Customer Reviews

The OASIS Guide to Asperger Syndrome: Advice, Support, Insight, and Inspiration

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a pediatrician with a 6 year old son with Asberger's. I have always been interested in Developmental Disabilities and consider myself a relative expert, but my son's condition continues to drive me to learn more and more.

This book provides a relatively unbiassed view of the most current information available. It is long but not long-winded. The chapters are appropriately divided and give excellent, practical advice for wading through the alphabet soup of IEP, OT, PT, SI, etc. that is so often a new world for parents.

I appreciated a fairly good overview of common conditions that often accompany Asberger's, such as OCD and ADHD. There's such overlap that a lot of families get confused when one begins and another ends, etc. Often the lines are simply too blurred to know, so this information is vital.

Most importantly, this book takes a hard look at the ripple effect this condition has on the family - coping is often a full time job. I appreciated that the book touches on what to tell siblings & the child him/herself, something I struggle with. It's a delicate balance that the book effectively discussed.

Often I found myself crying a bit because I again recognized my son in their descriptions. Although the diagnosis autism of any type is difficult to accept for your child, the assurance of a correct diagnosis is extremely powerful. The bulk of the book is spent on the "Now what?!" which is what parents crave - information on how to get to the next step and beyond. I have reread the book a 2nd time to glean even more from a 2nd reading.

This is the book that all parents of kids with Asperger's Syndrome have been waiting for! Only another parent knows how frustrating it can be to research AS on behalf of our kids, running from one web site to the next, tracking down articles, finding that the most recent book on the topic you need is six years old. Now we have it all between two covers: the answers to our questions about diagnostic techniques, medications, therapies, related conditions, dealing with schools, relatives, our children and our own stresses! All of it is well researched, well-written, and easily readable. I ordered more copies for my family and for my school, and I'm drafting a letter asking our public library to stock it! This will be the book, above others, that I recommend to people asking me "Do you think my child could have AS?" Congratulations and a thousand thanks to Barb and Patty for this wonderful work.

This is "THE" Book!!!
The book We, as parents and caregivers of children with AS have been waiting for!
This is by far, the most comprehensive Guide on Asperger Syndrome available!
It is packed full of practical and technical information, insight, support and encouragement.
A true Treasure of a Resource, keeping in mind the "whole child" and family on every page.
I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. A real MUST HAVE!
Thank you Barb and Patty!

This is a wonderful book for parents of children with Aspergers syndrome. It is a resource book and tactical manual on dealing with healthcare providers and, more importantly, with schools and school districts. It is not a book on treatment, or diagnosis except and general discussions. This is also not a book to help adults with Aspergers. Good sections on dealing with children and adolescents with the problem. Many coping strategies for parents.

If you are a parent with a young child who has been newly diagnosed with Asperger's, this is the FIRST book you should get. When you are first dealing with diagnosis, you have a temptation to read everything. There are other terrific books out there, but not as practical, personal and useful. I wish we had it when our now almost six year old daughter was diagnosed two years ago. Loads of information, but not written in overly clinical language, which makes it easy to read. Very helpful for relatives, teachers, etc. as well.

My son was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome two years ago. Of the 5-6 books devoted to Asperger's which I have read, this book is by far the BEST! It is very readable and easy for the layperson to understand and digest. Issues that were barely mentioned in other AS reference books were given time and space in the OASIS book.

This book is an informative and useful guide to finding resources, and creating opportunities for your AS child. I ordered this book along with The Child Whisperer by Matt Pasquinilli. I saw Mr. Pasquinilli speak at an event and he discussed his work with Autistic and AS children. His book The Child Whisperer has an anecdote about one AS boy who made an incredible amount of growth and change. Get the OASIS guide for the basics of how to improve the environment for you child and for some things you can do to make life more enriched and rewarding. Get The Child Whisperer by Matt Pasquinilli for a new perspective on how much children with AS can acheive and grow.

Filled with practical and useful information on everything from initial diagnosis, interventions, treatments, medications, school issues, family issues and more. All presented with sound supporting information from current research. A must for any parent whose child has been diagnosed with Asperger's/High functioning autism. The authors'personal humorous moments and insights are a very nice touch and make the reader aware of the struggles faced by so many who are touched in one way or another by Asperger's. A very good resource as well for school professional libraries for the nice overview of the disorder, its complexity, and challenges in meeting the needs of those with Asperger's/HFA.

Barb and Patty's book is the best resource any parent, family member, teacher, therapist, pediatrician, etc could ever get to help them understand the ENTIRE picture of Asperger Syndrome. Many other books about AS focus on one aspect, such as educational ideas or cures or diagnosis, but The OASIS Guide covers the whole experience that the person who has AS and his/her family go through. It covers everything from medication to sexuality issues to marital issues to IEP's to hopefulness and beyond. It is thorough in a way that only people who have lived it can provide. I have already lent my copy to a mother wondering about her young son's behaviors, and plan to offer it up first if anyone asks me about AS. I highly recommend this book.

This isn't a book, it is a "good deed" (no, make that GREAT deed). And even that isn't high enough praise. Page by page, we have found answers to dozens of questions that we have been asking, but previously finding no answers. We went to therapists, psychiatrists & psychologists, but until Barbara & Patricia came along with this book, our family was sinking fast.
We are buying additional copies to give to family members and for the staff where our kid goes to school.