Amazon.com: What I Wish I'd Known about Raising a Child with Autism: A Mom and a Psychologist Offer Heartfelt Guidance for the First Five Years (9781935274230): Bobbi Sheahan, Kathy DeOrnellas: Books
Bobbi Sheahan, mother of a child with autism, and psychologist Kathy DeOrnellas, Ph.D., did not write this book to lecture you on how to parent your child. Instead, they offer themselves as your scouts in the field, who have valuable information to share—from the moment you realize your kid is different ("My, what a quiet baby I have!"), to the self-righteous moms on the playground, to holding your marriage together in the realm of routines.
"I would recommend this book without reservation. It serves as a good book for those who are considering that their child may be autistic, or have children newly diagnosed as autistic. This book would be a good beginner book for parents who want to know about autism, and a great source for further reading on the subject."
--Stephen M. Donahue, M.D.
About the Author
Bobbi Sheahan is a mom who teamed up with her child's psychologist to write What I Wish I'd Known About Raising a Child With Autism: A Mom and a Psychologist Offer Heartfelt Advice for the First Five Years. She wrote this book to spare other parents some of the pain, discouragement, and confusion that can accompany the early years of parenting a child who has or may have autism. This is her third book.
Kathy DeOrnellas, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist who worked closely with the Sheahan family for many years. In addition to having a private counseling practice, she is also a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology, a National Health Service Provider, and a Professional Art Therapist.
I am here to tell you the truth about autism. It isn't always pretty, but sometimes it's beautiful. My name is Bobbi Sheahan. My husband, Ben, and I have four children. From the beginning, Grace, our second-born, was different. Her behavior ranged from quirky to baffling -- and sometimes frightening. When Grace was three, we received confirmation of what we had already figured out through trial and error: Grace has autism. It was because of the three years of "trial and error" that I teamed up with Grace's psychologist, Kathy DeOrnellas, Ph.D., to write "What I Wish I'd Known About Raising a Child With Autism: A Mom and a Psychologist Offer Heartfelt Advice for the First Five Years" (Future Horizons, April 2011). We hope to spare other parents some of the pain, discouragement, and confusion that can accompany the early years of parenting a child who has or may have autism.
I am a lawyer who transitioned to full-time motherhood in my thirties. We wanted a big family, and our first two children, Lucy and Grace, are barely a year apart. When Grace was an infant, she was quiet. So quiet that we began to notice that she didn't babble or make many sounds at all. She didn't cry when you'd expect a baby to cry: not when she got her shots, and not even when she was hurt. Not ever. Not even stitches-to-the-face hurt (twice). She didn't nap, and, as time went by, she made no moves towards speaking or potty training. Frightened by Grace's fearlessness, her ability to defeat childproofing, and her propensity to injure herself, more than one babysitter refused to come back.
Around the age of three, Grace began to speak in precocious bursts: the entire script of a cartoon, complete with voices; her favorite book; all twelve days of Christmas; the whole 23rd Psalm. She didn't make eye contact, and she patrolled the perimeter of the playground instead of playing with other kids. She loved the swings, and she seemed not to understand when she injured other people. Her senses seemed to be completely miscalibrated; her hearing was acute, yet she took an inordinate amount of time to process the speech of others who spoke to her. The not-feeling-pain thing persisted too; I still cringe at the story of the time that Grace grabbed a hot light bulb and didn't respond to the burn, but did cry and cover her ears at my shriek as I pulled her hand from the lamp. Believe it or not, that wasn't the worst light bulb incident; when she was three, Grace ate a light bulb. Well, part of a light bulb. She began eating other things, too, including my anniversary roses.
"Of course it isn't autism," I'd would say. "She's affectionate. Plus, she's a girl - what are the odds?" (More than 80 percent of those diagnosed with autism are male.) A near-tragedy finally moved us to discover Grace's autism. As I read everything that I could get my hands on, I was shocked to realize that a book like "What I Wish I'd Known About Raising a Child With Autism" didn't already exist. I suggested to Dr. DeOrnellas that we write this book to spare other parents some agony, some confusion, and perhaps some lost time and resources.
"What I Wish I'd Known About Raising a Child With Autism" is my third book. My first two books, published by Texas Lawyer Press (a division of American Lawyer Media), are reference books for attorneys. When I left my law practice to turn my full attention to my family and my writing, little did I know where that path would lead. For two decades, I used my writing to persuade courts and educate lawyers, but it was in becoming a mother that I truly found my voice, my inspiration, and my life's work. This book is not only the story of my family's journey of discovery, but my love letter to my daughter and my message of hope for parents.
Bobbi Sheahan and Kathy DeOrnellas, Ph.D. are available for interview. Contact Morgan Whatley or Bobbi Sheahan: media@bobbisheahan.com
This review is from: What I Wish I'd Known about Raising a Child with Autism: A Mom and a Psychologist Offer Heartfelt Guidance for the First Five Years (Paperback)
Boxes of these books should be available in the offices of pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, developmental pediatric physicians, family counselers and any other places that couples will walk in to as confused, hopeful, concerned parents and leave with the life they thought they were living falling to pieces around them. What you hear in those offices is often a dire prognosis such as the information shared with my husband and me while our 2 year old slept in my lap -mental retardation, may reach function level of an 8 year old, etc. That was my first rodeo and I had no questions because the doctors had already foretold my little boy's future. I couldn't even stop crying. That is the moment someone should have put this book in my hands and told me to have my cry but then move on and live my new life. This is the most honest and comforting book I have read about accepting the special needs diagnosis and running with it! We know our child better than any doctor can and it takes courage to act on that realization. This remarkable book from a mom who has been there is pitch perfect advice on how to navigate in this very foreign land that none of us expected to inhabit.
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This review is from: What I Wish I'd Known about Raising a Child with Autism: A Mom and a Psychologist Offer Heartfelt Guidance for the First Five Years (Paperback)
I read it straight through in one day!!! Since my daughter nannies for a couple with an autistic child, I found the information and personal testimonies in this book to be compelling, fascinating and informative. Thank you, Bobbi, for opening a window into the world of autism and helping us all to understand and appreciate a family's struggles and triumphs with a special needs child.
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5.0 out of 5 starsWhat I Wish I'd Known about Raising a Child with Autism: A Mom and a Psychologist Offer Heartfelt Guidance for the First Five Yr, July 28, 2011
This review is from: What I Wish I'd Known about Raising a Child with Autism: A Mom and a Psychologist Offer Heartfelt Guidance for the First Five Years (Paperback)
I'm very pleased with this book. "True to Life" for any Family with an Autistic Child, no matter where your child is on the Spectrum. Bobbi also used Real comments from Real Families about some of the Trials & Tribulations a Family faces. I'm using this book to give to anyone that my son spends much time with as a way to give them a glimpse into our daily life without having to go into all of our Families details. This book is a great insight for anyone that will be spending time with any child on the Autism Spectrum. Thank You So Much Bobbi for having the courage to write this book.
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