Asperger's Answer Book: The Top 275 Questions Parents Ask [Paperback]

Susan Ashley PhD (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2006

It is currently estimated that over 500,000 families struggle with Asperger's Syndrome, a highly prevalent yet difficult to diagnose disorder that affects hundreds of thousands of children and adults.

In a time when parents are overwhelmed with confusing-and often conflicting-information, The Asperger's Answer Book provides them with clear and confident counsel. Written by an experienced child psychologist, The Asperger's Answer Book covers such topics as:

--Is it autism or is it Asperger's?
--Getting your child evaluated
--Emotional intelligence
--Routines and rituals
--Motor skills
--Sensory sensitivity
--Growing up with Asperger's Syndrome

Written in an easy-to-read Q&A format, The Asperger's Answer Book helps parents understand and accept their child's illness and develop a plan for success.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Susan Ashley, Ph.D., author of The ADD & ADHD Answer Book, is the founder and director of Ashley Children's Psychology Center and has been specializing in ADD and ADHD since 1990. A graduate of UCLA and California School of Professional Psychology, she has over 20 years of education, training and experience working with children and families.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

What is Asperger's Disorder?
Asperger's Disorder, which will be referred to as AD throughout this book, is considered a pervasive developmental disorder. This means it causes significant problems in many areas of the child's development, including socialization, communication, behavior, thinking, and activities.
Children, teens, and adults who have AD have significant problems with:

1. Socializing with others
2. Thinking
3. Emotions
4. Intense preoccupation with one or two topics
5. Repetitive routines, behaviors, and movements
6. Play
7. Speech and language
8. Motor skills
9. Sensitivity to sensations of sound, light, or touch

Individuals with AD are different from people with other pervasive developmental disorders in that they do not have significant delays in language, cognitive development, or self-help skills.
Symptoms of AD are seen in every setting, including at home, in the classroom, on the playground, and in after-school and extracurricular activities. Virtually every area of the AD child's life is affected.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.; 1 edition (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402208073
• ISBN-13: 978-1402208072
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #75,951 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Susan Ashley is the founder and director of Ashley Children's Psychology Center. A graduate of UCLA and California School of Professional Psychology, she has over 20 years of education, training and experience working with children and families. She is well known in southern California for her successful treatment of children and teens with AD/HD.

In addition to her child psychology practice, Dr. Ashley also specializes in criminal forensics. She has served as an expert witness in many homicide and molest offense cases, evaluating the criminally insane, incompentent and mentally ill offender. She is a court appointed expert witness and a consultant for the District Attorney's office.

She is frequently called upon to provide expert consultation to the courts, lawyers, teachers, schools, businesses, psychiatrists and psychologists.

She is a member of California Psychological Association, Ventura County Psychological Association and a professional member of CHADD.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aperger's Answers, September 7, 2009

By 

Susan M. Bellairs "Simply Susie" (MI, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Asperger's Answer Book: The Top 275 Questions Parents Ask (Paperback)

I have purchased many of these books. I keep them on hand to give to teachers, coaches, etc to help those working with my grandson to understand him. This book can bring a positive change in attitude which helps both adults and kids succeed.
We all have to help educate those unfamiliar with this spectrum disorder in order for those working with and around our children to make things better -- not worse for them. This book makes is the best I have found.
This book is in layman's terms so everyone can understand. It deals with many issues thru childhood to teens. It tells you what type of behavior you might expect and why. For me -- it is a woderful helping tool.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource for parents of AD kids of all ages, August 16, 2009

By 

Terry Elliott "Involved grandparent" (Lakeville, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Asperger's Answer Book: The Top 275 Questions Parents Ask (Paperback)

The characterizations of symptoms and behaviors are clear and straightforward, with specific reference to variations for young children, mid-year children, and teens. Most important, in nearly every case the author presents helps, aids, resources, and coaching to help the parent stabilize the situation and improve the child's behavior and happiness over time. She'll actually tell you where you'll have little chance for immediate success and where there is a good chance for improvement. She'll put the words in your mouth ("In this case, use phrases like 'That's OK, just keep going,' or 'We can finish it later, no problem.'").

I have taken her excellent chapter on Thinking Problems and summarized it in a chart for constant reference. Her definition of the many sources and types of professional resources is invaluable.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Asperger's Answer Book, April 9, 2009

By 

Angela (THOUSAND OAKS, US, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Asperger's Answer Book: The Top 275 Questions Parents Ask (Paperback)

Although not having a child with Asperger's Syndrome, but having friends who have, I have always searched for a resource that would help me better understand Asperger's, not just to understand the children better, but to hopefully also be able to be of support of their parents. The Asperger's Answer Book is just the ticket; it is written in clear language offering great tools for anyone to understand the scope of Asperger's and all that is involved. The book has taught me to recognize even characteristics and personality traits that I never could have fathomed being a part of Asperger's. The Asperger's Answer Book truly is more than just a book of "answers," the insights offered are invaluable, plus it is one to fall back upon over and over again when situations dealing with Asperger's raise doubts and questions. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.