Hitchhiking Through Asperger's Syndrome » (New Edition)

Pyles, Lise

"Written from a parent's perspective, this book gives a candid and thoughtful account of one family's trek through the world of Asperger Syndrome. The author believes that, while professional help can be necessary, parents are in the best position to make a difference in their children's lives: they should be in control of, and involved in, their children's care and education. She offers practical and positive advice on topics including diagnosis and self-diagnosis; dealing with your own reactions, and those of others; types of school and homeschooling; medication; and dietary issues." Written in clear and straightforward language, the book does not promote any particular therapy or prescribe fixed solutions, but aims to help parents to ask good questions and come up with answers to suit their own circumstances and children. Full of humor and common sense, Hitchhiking Through Asperger Syndrome will make encouraging, inspiring, and entertaining reading for all parents of children with Asperger Syndrome.

Autism Society of British Columbia

Hitchhiking through Asperger Syndrome, by Lise Pyles (Jessica Kingsley, 2002). The mother of a teenage son with AS, the author writes as a "scout" along the journey for other parents whose children are affected by AS. Pyles provides "cheap or free" strategies that were effective for her son, emphasizing the role of parents as the most important interventionists in their children's lives. She has an especially good chapter on coming to term with the diagnosis, which covers such topics as grief, denial, labeling, disclosure, and differences in how each spouse responds. Also very useful are her chapters on home-schooling and pharmaceutical and dietary interventions.