 Act Early Against Autism: Give Your Child a Fighting Chance from the Start is about how to recover from the blow of the diagnosis, implement an intensive early intervention plan and find your voice as an advocate for your child. With all the professionals you will consult, the fundamental therapeutic direction you take for your child is up to you. You are the supervisor, the case manager, the underwriter, the decision-maker.
This practical and empowering guide for parents is not a memoir but blends my story with action-oriented advice, revealing the importance of early intervention, including information on:
- Recognizing the earliest and more subtle warning signs;
- Consulting with multiple experts—and trusting your instincts;
- Facing the emotional and financial challenges for the whole family;
- Tackling legal issues within school districts and holding your ground; and
- Finding the best therapies for your child, including exploring alternative treatments
Throughout this book, I trace the arc of my journey—the four worst years of my life—when my younger son, Leo, began to show unexplainable behavior after his first birthday and subsequently was diagnosed with autism, a vexing brain disorder.
In addition to my story, the Practical Advice sections in each chapter direct you to action-oriented advice that focuses on essential information. These sections cut through the clutter of information and offer guideposts to understanding more about autism spectrum disorders, federal special education law, early intervention and treatment options. The intent is to tell you what this information means rather than dryly recite the facts.
The Practical Advice sections also include boxes labeled FAST FACT to emphasize a point, and Inform Yourself, which takes advantage of a technology that has revolutionized the way we communicate—the Internet. I don’t know how I would have learned what I did if it were not for the power of the search engines. Inform Yourself targets online resources and decodes the language of professionals to enrich your understanding of the many complicated topics you will come across.
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