Start reading Autism By Hand on your Kindle in under a minute. Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.

Deliver to your Kindle or other device

 
 
 

Try it free

Sample the beginning of this book for free

Deliver to your Kindle or other device

Read books on your computer or other mobile devices with our FREE Kindle Reading Apps.
Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Color:
Image not available

To view this video download Flash Player

 

Autism By Hand [Kindle Edition]

Lorca Damon
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)

Digital List Price: $2.99 What's this?
Print List Price: $8.99
Kindle Purchase Price: $2.99
Prime Members: $0.00 (borrow for free from your Kindle) Prime Eligible
When Purchased, You Save: $6.00 (67%)

  • Includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet

For Kindle Device Owners

Borrow this book for free on a Kindle device with Amazon Prime. Buy a Kindle today and start your Amazon Prime free trial to borrow this book at no cost.

With Prime, Kindle owners can choose from over 300,000 titles to borrow for free – including all seven Harry Potter books and more than 100 current and former New York Times best sellers. Borrow a book as frequently as once per month, with no due dates. Learn more about Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition $2.99  
Paperback $8.09  

Book Description

"I never wanted to write this book. I can’t write this book, it hurts too much. But I have to because this book wasn’t there when I needed it. It’s not a human-interest story or a self-help book or an instruction manual on how to raise an autistic child. It’s simply a well-thought out laundry list of everything I did to help my daughter be the best person she could become and I did it in the dark because this book wasn’t there for me." from the Introduction

Be sure to check out the author's follow-up to this title: Knowing Autism. Written as a chapter-by-chapter guidebook for anyone who simply knows an individual on the spectrum, Knowing Autism equips people to be ready to interact with an autistic person based on the type of relationship they will have with that person, such as a relative, a neighbor, a teacher, and more.


Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lorca Damon is an author, teacher, and mother of an autistic child. She teaches in a juvenile correctional facility.

Product Details

  • File Size: 173 KB
  • Print Length: 103 pages
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B005H7UE5C
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Not Enabled
  • Lending: Enabled
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #59,475 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • Would you like to give feedback on images?

Customer Reviews

It really helped me to know that someone else feels the same way I do. eviejune 01  |  9 reviewers made a similar statement
This book was very informative. Mary Blankenship  |  11 reviewers made a similar statement
I read over half the book at one sitting, unable to put it down. Maxwell Cynn  |  3 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 24 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring and real August 30, 2011
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'm not a mother. I'm the father of two wonderfully "normal" young men. I cannot begin to imagine what the mother of an autistic child, or any special needs child, endures 24/7/365 for life. But I am eternally grateful to Lorca Damon for sharing her life. Autism By Hand offers an honest, sometimes harsh, look at how one mother learned to care for her autistic child. The author warns her readers there will be no sugar coating, just real and raw strategies that work with her daughter.

The author likens her role to being on the edge of a cliff, holding tight to her daughters hand as the child hangs precariously over the abyss. There is no time for sugar coating or self pity, only positive action. She offers that positive action in a beautifully written narrative that inspires both laughter and tears. I read over half the book at one sitting, unable to put it down.

Though the book is written as a guide to mothers of autistic children, or any caregiver for that matter, it is a wealth of knowledge for any parent. I recognized many of the same struggles we had with our own children, yet multiplied a hundred fold. Where the parent of a developmentally "normal" child may struggle across a hurdle once, or over the course of days or weeks, the struggles continue for years or even a lifetime for the autistic parent and child. The most mundane social skills that our children learned by simply being kids are major milestones to be overcome day after day.

I couldn't help but fall in love with Carrie, the author's autistic daughter, through the selfless unconditional love her mother reveals in every line of Autism by Hand. I was introduced to the most beautiful, sweet, funny, and gifted little girl I can imagine. And I learned a little about the author - an amazing woman who seems too busy raising two girls to take herself very seriously. Her self-depreciating humor and wit make Autism by Hand a delightful read even given the tragic nature of its subject. Carrie could not have been given a better hand to hold through her life in our strange world.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read October 30, 2011
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
The Saturday before my birthday, I spent lying on my sofa reading, Autism by the Hand by Lorca Damon. Since honestly is an important component of it the follow needs to be stated before I go any further: this review is going to be completely and totally biased. I am the sister and extremely proud auntie of people living on the spectrum.

Like the author of this book, I have read a lot on autism that left me with way too much technical information and not enough practical advice. Like the author, I am also an educator. Theories are great, but give me something I can use in my classroom or with my family. Something that you have tried and seen results from. It may not work for me, but it certainly feels a lot better than taking blind stabs in the dark. Or worse, reinventing the wheel, only to discover that someone else did it better.

Since I began teaching, I have always worked with at risk populations. My first job was in a mental hospital educating sexual abuse victims. While there, I knew more than a few kids who would have benefited from their caretakers reading this book. Not because they were necessarily on spectrum, but because the advice it offers cuts through the BS of their labels and seeks ways to help them deal with the world. A world that isn't going to understand them not matter how much education we shove down its throat.

One of my favorite parts of this book was when Damon described her daughter getting upset when she share her Autism diagnosis with women in a store to explain the child's actions. Often times, we use the label of Autism as an excuse as to why someone with it can't do this or that, but how often do we consider that they may not want the world to know. Maybe the world doesn't need to know.

Damon is unapologetic about her approach. You might not like her, you might hate her, but you should listen to her. Listen and learn, because this woman is telling you things that worked with her child and they might work with yours. They are at least worth a try.

The best thing about this book is the attitude that Damon promotes and honesty with which she presents every word. We need more people out there saying get over it and stop the pity party. Once you do that, you can really start to make a difference in your life and the quality of life of your child. I truly wish this book had been out when we first learn of my nephew's diagnosis. I think it would have helped our family get over ourselves and concentrate on what really mattered, Robbie's mental health and well-being.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and kind of comforting October 24, 2011
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Recently, one of my dear friends revealed that her two year old son had been diagnosed with autism. I had heard all the horror stories about vaccinations (total bunk) and seen the statistics that say autism is on the rise, but until then, it felt like a distant threat. My own son, barely a year old, is a shining, beautiful baby-- I couldn't imagine anything being wrong with him. But my friend's two year old is a shining, beautiful child, too. Suddenly the danger seemed too real.

I became worried. What would I do if my son received the same diagnosis?

This book was a comfort. The author lets us see what day-to-day life is like as a parent to a child with autism. She doesn't make any bones about how difficult it is, but at the same time, you can tell she loves her daughter so much. This isn't some "autistic kid" she's raising. This is Carrie, her daughter and a human being-- not a label. I hope my son will be "normal." (Who wouldn't?) But I know life won't end if that turns out not to happen, too.

With helpful techniques and brutal honesty, Lorca Damon has written a must-read memoir of her journey through parenthood that anybody will find intriguing, heart-breaking, and sweet. Highly recommended.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars must ready
This is a hands on a book that will also help disability support workers to set goals for their clients.
Published 7 days ago by Shirley Morton
5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful book.
Realistic view of the family life dealing with autism. It really helped me to know that someone else feels the same way I do.
Published 10 days ago by eviejune 01
3.0 out of 5 stars Harsh, but a valuable perspective
Autism by Hand, written by Lorca Damon, provides an interesting perspective from the mother of an autistic child. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Paul Brodie
1.0 out of 5 stars Inaccurate & misleading
The book can be associated with the experiences of a parent, however it cannot and should not be treated as a guideline for assistive ratification of the issues related to autism.
Published 27 days ago by Sachin prakash
5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting!
I really enjoyed this book because it covered so many areas of concern. I would recommend it to anyone that deals with a child that has autism. Read more
Published 1 month ago by jennifer fontenot
4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful and real
This is a very real story that will touch your heart and at the same time will make you think about your own situation. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Rocio
4.0 out of 5 stars Honest
This book is honest and the author is sincere. This book is geared more towards people with an open mind. If you are close minded and only see in black and white don't bother.
Published 2 months ago by Lindsay
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read...
As the grandparent of two autistic children, I found this book very helpful in many ways. It increased my understanding of how the autistic child perceives our world; it offered... Read more
Published 2 months ago by P. Finch
5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful
I suggest everyone read this book. Whether you know a child with Autism or not, it is a helpful book
Published 2 months ago by Jamie
4.0 out of 5 stars What a parent should read if they have an autistic child.
I really appreciated this book because I'm an educator who comes I'm contact with so many behaviors and personalties. Read more
Published 2 months ago by launicaliz
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

More About the Author

Lorca Damon is a teacher in a juvenile correctional facility and a YA author. Her non-fiction books are about her own autistic daughter and the strategies she used to help her, while her young adult fiction tries to be the kinds of books her reluctant readers would want to read.

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?



Forums

Have something you'd like to share about this product?
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions

So You'd Like to...


Create a guide

Look for Similar Items by Category