Growing Up on the Spectrum: A Guide to Life, Love, and Learning for Teens and Young Adults with Autism and Asperger's [Hardcover]

Ph.D., Lynn Kern Koegel (Author), Claire LaZebnik (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 19, 2009

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.

Editorial Reviews

From 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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Review

"Verdict: A comprehensive and accessible guide designed to help parents and educators help teens with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) successfully navigate high school, college, and beyond. Highly recommended for public libraries."
- Library Journal

Background: In their second collaboration (after Overcoming Autism), Koegel (cofounder & clinical supervisor, Koegel Autism Research & Training Ctr., Univ. of California, Santa Barbara) and LaZebnik, parent of a child with autism, offer chapters addressing friendship, dating, school, employment, and hygiene. Koegel presents strategies to assist teens in mastering skills; LaZebnik's son and other young adults on the spectrum offer their unique insights. The introduction provides a course on various terms, interventions, and techniques.
-Lisa M. Jordan, Johnson Cty. Lib., KS

Autism is now the most commonly diagnosed developmental disability, with one in 150 children falling somewhere with 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; 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.
-Publisher's Weekly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult (March 19, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670020672
• ISBN-13: 978-0670020676
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #818,622 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of information, May 24, 2011

By 

luckygirl - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Growing Up on the Spectrum: A Guide to Life, Love, and Learning for Teens and Young Adults with Autism and Asperger's (Paperback)

I ordered this and like it but quickly became overwhelmed by all the information and suggestions in it. It made me realize how much I need to work on to help my adult son continue improving his social skills. I had to prioritize and put the ideas into steps as to what we needed to work on first, in order to help his conversational skills. Simple things such as nodding your head while someone else is speaking, making a comment related to the topic of conversation, etc. have to be worked on until he is able to do them and move on to the next goal.

It's a good book, but just made me realize all the work that lays ahead.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best book for parents of a teenager, August 22, 2010

By 

kathy c - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Growing Up on the Spectrum: A Guide to Life, Love, and Learning for Teens and Young Adults with Autism and Asperger's (Hardcover)

There are many books for young children on the spectrum and very little with good current info for teenagers and young adults. Great new ideas for socialization, driving, and school, and at the same time reassuring that other parents are experiencing some of the same "normal" behaviors, like wanting to be alone and independent, with their special teen.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Growing Up on the Spectrum is an amazing book!, March 21, 2009

By 

S. arntzen - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Growing Up on the Spectrum: A Guide to Life, Love, and Learning for Teens and Young Adults with Autism and Asperger's (Hardcover)

This is an amazing book with real helpful suggestions for both parents and professionals. It is insightful, powerful and much needed in the community. I highly recommend this book to parents, professionals and teachers.