Synopsis

Growing up isn't easy, and the trials and tribulations of being a teenager can be particularly confusing for girls with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). This book covers all the concerns commonly faced by girls with ASDs and their parents, from periods and puberty to worries over friendships and "fitting in".

Taking a good look at these adolescent issues, and many more, within the context of specific areas of difficulty for girls with ASDs, the authors provide families with the knowledge and advice they need to help their daughters—and the whole family—through the teenage years. This book addresses core issues such as cognition, communication, behavior, sensory sensitivities, and social difficulties; it gives candid and realistic advice on a wide range of important teenage topics.

Providing professional perspectives alongside personal experiences from mothers, daughters and educators, this is a unique and indispensible guide for families and their daughters with ASDs, as well as the teachers and professionals who work with them.

Biography

Shana Nichols, PhD, is Clinical Director of the Fay J. Lindner Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders affiliated with AHRC Nassau, and the North Shore—LIJ Health System on Long Island, New York. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and has worked in the areas of assessment, treatment, and research related to autism spectrum and other developmental disorders for over ten years. Gina Marie Moravcik, MA, CCC-SLP, is Coordinator of Education and Speech Language Services at the Fay J. Lindner Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders. She is a speech and language pathologist specializing in social communication and autism spectrum disorders. She is Adjunct Professor and Clinical Supervisor in the Speech Pathology program, St. John's University, USA, and also runs a private speech-language therapy practice. Samara Pulver Tetenbaum, MA, is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. She has been working in the field of autism and related developmental disabilities for the past five years and is currently employed as an applied behavior specialist at the Fay J. Lindner Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders.