cover image Could It Be Autism?: A Parent's Guide to the First Signs and Next Steps

Could It Be Autism?: A Parent's Guide to the First Signs and Next Steps

Nancy Wiseman. Broadway Books, $22.95 (258pp) ISBN 978-0-7679-1972-2

For parents worried about their children's development, Wiseman, president of a developmental disorder awareness organization and the mother of an autistic child, promotes a rigorous approach to identifying autism warning signs, stressing early diagnosis as a crucial component of securing proper post-diagnosis treatment. Writing conversationally, Wiseman covers all the autism bases-symptom detection, diagnosis, treatment options, redefining parental obligation-in 10 topical chapters, splicing comments from parents of autistic children with advocacy information, the latter of which is plentiful and hard-nosed. Public schools' special education programs and government-funded development therapy initiatives are taken to task, with Wiseman warning parents ""you must always be prepared to fight"" and suggesting parents brush up on relevant laws, reach out to advocacy organizations and community groups, and, above all, be the child's unflinching advocate. Wiseman's approach does not get bogged down in the minutia of endless record keeping, instead favoring a big picture approach and a checklist of ""social, emotional, and communication milestones"" designed to allow parents to keep track of a child's development beginning at four months of age. Packed with clear-cut suggestions, this book will be a valuable resource for parents facing weighty questions about their child's behavior.