Right Address ... Wrong Planet: Children with Asperger Syndrome Becoming Adults (Paperback)

~ Gena Barnhill (Author)
Key Phrases: admitting psychiatrist, private psychologist, child study team, Regional Center, Mickey Mantle, Asperger's Disorder (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

A bold dose of reality that should be required reading for families as their children grow into adulthood. -- Sherry Moyer, Executive Director- Asperger Syndrome Coalition of the U.S..

Dr. Barnhill's presentation of her son's experiences in education, employment and relationships provide a unique and vital resource. -- Stephen Shore, Author of Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome

This book is a must for parents and professionals. I could not put it down. -- Diane Adreon, Associate Director, Center for Autism and Related Disabilities-University of Miami

Product Description

Surprisingly little has been written about the daunting challenges that Asperger syndrome presents for adolescents and adults. Barnhill's work helps fill this void. Her sensitive and graphic description of the personal experiences of her family in dealing with the issues of Asperger syndrome makes this a captivating book. Barnhill, who holds a doctorate in autism spectrum disorders blends science and first person experience making this an important book for both professionals and parents.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Autism Asperger Publishing Company (February 11, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931282021
• ISBN-13: 978-1931282024
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #492,051 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A nice, holistic picture of one family's experience, February 27, 2002

By	Lars E. Perner (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Gina Barnhill writes both as a psychologist and mother, having gained the hindsight of raising a son from childhood through adolescence and young adulthood. She vividly demonstrates problems as they come up over the years. Clinicians can describe common symptoms in abstract terms, but Dr. Barnhill chronicles just how certain behaviors and thinking patterns come together to create a syndrome in one young man--often in seemingly unpredictable ways. Through generous disclosure, the writer illustrates lessons learned the hard way and the difficult choices that a family has had to make. Relating first the long path toward a correct diagnosis, Dr. Barnhill goes on to portray how ostensibly contradictory characteristics, such as the unrestrained expression of very hurtful words and genuine concern about others, can coexist. The examples of Brent's enduring struggle to pick up on "obvious" social cues and understandings provide valuable foresight for families charged with preparing a son or daughter for life. I have learned from my own experience that a key to dealing effectively with Asperger's Syndrome is to know when and how to compensate for our individual deficits, and the book provides tremendous insight here!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A useful glimpse of future possibilities for AS families, June 2, 2003

By A Customer

This book provides a "case study" of a 25-year-old man and his family, and their struggles with Asperger Syndrome. Many of their experiences are common ones, and many are unique to their own situation - just like Aspies themselves! Their experience includes quite a lot of Christian emphasis, which is not relevant to my family. My own son is 12, and I hope that having a glimpse of some of the Barnhill family's problem areas will help us avoid or compensate for those challenges in our family.
A very interesting hypothesis presented is that a person with AS has a maturity level about 2/3 of their chronological age. This seems to be true for my son (age 12), who - though very bright - behaves much like an 8-year-old.
After reading Right Address.. Wrong Planet, I feel that I have a more sober but probably more realistic picture of the future with my son. I am also still very hopeful that his future will be bright and satisfying, and this book supports that hope.

32 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars No Help Here - Skip It, May 8, 2005

By	A. H. Mitchell "readerophile" (grosse pointe farms, mi USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've been trying to find some useful advice on raising a teen with Asperger's. I found this book to be fatally flawed and a total waste of time. This is basically a very personal story about one family with a child who wasn't diagnosed until age 21.

This may sound harsh, but from my perpective, they've done absolutely nothing for their child (now an adult) except shake their heads and feel helpless. They blame what he does on the fact that he has AS and haven't figured out that there are specific therapies out there that could help! I'd hate to think that anyone just starting on the learning curve regarding AS would read this book and think that this is the way to go. This is NOT the way to go. There are lots of therapies out there.

Unfortunately, this family doesn't have the first clue about what AS actually is. This is not a "developmental disability." It's a neurological disorder which many school systems label as a learning disability. People with AS don't outgrow the disorder, as the writer suggests.

So far, I've found "Freaks, Geeks, and Asperger's" to be a much better book about what it's like to be a teen with AS. I'm still looking for a good advice book written by a parent who's been through this journey. "Wrong Planet" is not the one.