THE OASIS GUIDE TO ASPERGER SYNDROME: Advice, Support, Insights, and Inspiration

Parents struggling to find answers about their children often have to wade through pedantic and confusing mazes. Frequently, books about medical or developmental conditions offer little more than the author's personal story or a textbookish monotone. Refreshingly, these authors delve into the shady, often misunderstood world of pervasive developmental disorders, of which perhaps the most well-known is autism, with clarity, warmth and amazing depth, focusing on Asperger Syndrome (AS). The authors present unfamiliar terms and jargon with full explanations, and with none of the patronizing tone sometimes encountered in the medical world. The reader is not left with the personal story alone, and forced to go off on her own expedition for information. The authors (both mothers of AS children) effectively trace this disorder from the onset of symptoms through adulthood. While most parents may be tempted to skip straight to Chapter 2 to devour the list of telltale signs and apply them to their own child, they would do well to start at the beginning. The book grew out of the authors' OASIS Web site (Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support), which has furthered AS research immeasurably (the site's response rates alone provide important information about potential numbers of people with AS). These authors have certainly done their homework. Besides invaluable practical information, parents and other interested persons will find comfort in the book's welcoming tone and the knowledge that they are not alone. (Oct.)