Growing Up on the Spectrum: A Guide to Life, Love, and Learning for Teens and Young Adults with Autism and Asperger's by Lynn Kern Koegel, Claire LaZebnik

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Synopsis

The first comprehensive guide to helping teens with autism

Adolescence is a fraught time for any child. But what if your child is among the more than half million currently estimated to fall on the autistic spectrum? The toddlers diagnosed during the first wave of this epidemic are growing up, and there is alarmingly little information available on how to guide them to independent and successful adulthood.

At the renowned Koegel Autism Research Center in Santa Barbara, Lynn Koegel regularly helps parents tackle these issues every day. Like the acclaimed Overcoming Autism, Growing Up on the Spectrum integrates Koegel's strategies and interventions with the questions and concerns of Claire LaZebnik, a writer and the parent of a teenager with autism. Additional pieces by LaZebnik's sixteen-year-old son Andrew offer a unique first-person perspective.

Addressing universal parental concerns, from first crushes, a changing body, and the challenges of being socially appropriate to how to succeed at college and beyond, this inspiring volume is the beacon of hope and wisdom that parents, therapists, and educators have been waiting for.

Publishers Weekly

Autism is now the most commonly diagnosed developmental disability, with one in 150 children falling somewhere within the "spectrum." Koegel, a psychologist and LaZebnik, the mother of an autistic son, follow up Overcoming Autism with an expert-cum-parent perspective plus the contribution (and pencil drawings) of LaZebnik's 15-year-old son, Andrew. The first of six sections reviews terms, techniques and interventions essential to understanding and managing life with autism. The following sections focus on making and keeping friendships; dating, sex and romance; successful school experience; life beyond high school and college; and improving daily life. Each chapter features real-life narratives from the LaZebniks and Koegel; lists of practices and prompts; FAQs; anecdotes about kids and issues like distinguishing between private and public behavior or how parents can supervise from a distance; a "making it work for your kid" section; and sample dialogues for teaching and communication. Some of the suggestions, for example, for dealing with bullies, carrying on a meaningful conversation and developing good manners, are so good they ought to be taught to every middle and high schooler, autistic or not. This book shows parents how their autistic kids can function and thrive with dignity, self-respect and autonomy, something many parents never believed possible. (Mar.)

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Biography

Lynn Kern Koegel, PhD, cofounded and is a clinical supervisor at the renowned Autism Research Center at UC Santa Barbara.

Claire LaZebnik is a writer with four children, one of whom has autism.