Wrightslaw - The Special Ed Advocate Newsletter, August 10, 1999

1. Background Of The Debate: Dr. Laura & Denise

On July 29, 1999, DR. LAURA talked to DENISE, the mom of an autistic boy. Her advice to Denise generated a firestorm of controversy. Parents of autistic children debated Dr. Laura’s advice. Tempers ran high.

You have a ringside seat for the debate.

Parents of disabled children know that there are no easy answer to the questions raised in this discussion between Dr. Laura and Denise. It is our belief that these questions need to be discussed. The answers will be different for different families, depending on their resources and circumstances.

2. "Dr. Laura Advises Mom To Dump Her Autistic Child" (FEAT Newsletter, July 29, 1999)

On July 29, 1999, FEAT sent out a newsletter advising their subscribers about that day’s episode of the DR. LAURA show.

Denise, mom of a young autistic child, called for advice about a family party. The party was to be held at a upscale restaurant. Denise said that her son was going through a tough period. She felt torn about her responsibilities for her son and issues with her family of origin.

To read a transcript of Dr. Laura’s advice to Denise

3. "I Am The Mom" (FEAT Newsletter, July 30,1999)

On July 30, 1999, FEAT sent out a newsletter which included a letter from Denise. Denise discussed the issues and her beliefs about her son and the other members of her family.

Read Denise’s letter

4. Letter to Dr. Laura From Joan Davin

SUBJECT: SCIENTIFIC TREATMENTS FOR AUTISM (August 2, 1999)

On August 2, 1999, Joan Davin, Executive Director of The Association for Science in Autism Treatment, sent a letter to Dr. Laura. In her letter, she discusses treatment options for autistic children. Her letter ends with a comprehensive biography of resources about the treatment of autistic children.

Read Joan’s letter

5. Autism: Book Recommendations

You will find several good books about autism in the Advocate’s Bookstore.

LET ME HEAR YOUR VOICE by Catherine Maurice.

"Let Me Hear Your Voice is the story of a mother's trials and triumph. Faced with losing her daughter, Maurice did what I imagine we all hope we can do when tragedy moves from nightmare to reality. She denied, cried, raged, read and finally took action.

Then, when the worst was over, she made sense of an awful experience by writing about it so that others could understand . . .

"In Let Me Hear Your Voice: A Family's Triumph Over Autism, the process of recovery is a sort of miracle, but documented, witnessed. One that can be duplicated. One that offers hope, not to all, but to some. And that is the best miracle of all." – The Women's Review of Books

"A universal tale of hope, dogged parental love, hard work, and ultimate triumph." - The Boston Globe.

Click here for the link to LET ME HEAR YOUR VOICE

Behavorial Intervention for Young Children with Autism: A Manual for Parents and Professionals by Catherine Maurice, Gina Green, Stephen C. Luce, Editors.

What is ABA or Lovaas therapy? How does it work?

In this book, you'll learn about forms of treatment for autism, what to teach, how to teach, and who should teach. Also includes information about how to work with school systems and the need to work with a speech-language pathologist. How to organize and fund an ABA program. FAQs. Case histories.

"This is the only treatment backed up with empirical research data known to "recover" 47% of these children. It is a credible and effective treatment option that we experienced with success. If this is the only book you read about autism, you're on the right track. There is hope for these children and this book shows how."

"I'd recommend that this be the second book read by parents who are looking at a diagnosis of autism or PDD . . . The first should be LET ME HEAR YOUR VOICE."

For a link, go to the Education shelves of the Bookstore

THINKING IN PICTURES by Temple Grandin with Oliver Sacks.

"In this unprecedented book, Temple Grandin, gifted animal scientist who is also autistic, writes about autism from her unique personal perspective. "

"Temple Grandin shares with the reader the workings of her mind and the life she has built. Thinking in Pictures is a good reference to the types autism and treatments being used successfully today."

CHANGED BY A CHILD: COMPANION NOTES FOR PARENTS OF A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY by Barbara Gill.

In Changed by a Child, Barbara Gill provides brief meditations and passages about the challenges, grief, faith, hope, and other feelings and experiences of parents who have a disabled child. Gill's son has Down syndrome, and she writes with the authority and credibility of a parent who has been through it herself.

Temple Grandin, a woman with autism and the author of THINKING IN PICTURES, writes, "I wish my mother had had this book when I was a child. If she had read this book she would have realized that she was not alone."

Click here for more information about Thinking in Pictures and Changed By a Child

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