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Overview
Autism and the World According to Matt is a collection of inspirational short stories about a moderate to severe and mostly non-verbal autistic child and his journey from diagnosis to living independently. The collection covers 25 years of milestones and insights into the difficulties in communication, socialization, and understanding. It offers insights into how to teach and learn from such a unique individual. The milestones are many, as Matt was diagnosed in the 1980s, when autism was a rare disorder with very little information on how it affects behavior and cognition. Specialists recommended institutionalization�.but that wasn�t what his mother saw in his future. She saw hope, and talent and an ability to learn. The future as predicted by the professionals seemed hopeless and grim, but they only saw the stereotypical behaviors associated with autism � not the child underneath.
Matt went home with his mother and their long journey with autism began. As a scientist, Matt�s mom was naturally curious about his behaviors and sought the meaning behind everything from the appearance of �a world of his own� to sensory overload and meltdowns. She wanted to see what her son saw, feel what he felt and as she looked deeper she gained understanding and insight into her son.
Small glimmers of hope were evident right from the start and seemed to appear almost every day � things most people never noticed. Insights into autism came from an immense desire to see the world through his eyes, and to give a voice to her child who could not speak. Open to learning from him as much as he learned from her the two stepped ever forward on a path that no one had walked before, breaking new ground on what being classically autistic really meant.
Matt became the first autistic child to enter the area school system in a regular classroom, and teachers were skeptical of the very idea. Their fears however were soon put to rest as Matt excelled in academics, and attempted several extracurricular activities � including T-ball, basketball, and soccer, and also social situations, including prom. To everyone�s amazement, Matt graduated near the top of his class - no one could predict what he could achieve after high school. Although his severity prevents him from having a job he still amazes family, friends, and professionals as he transitions to his �ultimate goal� � a home of his very own � something rare among autistic individuals on the severe end of the spectrum.
Matt is still moderately / severely autistic. He is still mostly non-verbal. Yet, he is doing the impossible - living independently. . . .The impossible � made possible.
The message of each story is clear � always hold onto to hope.
Listen � with all your heart.
Learn � at least as much as you teach.
Be the voice of a child without one.
Dig deep and be the person your child needs you to be.
The first thing you need is hope . . . so come take a walk with me. I�ll help you find the hope you seek. By the end of the book you will see your own child differently�..as the bravest person you will ever know.
Matt went home with his mother and their long journey with autism began. As a scientist, Matt�s mom was naturally curious about his behaviors and sought the meaning behind everything from the appearance of �a world of his own� to sensory overload and meltdowns. She wanted to see what her son saw, feel what he felt and as she looked deeper she gained understanding and insight into her son.
Small glimmers of hope were evident right from the start and seemed to appear almost every day � things most people never noticed. Insights into autism came from an immense desire to see the world through his eyes, and to give a voice to her child who could not speak. Open to learning from him as much as he learned from her the two stepped ever forward on a path that no one had walked before, breaking new ground on what being classically autistic really meant.
Matt became the first autistic child to enter the area school system in a regular classroom, and teachers were skeptical of the very idea. Their fears however were soon put to rest as Matt excelled in academics, and attempted several extracurricular activities � including T-ball, basketball, and soccer, and also social situations, including prom. To everyone�s amazement, Matt graduated near the top of his class - no one could predict what he could achieve after high school. Although his severity prevents him from having a job he still amazes family, friends, and professionals as he transitions to his �ultimate goal� � a home of his very own � something rare among autistic individuals on the severe end of the spectrum.
Matt is still moderately / severely autistic. He is still mostly non-verbal. Yet, he is doing the impossible - living independently. . . .The impossible � made possible.
The message of each story is clear � always hold onto to hope.
Listen � with all your heart.
Learn � at least as much as you teach.
Be the voice of a child without one.
Dig deep and be the person your child needs you to be.
The first thing you need is hope . . . so come take a walk with me. I�ll help you find the hope you seek. By the end of the book you will see your own child differently�..as the bravest person you will ever know.
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940148164388 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Liz Becker |
| Publication date: | 01/04/2014 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 857 KB |
About the Author
Liz Becker has been promoting autism awareness for 25 years, and her website,
"World According to Matt" (http:// worldaccordingtomatt.com)
won Top 30 Autism Blogs for Parents in 2012 award from Babble,
and currently reaches 84 countries around the world with nearly 4 million "Facebook Likes".
Liz has been interviewed by Autism-Live interactive webshow, and Everyday Autism Miracles radio show, and is an Author-At-Large for Autism Support Network where several of her stories are featured each month. She is a speaker to small parent support groups, Teachers for Tomorrow, and a consistently featured speaker for various college courses and community outreach programs.
She is an Associate Instructor for Wytheville Community College, and adjunct Instructor for Radford University where she teaches Anatomy and Physiology, Biology and Microbiology.
Her home is in the mountains of southwest Virginia, where she lives with her husband, Tom Edmonds, and has 2 boys (Matt and Christopher) and 2 step-children (Jacob and Sarah).
"World According to Matt" (http:// worldaccordingtomatt.com)
won Top 30 Autism Blogs for Parents in 2012 award from Babble,
and currently reaches 84 countries around the world with nearly 4 million "Facebook Likes".
Liz has been interviewed by Autism-Live interactive webshow, and Everyday Autism Miracles radio show, and is an Author-At-Large for Autism Support Network where several of her stories are featured each month. She is a speaker to small parent support groups, Teachers for Tomorrow, and a consistently featured speaker for various college courses and community outreach programs.
She is an Associate Instructor for Wytheville Community College, and adjunct Instructor for Radford University where she teaches Anatomy and Physiology, Biology and Microbiology.
Her home is in the mountains of southwest Virginia, where she lives with her husband, Tom Edmonds, and has 2 boys (Matt and Christopher) and 2 step-children (Jacob and Sarah).
From the B&N Reads Blog
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