Autism Psychology

A veteran clinical psychologist exposes why doctors, teachers, and parents incorrectly diagnose healthy American children with serious psychiatric conditions. In recent years there has been an alarming rise in the number of American children and youth assigned a mental health diagnosis. Current data from the Centers for Disease Control reveal a 41 percent increase in rates of ADHD diagnoses over the past decade and a forty-fold spike in bipolar disorder diagnoses. Similarly, diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder has increased by 78 percent since 2002.

Diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at the age of eight, Camilla Pang struggled to understand the world around her. Desperate for a solution, she asked her mother if there was an instruction manual for humans that she could consult. With no blueprint to life, Pang began to create her own, using the language she understands best: Science. That lifelong project eventually resulted in An Outsider's Guide to Humans, an original and incisive exploration of human nature and the strangeness of social norms, written from the outside looking in.

Misfit, truant, delinquent. John Robison was never a model child, and he wasn’t a model dad either. Diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at the age of 40, he approached fatherhood as a series of logic puzzles and practical jokes. When his son, Cubby, asked, “Where did I come from?” John said he’d bought him at the Kid Store and that the salesman had cheated him by promising Cubby would “do all chores”. He read electrical engineering manuals to Cubby at bedtime.

In this exciting companion to Ellen Notbohm’s beloved classic Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew, the unique perspective of an autistic child’s voice returns to describe for teachers, in the classroom and in the larger community, how to understand thinking and processing patterns common in autism, how to shape an environment conducive to their learning style, and how to communicate with autistic learners of all ages in functional, meaningful ways.

It seemed to me that many of the moments when my autism had caused problems, or at least marked me out as different, were those moments when I had come up against some unspoken law about how a girl or a woman should be, and failed to meet it. An autism diagnosis in midlife enabled Joanne Limburg to finally make sense of why her emotional expression, social discomfort and presentation had always marked her as an outsider.

If you are tired of having to deal with brain fogs, creative blocks, panic attacks, as well as other mental disorders, if you're sick of struggling with chronic illnesses with seemingly no end in sight, then you've come to the right place. Since the discovery of the polyvagal theory by Dr. Stephen Porges, the scientific community have been astonished at the vast potential of the vagus nerve. In this guide, Dorian Franklin hands you the blueprint to applying this amazing discovery to improve the quality of your own life.

We all know the autistic genius stereotypes. The absentminded professor with untied shoelaces. The geeky Silicon Valley programmer who writes bulletproof code but can't get a date. But there is another set of (tiny) geniuses whom you would never add to those ranks - child prodigies. We mostly know them as the chatty and charming tykes who liven up day­time TV with violin solos and engaging banter. These kids aren't autistic, and there has never been any kind of scientific connection between autism and prodigy. Until now.

Our limited and often biased view of what’s considered “normal” often prevents us from recognizing the gifts and brilliance of those who don’t fit a specific mold. Too often we don’t explore and take advantage of the far-reaching gifts and potential of those diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum or neurodiverse. Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel has had vast experience researching Autism Spectrum Disorders—ASD—and working with autistic people of all ages. She has repeatedly witnessed firsthand evidence of great intelligence that hasn’t yet been nurtured or realized.

In How to Find a Four-Leaf Clover, Jodi Rodgers gives us inspiring, heartwarming stories from her years of experience as a teacher and counselor supporting autistic people. While acknowledging our differences, these stories invite us to expand our empathy and compassion for the neurodivergent people in our lives.

In 1997, writer Patricia Stacey and her husband Cliff learned that their six-month-old son Walker might never walk or talk, or even hear or see. Unwilling to accept this grim prediction, they embarked on a five-year odyssey that took them into alternative medicine, the newest brain research, and toward a new and innovative understanding of autism. Finally their search led them to pioneering developmental psychiatrist Stanley Greenspan who helped them save their son and bring him into full contact with the world.

Essentials of Autism Spectrum Disorders Evaluation and Assessment, 2nd Edition, helps professionals learn how to identify, assess, and diagnose autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In a time when detection and awareness of ASD are on the rise, this book addresses the primary domains of assessment, discusses the purpose of assessment, suggests test instruments, and identifies the unique clinical applications of each instrument to the diagnosis of ASD.

At least one in seven people are thought to be neurodivergent. So what exactly is neurodiversity? What does 'executive functioning' mean? What are 'spiky profiles'? In this simple guide, expert speaker and trainer Daniel Aherne provides a clear introduction to neurodiversity and the four most common neurodivergent identities of autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia. Using an analogy of a cactus needing a desert to grow in, he emphasises the importance of getting the environment right for neurodivergent people, rather than expecting them to adapt to the neurotypical world.

There are thousands of books on autism. Some books advocate new methods of teaching styles. Some talk about alternative medications that have worked miracles. This book does not make such claims. What this book conveys is that every family who has a child with autism has to figure out a coping system that works for their child with autism and for themselves. This is our journey to that place of facilitation and happiness.

Stemming from a wealth of both professional and personal experience, this guidebook combines real-life stories of challenges and successes with practical ideas for handling autism, every day. Autism consultant Alyson Beytien outlines over 150 tried-and-true techniques for home, school, and community. Alyson's three boys cover the whole spectrum of autism, Asperger's syndrome, high-functioning autism, and classic autism.

Dr. Joseph Jordan offers a thorough investigation into the complicated world of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in 39 Common Traits of People with Asperger's Syndrome, High Functioning Autism, and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dr. Jordan expertly goes into the many components of ASD, giving listeners a clearer grasp of the characteristics that make up this spectrum by utilizing both his vast clinical experience with neurodiverse people and his profound professional competence in psychology.

Embracing the Wide Sky is a unique and brilliantly imaginative portrait of how we think, learn, remember and create, brimming with personal insights and anecdotes, and explanations of the most up-to-date, mind-bending discoveries from fields ranging from neuroscience to psychology and linguistics. This is a profound and provocative book that will transform our understanding and respect for every kind of mind.

Whether you’ve just been diagnosed as a young child OR an adult, facing the challenges autism presents can be very overwhelming. Maybe you went into a mode of ‘masking’ to present yourself as neurotypical, or maybe that wasn’t an option for you. Either way, it's likely your mental health has been damaged along the way. Hiding your true self will take a burden on you in numerous ways, but it no longer has to be like that.

This complete mental health training for psychiatric disorders course is ideal for anyone looking to deepen their knowledge of mental health disorders, their triggers, causes, and symptoms. It provides in-depth understanding of a range of common mental health conditions and their characteristics, with guidance on how to manage them.

In One in 36: A Full Spectrum Approach to Autism, Dr. Sukhadia conveys clear evidence-based treatments for children with Autism. What is evidence-based? Evidence-based is applying up-to-date and current scientific information in medical practice. Additionally, in every chapter, Dr Sukhadia shares ancient practices from India which she has seen complement each of the evidence-based therapies offered by modern science. The material can be useful to individuals of all countries and offers hope for more children with Autism to outgrow their diagnosis.

Neurodiversity is the fact that neurological differences like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, etc., are natural human variations that have real benefits. The neurodiversity movement which values such human differences that were traditionally pathologized is gaining speed. Co-author Barb is a non-verbal autistic who is disguised as a poor thinker, because her body does not reliably respond to what her brilliant mind tells it. She needs round-the-clock assistance to help her do basic things, so people make all kinds of assumptions about her intelligence.