cover image Between Their World and Ours

Between Their World and Ours

Karen Zelan. St. Martin's Press, $26.95 (320pp) ISBN 978-0-312-31375-3

Despite modern's medicine many stunning advances, autism remains very much a mystery; here, psychotherapist Zelan, who has spent years working with autistic children, tries to shed some much-needed light on the subject. A disorder with myriad different manifestations, autism is often characterized by""indifference or rejection of social contact,"" which makes treatment all the more challenging. Zelan shares her experiences of what works and what doesn't, and tries to offer hope for overwhelmed and confused parents. Stimulating children through music or games can work, for instance, where using reason or discipline might not. Zelan can't offer any blanket prescriptions, because unfortunately, none exist; the best parents can hope for is to respect different understandings of reality, and to adapt therapy for each child. Zelan skillfully meshes complex theory and poignant stories and tackles the many issues of autism with admirable grace.