May 1, 2000
This is one mother's account of coping with her son's autism. Within two months of his diagnosis, Ryan began intensive Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and with his mother tackled other related issues, including immune deficiency, food intolerance, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Hamilton has investigated and tried many "alternative" therapies, most of which were not welcomed by the doctors she consulted. However, the results for Ryan have been very good. Husband Roger adds a chapter about a spouse/father's role in a family with special needs. Writing from a Christian perspective, Hamilton recounts her faith in God, which helps carry her through adversity. Each section of the book contains lists of resources (institutes, clinics, schools, and programs, with phone and FAX numbers, e-mail addresses, and web sites). This is a strong argument for ABA as well as dozens of other nontraditional approaches to a puzzling diagnosis.--Linda Beck, Indian Valley P.L., Telford, PA
Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.