How to Support the New Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism Book

January 11, 2012January 31, 2022 by Jen Myers

The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism community is growing rapidly; it’s no surprise we keep getting requests about how to support our new book. Thank you, community! We appreciate every last effort to spread desperately needed positive, evidence-based autism information and advice via our book — whether you buy a book for a neighbor, an autism grandparent, the family of a child with a new diagnosis, an adult friend who may find it insightful — or buy a box of books to hand out at the next meeting you attend. There are many ways to help get the word out about the TPGA book, several of which do not require spending money. Some ideas: Post a review on Amazon.com. Tell the rest of the world why our book matters, and why it helps! Ask your library to purchase a copy of the book. The more requests a library gets, the…

Disability

Be Different: An Interview with John Elder Robison

April 15, 2011January 31, 2022 by Jen Myers

John Elder Robison is as fascinating as you might imagine; bright, articulate and thoughtful. His first book Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s became one of the most popular works to introduce people to autism. He thought he would write a second book because he realized that people had such a strong desire for insight. Be Different: Adventures of a Free-Range Aspergian With Practical Advice for Aspergians, Misfits, Families & Teachers is filled with stories he says “show how every component of autism that you find in the DSM manual affects my life. Some of those things help me to be successful, and some of those things hold me back, so it’s a mix, all those different traits.” Your new book is Be Different, then you use the term “Free Range” in the subtitle. Are you describing a time before diagnosis? I grew up without being constrained…

Disability

Autism and Mother-Blame

January 17, 2011January 31, 2022 by Liz Ditz

Amy Tuteur, MD skepticalob.blogspot.com www.askdramy.com On the surface, the old idea of the “refrigerator mother” causing autism and the new quack idea of vaccines causing autism might appear to have little in common. However, as Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick notes, they both rest on the same deeply flawed belief: it is the mother (through her emotional response or her actions) who causes autism in her child and it is the mother (through her emotional response or her actions) who has the power to prevent autism. Fitzpatrick is the author of Defeating Autism: A Damaging Delusion, a physician and the parent of an autistic child. He writes bitingly about the quackery in the “crusade against autism.” Jenny McCarthy is an obvious target: In the foreword to Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey Into Healing Autism, Jenny McCarthy is described as the ‘polar opposite’ of the ‘refrigerator mom’, the quasi-demonic figure blamed by…

Disability

The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism

June 7, 2010January 31, 2022 by Shannon Des Roches Rosa

A Community Book and Blog Project The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism (TPGA) is the book and website we wish had been available when our children with autism were first diagnosed. We want to help people with autism and their families make sense of the bewildering array of available autism treatments and options, and determine which are worth their time, money, and energy. Think of us as a little bit of Snopes for the autism community — trusted, accurate, and friendly. Our essays will cover informed approaches to autism and autism treatments, as well as the personal experiences of people with autism and their families. Our attitude is cautionary yet loving — we’re honest, but we’re not interested in negativity. We envision TPGA as a community-based effort, with the very best writing on evidence-based approaches to autism from autistics, family members, and professionals. If you have something to say about…