift for surfing - become clear

Fourteen-year-old Benny Neusner wants only one thing more than a dog: for his neglectful mother to be proud of him. He hasn't given up on impressing his mother, but a dog is out of the question. His father and stepmother will never permit it. They don't understand how lonely he is. He is not a brain like the other kids in his therapeutic school, and nothing he's tried has ever worked out for him. Benny meets Bess Rutledge, a 70-year-old woman who has dreamed of winning the Westminster Dog Show all her life.

Henry Markram is the Elon Musk of neuroscience, the man behind the billion-dollar Blue Brain Project to build a supercomputer model of the brain. He has set the goal of decoding all disturbances of the mind within a generation. This quest is personal for him. The driving force behind his grand ambition has been his son Kai, who has autism. Raising Kai made Henry Markram question all that he thought he knew about neuroscience, and then inspired his groundbreaking research that would upend the conventional wisdom about autism, expressed in his now-famous theory of Intense World Syndrome.

This often heartbreaking account by Carol, whose son, Paul, was born with many difficulties, including autism, is told with the honesty and sincerity necessary to portray the conflicting emotions faced by any family, and particularly a mother, in such circumstances. The overbearing feelings of guilt, failure and inadequacy have to be resolved to enable a happy life with her family.

My Autistic Fight Song is a memoir that follows Rosie Weldon’s journey from a college drop out as she tries to achieve her dream of being a qualified accountant. With the odds stacked against her and the stakes high, she refuses to give up on her dream. Of two things Rosie was sure. First, she wanted to be an accountant. Second, she was destined to be alone. But when life threw at her an autism diagnosis and a mystery girl, she was left asking: Who would employ her and was she capable of falling in love?

From an early age, Jude knew he was different. Following an early childhood filled with quirky behaviors and marginalization, Jude was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. With the support of his parents, Jude navigated through school and university, albeit with difficulty. Jude’s life changed when he discovered he was going to be a Father. Coming to terms with becoming a parent and denying his Asperger’s diagnosis started to cause a rift between Jude and his infant child.

I don't know whether this is the story of Jeff the autistic individual, Jeff the man of God, or Jeff the medical enigma; but I do know it is the story of Jeff, my son. Jeff was so autistic, and yet not autistic at all if you used the textbook definition. He had huge sensory integration issues and appeared to be living inside of himself, but he cared so much for God and other people that their needs always came above his own. He had severe speech issues, only spoke one-word answers, but wrote beautiful papers and prayers when given the Canon communicator.

A mother tells an insightful story about her son, Ade, growing up with autism. She shares some of Ade's struggles, how he found words again, his academic challenges, and the discovery of his latent gifts and passions, as well as hopes for his future. Through every step of this journey with Ade, the mother's love and faith became wind to his sails. Though written from a mother's perspective, each chapter of this book ends with lessons learned. These lessons are full of practical strategies and suggestions to encourage and empower us with children diagnosed with autism.

In this book, the author takes the listener through the emotional journey of having a child who suddenly loses his speech at the tender age of three and is subsequently diagnosed with autism. She reveals how the power of love, prayers, conventional and unconventional therapies helped her son regain his speech, emotional awareness, and cognitive skills.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in 44 children have been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 17 percent of children aged three to 17 have been diagnosed with developmental disabilities. In Autism with a Side of Sushi, author Kuri Yasuno reflects on her journey as a mother of a child on the spectrum. Her relatable accounts of both circumventing situations of public ignorance and raising awareness will cause you to rejoice and laugh at the same time.

In this inspiring collection of true stories, author Danielle Gary shares the joys and challenges of raising a child with autism, weaving together threads of humor, heartache, and hope to create a beautiful tapestry of family life. From the moment she received her son's autism diagnosis, Danielle felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of therapy hours, medical jargon, and conflicting advice. With candor and compassion, she shares how she navigated this complex landscape, shedding light on the joys, frustrations, and unexpected lessons that come with raising a child on the spectrum.

Mike had managed to achieve his childhood dream of becoming a stand-up comedian in the San Francisco comedy scene of the 1980s. He was appearing on television and rubbing shoulders with the big stars of the day. His future was bright and the last thing he needed was a woman to come along who would shake his ideas of what true happiness was. But, come along she did, daring him to achieve something even greater than fame and fortune.

Waiting for the Light Bulb is a true story that follows the life of a little girl over the course of 10 years. Told from a mother’s perspective, it begins with a pregnancy, high hopes and dreams for the future but as diagnoses are made the fear of the unknown is tangible. Follow a determined, gritty mother as she navigates the world with a daughter who has an incredibly unique subset of autism. Listen as she learns how to maneuver her way through medical mediocrity, broken public school systems, past stigmas and preconceived notions of what a special needs child is like.

Critically-acclaimed author Monica Holloway shares the extraordinary, touching story of Cowboy, the golden retriever puppy who changed her son's life.

Knowing that your child has a unique way of interacting with the world around them makes you better equipped to manage their stresses and make their surroundings more comfortable. As their parent, you can do a lot to ensure their safety, advocate for their welfare, and make sure your child can live a happy, healthy, and productive life--and this guide will break it all down for you.

When Jenny Lexhed and her husband have their first child Lucas, they are living the dream. They're happily married, they've just bought a house, the company they built together from the ground up is starting to blossom. But with the arrival of their son, a feeling of anxiety slips into their life. What starts as a feeling becomes a conviction.

Raising an autistic child can mean an emotional ride - ups and downs, emergencies and victories. But imagine the roller coaster of having not one autistic child, but three. Follow Karen Pellett as she spills her Spectrum Mom secrets and learn how to get your family over surviving and into thriving.