4 Books By Parents of Kids on the Autism Spectrum (Slideshow)

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Ever since my now-teenage son, Charlie was diagnosed with autism shortly after his second birthday in 1999, I have been thinking about writing a book about my husband Jim Fisher‘s and my life raising our boy. I started blogging about our “autism reality show” in June of 2005 with the hope that my accounts of our daily life with Charlie would be the foundation for such a book.

Nearly seven years later, I’ve blogged almost every day about our adventures with Charlie but I’m no longer sure about writing a book, or at least right now. Writing on a blog now called We Go With Him — originally it was titled My Son Has Autism and then Autismland — has led me to think that, for now, a daily online journal of our life with a teenage son on the moderate to severe end of the autism spectrum best represents his story. We’ve no idea what might happen in the long run or even every day: Life raising a son like Charlie is all about being ready for the unexpected, be it catastrophes or triumphs. What I’ve learned from seven years of blogging as the mother of an autistic son is, I just don’t yet know how to select from all of our experiences and put them between two covers.

April is Autism Awareness and Autism Acceptance Month. The former notion of “autism awareness” has existed for some time; the latter call for “autism acceptance,” for not seeking to cure or eliminate autism but to accept individuals with an autism spectrum diagnosis in their different ways of being and thinking — in their neurodiversity — is a different and important way of thinking about how to foster understanding about autistic persons and autism.

To start the month, here are four books about autism that I have read in the past year. The books I’m writing about are by parents of autistic children like myself. I have been fortunate to have met or been in contact with all of the authors, thanks in no small part to the internet which has been crucial in helping Jim and me to connect with a community of others with similar experiences to our own.

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Photo of some of the author's books about autism.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Kathy P.

6:07PM PDT on Jun 25, 2012

thanks

June 25
send a green star

marc h.

6:02AM PDT on Apr 16, 2012

thanks for the info

April 16
send a green star

Tim C.

3:56PM PDT on Apr 4, 2012

April 4
send a green star

Marilyn L.

11:59AM PDT on Apr 3, 2012

Thanks

April 3
send a green star

Myriam G.

10:10AM PDT on Apr 3, 2012

Thank you Kristina!
I didn't know about the book by Cohen and the one by Osteen. I'll make sure I read them. The passage where Osteen and his wife giving the kid a paper shredder as a gift was so endearing to me: I once gave my son a hamper for his birthday, because that's what he asked for!
Celebrate neurodiversity!

Gary A.

8:45AM PDT on Apr 3, 2012

,,,and then, there's this...about how SOME children with autism are "late bloomers"...very encouraging...

http://www.livescience.com/19415-severe-autism-progress-bloom.html?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=LS_04022012

Amanda W.

8:25PM PDT on Apr 2, 2012

I totally agree Robyn. The Dog In the night time was the book that changed how I saw my son and his world. :-)

April 2
send a green star

Robyn B.

4:04PM PDT on Apr 2, 2012

One of the best books about Autisim is The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nightime. A brilliant look at Aspergers and Autisim.

Dresia V.

2:53PM PDT on Apr 2, 2012

2nd half of my message.

Parents teach your children about people living with disabilities and teach them to not be afraid of them because they are the most humble group of people you can meet. I love going with my sister to Milton Lodge and working with people like her. I have learned one valuable lesson from working with people living with disabilities, if I learn not to pay attention to the fools that stare at them, laugh at them, and move away from them, I would not notice it. So, I want to say, thank you my special and wonderful group of autistic adults I help out with. I love them very much and always will.

I have a sister who lives with autism. What burns the hell up out of me is, when adults, grown adults, mock, laugh at them, or make fun of them, and may I add, stare at them very rudely. I am my sister’s caretaker when she goes on her 7 day vacations trips with other autistic adults like herself and let me tell you, I enjoy working with these special and kind and humble group of people who just like man’s best friend, (dog) will love you unconditionally. People need to learn, not to stare at them when they are on field trips to the malls, beaches, restaurants because they have feelings and they know when they are being stared at, mocked and made fun of. Teach your children, there are people with disabilities they were born with and cannot help. Don’t make fun of them or say mean things to them because they are people too. I can understand children, not understanding the difference in the normal verses autistic person, but an adult, shame on you, those who treat them this way. People don’t realize, when you mistreat people living with disabilities and make fun of them that could be you one day from a freakish accident so you better be very careful how you treat them.