When Sally Kirk's son, Will, was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), she did everything she could to understand his condition and to find ways of improving his quality of life. In this book, Sally shares the story of her journey with Will and how her discovery of biomedical interventions significantly improved his behaviour and changed their lives for the better. Based on personal experience and extensive biomedical research, the book shows how important it is to understand both the child's mind and body, and explores how, when underlying physical problems are treated, brain function and troublesome behaviors often improve. It describes in depth the most common physical problems for those on the autism spectrum and the variety of treatments available such as minimizing exposure to heavy metals and toxins, alterations in diet, and use of vaccinations. This positive, practical book tells a personal story of hope and provides a wealth of essential information on biomedical interventions for parents of children on the autism spectrum. It will also be a useful resource for therapists, medical professionals and adults with autism-spectrum diagnoses.

The relationship between autism and PTSD has historically been neglected in research and understanding but impacts the lives of many. Autistic people are intrinsically vulnerable to traumatic social situations and relationships, which can later manifest as PTSD. Navigating situations where one feels entirely at odds can lead seemingly commonplace events to be processed as traumatic experiences. In this unique collaboration, Lisa Morgan and Mary Donahue explore PTSD in autistic adults as patient and practitioner. Lisa shares her personal experiences as an autistic adult, reflecting on emotionally traumatic events and their effect on her daily life. Mary examines the challenges surrounding diagnosis, reworking and developing communication and clarifying the symptoms of PTSD within the autistic population. Combining lived experience with professional expertise, this clear and accessible guide will provide a better understanding of autism and PTSD, providing support and direction to autistic adults processing trauma and those involved in their care.

Autism is an emerging area of basic and clinical research, and has only recently been recognized as a major topic in biomedical research. Approximately 1 in 150 children are diagnosed as autistic, so it is also an intense growth area in behavioral and educational treatments. Financial resources have begun to be raised for more comprehensive research and an increasing number of scientists are becoming involved in autism research. In many respects, autism has become a model for conducting translational research on a psychiatric disorder. This text provides a comprehensive summary of all current knowledge related to the behavioral, experiential, and biomedical features of the autism spectrum disorders including major behavioral and cognitive syndromology, common co-morbid conditions, neuropathology, neuroimmunology, and other neurological correlates such as seizures, allergy and immunology, gastroenterology, infectious disease, and epidemiology. Edited by three leading researchers, this volume contains over 80 chapters and nine shorter commentaries by thought leaders in the field, making the book a virtual "who's who" of autism research. This carefully developed book is a comprehensive and authoritative reference for what we know in this area as well as a guidepost for the next several years in all areas of autism research.

This guide walks you through the entire journey of securing appropriate educational provision for a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The author explains the implications of having, or not having, a diagnosis; how to obtain a Statement of SEN; how to find and secure an appropriate school; and how to work effectively with outside agencies.

Michael R. Emlet offers a basic framework for helping and supporting members of the ASD community by applying the truth of Scripture and gaining a better understanding of current medical research.

This book will support researchers in the field of education disability by outlining inclusive research approaches and their challenges, outcomes, and impact. Each chapter reports on school/university-based research supporting inclusion for young people on the autism spectrum. This research has been developed in Australian schools with students, families, teachers, and specialists. The intent of this approach is to mobilise new knowledge to the benefit of all students, including students on the autism spectrum, their families, teachers, and school communities. This book showcases how research can be more inclusive with a move to collaborative, participatory, and co-produced research that will impact on young people, families, and educators. The authors highlight the complex challenges and the positive outcomes of conducting research in inclusive ways and provide detailed practical strategies for researchers. Inclusive education is socially, emotionally, and academically beneficial for all students and positively impacts on respectful attitudes to difference. This book provides a groundbreaking approach to research that by design is inclusive and therefore provides an invaluable opportunity for building the foundations of an inclusive society for all. This book will be invaluable to researchers, educators, and professional learning in schools.

The difference that being female makes to the diagnosis, life and experiences of an autistic person is hugely significant. In this widely expanded second edition, Sarah Hendrickx combines the latest research with personal stories from girls and women on the autism spectrum to present a picture of their feelings, thoughts and experiences at each stage of their lives. Outlining the likely impact will be for autistic women and girls throughout their lifespan, Hendrickx surveys everything from diagnosis, childhood, education, adolescence, friendships and sexuality, to employment, pregnancy, parenting, and aging. With up-to-date content on masking, diagnosis later in life, and a new focus on trans and non-binary voices, as well as a deeper dive into specific health and wellbeing implications including menopause, PCOS, Hypermobility/Ehlers-Danlos, autistic burnout, and alexithymia, this is an invaluable companion for professionals, as well as a guiding light for autistic women to understand and interpret their own experience in context.

Almost 80% of autistic people have a co-occurring mental health condition, and this powerful book puts their voices front and centre, showcasing the human experience beyond the medicalised language and diagnoses. This poignant essay collection shines a light on voices that often go unheard in our society. Covering a range of experiences from multiple ages, genders and backgrounds, discussions include trauma, relationships, masking, healthcare, intersectionality and more. The essays are structured along the topics of hurt (personal experiences and how they shaped the contributor), help (the tools and tips which have helped on their personal journeys), and hope (looking forward to the future). At times touching, humorous, and also enraging, this book offers a frank and honest depiction of the challenges autistic people face and the knock-on effect on their mental health. A challenge to change how our society treats and values one another.

This book is essential for anyone interested in learning about the therapeutic potential of orthodox and state-of-the-art supports for autistics. Using research evidence, supports are rated using a Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Tin category system. ‘Gold’ is extremely promising and use with confidence, whereas ‘Tin’ is extremely unsafe and potentially life threatening. This book, however, is more complex than just presenting literature reviews about supports for autistics and then rating the efficacy of the support. In addition to this, the insights and experiences of autistics about the autism supports examined are presented. Such testimonials provide an insider perspective from those who ultimately stand to benefit or suffer after receiving a support – namely autistics themselves.

In a world that often questions the value of libraries and librarianship, this collection of reflective essays and future-focused research emphasizes the ways in which being an information professional continues to be a rewarding and vital profession.