Helping a Child with Nonverbal Learning Disorder or Asperger's Syndrome: A Parent's Guide [Paperback]

Kathryn Stewart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 12, 2002

Some children are born with dysfunctions in the way the brain processes information, resulting in poor social skills and idiosyncratic use of language. These are symptoms of both nonverbal learning disorder and Asperger's Syndrome. This compassionate guide offers step-by-step strategies to help parents assess a child's disorder, understand the symptoms, discover effective intervention, and maximize resources.

Editorial Reviews

Review

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

A fully revised and expanded edition of a best-selling classic, this book offers complete information about parenting a child with a nonverbal learning disorder or Asperger's disorder. This edition includes a new section on anxiety and social anxiety, now commonly held to be major issues for children with these conditions, and new specific skills training for social behaviors limited by a child's ability to perform. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: New Harbinger Publications (March 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572242779
• ISBN-13: 978-1572242777
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,186,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars terse, extremely clear, and very helpful, December 12, 2002

By 

David McCormick (Acton, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Helping a Child with Nonverbal Learning Disorder or Asperger's Syndrome: A Parent's Guide (Paperback)

As the parent of a child recently diagnosed with Noverbal Learning Disorder (NLD), I was looking for information on what was NLD and what it meant for the future of our child. The clinicians at Yale Child Study Center suggested this volume as a good starting point. It just be that it matches my style of communication, but I found this book to be incredibly clear, well organized, well written, and to the point. There is no fat on this book, just what you need.

There are three major sections on (1) an overview of NLD/Aspergers; (2) how these disorders effect the executive, sensory, and social parts of the kids lives; (3) and what educational and home programs are required to help people with NLD/Aspergers. There are assessment criteria, diagnostic criteria, and pointers to other resources. The curriculum that Ms. Stewart lays out is the one that she uses at the private high school for Aspergers/NLD kids (Orion Academy in Moraga, CA). The tasks she lays out are not going to be easy for anyone to accomplish, but they are worth doing.

I can't think of a better place to start in trying to understand what the child with NLD/Aspergers feels, is facing, and has to do to seek some accommodation with us NT's (neurotypicals).

BTW, the other book recommended by the Yale group for understanding NLD is RV Whitney's "Bridging the Gap: Raising a Child with Nonverbal Learning Disorder".

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helping Parents and Teachers gain a CLEAR understanding!, December 5, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Helping a Child with Nonverbal Learning Disorder or Asperger's Syndrome: A Parent's Guide (Paperback)

I've read nine books on Asperger's Syndrome since our son was "diagnosed" three weeks ago. By far, this is the single most clear, concise, helpful book of all. I had read Tony Attwood's book first, and it is very helpful, but in more of a medical feeling way.
THIS book SPOKE to me (and my husband and our son's teachers and everyone else we've given a copy). Dr. Stewart has written this in a very easy to understand, just-the-facts kind of way. This book really allowed us to gain some ground in discussing our son's diagnosis with him. It allowed us to ask very specific questions that opened the door for him to share what it's like to be him (and this is after years of hearing him say "I don't know" to any question ever asked of him by us and professionals trying to help him.
Thanks to this book we've even expanded our sense of humor about our son's situation (and there is little humor in his life). We are so grateful to Dr. Stewart for writing this and only with there was an Orion School here. If my husband could find work in California, we would consider moving to have our son in this school.
Best of luck to all of you who have children with Asperger's.

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful, May 2, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Helping a Child with Nonverbal Learning Disorder or Asperger's Syndrome: A Parent's Guide (Paperback)

Kathryn Stewart describes what is going on in your child's mind and helps you understand what is behind the behaviour that you know is not right, but just doesn't make sense. This explains why your advanced reader can't write a simple sentence, and how an advanced reader can score poorly in reading comprehension or "listening". It also gives you ideas about what you are going to say to your child's teachers to help them understand what is happening with your child.

All this is done in layamn's terms. I am seriously considering buying a stack of them to give to teachers and relatives.