Making Sense of Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Create the Brightest Future for Your Child with the Best Treatment Options [Hardcover]

James Coplan M.D. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 23, 2010

In this authoritative and empowering book, one of the world’s leading experts on early child development gives caregivers of children on the autistic spectrum the knowledge they need to navigate the complex maze of symptoms, diagnoses, tests, and treatment options that await them.

For more than thirty years, James Coplan, M.D., has been helping families cope with the challenges posed by autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). Each family that walks into his office, he knows, is about to begin a journey. With this book, he lays out the steps of that journey. Dr. Coplan brings you into the treatment rooms and along for the tests and evaluations, and provides the kind of practical hands-on guidance that will help you help your child with ASD through every phase of life.
 
At a time when ASD has become the subject of wild theories and uninformed speculation, Dr. Coplan grounds his recommendations in reality. He helps you understand for yourself where your child may be on the spectrum that includes autism, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified. His clear, comprehensive, and compassionate advice prepares you to make informed medical decisions, evaluate the various educational and therapeutic alternatives, and find answers to such fundamental questions as
 
• How do I optimize my child’s long-term potential?
• Which interventions will best serve my child?
• How do the various therapies work, and what is the evidence to support them?
• What is the best way to teach my child?
 
This book empowers you to be an expert advocate for your child, so that you’ll know when to say no to an ill-advised therapy or medication and can make with confidence the hundreds of important decisions you will face in the years ahead. For every parent who has made the painful transition from “Why did this happen?” to “What can we do to help our child?,” here is the indispensable guidebook you’ve been waiting for.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A developmental pediatrician who has worked with children on the autism spectrum for more than 30 years, Coplan pre-sents a detailed analysis of the disorder. In Part I, the author discusses the causes and symptoms. Part II focuses on treatment, including a thorough examination of behavior management techniques and medications, and in Part III the focus is on the family as the child ages. The sibling of an individual with special needs, Coplan has a compassionate voice and a keen understanding of the devastation parents feel upon learning of their child's diagnosis, but he is also determined to confront sense and nonsense in autism treatment. He questions the popular theory of a connection to gluten, refutes the assertion that autism results from the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, and argues that while the prevalence of autism is certainly on the rise because of broadening definitions and changes in federal education law, there is not an epidemic, as many claim. Though pragmatic, Coplan maintains a hopeful tone; he points out that autism often has a natural history of improvement over time and predicts scientific progress as well. This is a comprehensive text dealing with a complex disorder, but it's Coplan's worthy contention that the more parents understand, the better advocates they will be for their child. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“An indispensable guide.”—Mark L. Batshaw, M.D., chief academic officer at the Children’s National Medical Center
 
“Dr. Coplan has given parents a concise road map for navigating their journey through the maze of services, therapies, and programs available for their children. I wish I’d had this sooner!”—Stacy Groder, board member of the Autism Society of America
 
“I highly recommend this book for families whose child has an autistic spectrum disorder, and it will also prove helpful for therapists, educators, and providers who want to learn more about ASD.”—Randi J. Hagerman, M.D., medical director of the M.I.N.D. Institute
 
“An engaging guide for both professionals and parents, written authoritatively from a most important perspective on children with autistic spectrum disorders.”—Janet A. Deatrick, Ph.D., FAAN, associate professor and associate director, Center for Health Disparities Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
 
“The journey of raising a child with ASD can be frightening, exhausting, and overwhelming. With the information contained in Making Sense of Autistic Spectrum Disorders, parents of newly diagnosed children will find this journey easier and may also enjoy the magical moments that are part of raising a child on the spectrum. I wish this book had been available when my son was diagnosed eleven years ago.”—Margaret S. Price, attorney at the Price Law Firm
 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Bantam; 1 edition (March 23, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553806815
• ISBN-13: 978-0553806816
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.3 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #409,234 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a developmental pediatrician, board-certified in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, in addition to General Pediatrics.

To learn more about me, visit my web site (copy and paste the following link into your browser): http://www.DrCoplan.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Autism Resource, April 27, 2010

By 

James "Professor, Ohio State University" (COLUMBUS, OH, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Making Sense of Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Create the Brightest Future for Your Child with the Best Treatment Options (Hardcover)

This book is a superb overview of the reality of autism and current empirically supported treatments. I have recommended it to my students and to families with relatives diagnosed on the autism spectrum. The author is a scholar and a wise clinician. You can't go wrong reading this book, and reading it well before you look into seemingly miraculous cures and promises of those who offer quick answers. This author knows what he is talking about, and writes with compassion and clarity.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for parents and professionals, April 17, 2010

By 

Herbert Schneiderman - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Making Sense of Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Create the Brightest Future for Your Child with the Best Treatment Options (Hardcover)

I know Dr. Coplan as a superb clinician and a wonderful teacher. He explains what are often complex issues and problems in a very clear, straightforward style. This first-rate book is an excellent summary of knowledge about autism and an extremely useful guide for parents and professionals. I recommend it highly.
Herbert Schneiderman, MD

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hands down the best general book on autism I've read, January 10, 2011

By 

Suzanne Amara (MA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Making Sense of Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Create the Brightest Future for Your Child with the Best Treatment Options (Hardcover)

I've read a LOT about autism. I'm the parent of a 16 year old originally diagnosed with Aspergers (he has now "lost the diagnosis", a term I learned from this book) and a 6 year old with low functioning autism, so I've been doing this reading for a while. This book is by far the best general book about autism I have read. By general, I mean not a parent account or a book about one specific therapy. This book is an overview of the diagnostic process and the treatment for autism, written by a doctor with many years of experience in the field.

What I liked best about this book was how it was scientifically based. It explained clearly what autism is, how it develops, and what therapies have been shown to make a difference. It also talked a lot about the "natural history" of autism---how, whether treated or not, autism has a natural progression. Many kids improve on their own. Other kids don't. This was true before there was ANY treatment for autism, and it's true now. It also outlined what the best predictor is of how autistic kids will progress---I.Q. I have been this with my own children. My son and daughter both received the same kind of help---school-provided therapies mainly. My son had a normal IQ from the start, and as time passed, he got better. My daughter is moderately retarded (a term that I want to reclaim as acceptable) and I very much doubt she will progress anywhere near as far as he did. Far from discouraging me, this fact helps me plan the future and greatly relieves guilt I feel. To have it stated openly in this book is brave and helpful. He makes it plain there are exceptions, but not to plan on them.

I loved the way different therapies are explained here. I realized what I have been doing for years with my daughter has a name "Verbal Behavior" therapy. It involves a lot of prompting, leaving out a crucial word of a sentence for her to fill in, and basically helping her become more verbal in a practical way. I loved finding out that what I have been doing has a name.

This book also answered some questions I've had about the ratio of girls vs. boys with therapy---letting me know that the more severe the autism, the lower the boy/girl ratio. I had been confused about that, and really liked the clear explanation.

If you have a recently diagnosed child, I would highly recommend this book. I've read so many others that present theories as facts, that say they understand every autistic child is an individual, but in fact don't seem to believe that at all, or that are overly encouraging or overly frantic---that make you feel like you need to grab every second or you will miss some crucial moment and your child will be totally lost. This is a book that will help you without making you despair, that will be honest with you without panicking you. Thanks for writing it, Dr. Coplan!