I have learned so much over the last year. I wish I would have had all of this knowledge at the beginning of my journey. If you suspect your child has autism or your child has been recently diagnosed, you may be able to benefit from my advice. First dive into the best books. Read like there is no tomorrow. The faster you learn the information, the faster you can begin implementing techniques to help your child.
Books I have read, in the order I would recommend reading them:
A Miracle to Believe In - Barry Neil Kaufman
Let Me Hear Your Voice - Catherine Maurice
Happiness Is A Choice - Barry Neil Kaufman (great book for anyone to read)
Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism -Jenny McCarthy
Behavioral Intervention for Young Children With Autism: A Manual for Parents and Professionals - Edited by Catherine Maurice Coedited by Gina Green & Stephen C. Luce
Teaching Individuals with Developmental Delays - O. Ivar Lovaas
I have read other books, but these are the ones I thank God for.
A great documentary to watch is, "Autism: The Musical".
Some really great links to educate yourself and get support are:
Center for Autism Research and Treatment - Describes some of the milestones that have been achieved in the study of autism.
Kyle's Tree House - a good resource to get more information about autism, symptoms, treatments, and support
You Tube - On You Tube, you can see other autistic children, videos of children during ABA therapy, son-rise videos, and much more. Our whole family loves You Tube.
Autism PDD - This is a great place to seek the advise of other parents of children with autism. I have asked for and received some great advise from other parents. I also enjoy giving my advise if I think I can help.
Son-Rise Webinars - Watching these free webinars can give you great techniques on how to work/play with an autistic child. This is also the site you want to visit if you think you could start a Son-Rise program for your special needs child.
Arrowwood Elementary - If you are from Michigan, you may be interested in learning about the public school program that Ayden will be attending.
Connor's Autism Project - This is another good resource for parents that live in Saginaw, MI. If you have a passion for education and you want to help improve school programs for autistic children, you will enjoy visiting this site to see what Becky Good is doing for our community.
Bridges 4 Kids - This site can help parents find the services they need for their child, including where to go to get a diagnosis in each state.
