Right from the Start: A Practical Guide for Helping Young Children with Autism

by Karin Donahue, Kate Crassons

Overview

In Right from the Start: A Practical Guide for Helping Young Children with Autism, Karin Donahue and Kate Crassonsassert that autistic children can be successful when parents and teachers understand key principles of autism and have the tools to help these children expand their social and emotional skills. Emphasizing the importance of self-regulation—the ability to moderate our feelings and reactions—the authors describe practical strategies to help children manage their emotions and behavior, learn social and play skills, and cope with challenging sensory experiences. Right from the Start is a needed and indispensable resource for parents, professionals, and educators. With these techniques, we can lay a positive foundation that enables autistic children to be confident and successful in any environment.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781475844405
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	11/28/2019
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Karin Donahue, PhD, is associate professor of psychology at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, PA. She is also a behavior specialist consultant specializing in autism and has more than thirty years of clinical experience working with children and their families.

Kate Crassons, PhD, is associate professor of English at Lehigh University and the director of the Lehigh University Press. After becoming the parent of an autistic child, her research and teaching have expanded to focus on topics including neurodiversity and disability studies.

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgements

Introduction: An Exceptional Child, An Unexceptional Story: A Parent’s Perspective on the Preschool Years

Part I: Self-Regulation: The Key to Making it Through the Day

Chapter 1: The Case for Self-Regulation

Chapter 2: Why Do Autistic Children Have Difficulty Self-Regulating?

Part II: Setting Children Up for Success

Chapter 3: Adjust Learning Experiences and the Environment

Chapter 4: Emphasize Structure and Consistency

Chapter 5: Foster Collaboration and Emotional Awareness

Part III: Social Skills

Chapter 6: Autistic Children and Social Skills Challenges

Chapter 7: Teaching Social Thinking

Chapter 8: Teaching Conversational Skills

Chapter 9: Building Social Confidence across Settings

Part IV: Encouraging Imaginative Play

Chapter 10: When Playtime Isn’t All That Fun

Chapter 11: Teaching Play and Building Imagination

Chapter 12: Facilitating Play with Peers

Chapter 13: Maintaining Play and Coping with Resistance

Part V: Making Sense of the Senses

Chapter 14: The Eight Senses

Chapter 15: Signs and Symptoms of Sensory Processing Challenges in Children

Chapter 16: Dominant Classes of Sensory Processing Disorder: Profiles and Strategies

Chapter 17: General Approaches to Managing Sensory Processing Disorder

Conclusion: A New Lens of Understanding

Appendix

References

About the Authors

Editorial Reviews

Children who have autism are not born with a parent’s manual to explain their unusual behaviors and abilities. However, Right from the Start provides an insight into why the child is different and how to help them regulate emotions, acquire social and play skills, and accommodate intense sensory experiences. This is the manual that parents need.

Tony Attwood Ph.D.

One in 59 children has autism, and Honahue, a psychology teacher who works with families, and Crassons, whose son, Henry, is on the spectrum, want to help preschoolers and their parents live with this neurological condition. .. THe authors want to empower parents to help their kids learn “self-regulation” so they can calm themselves and avoid sensory overload. They cite many examples and provide simple solutions. .. Parents with kids on the spectrum, especially at the higher-functioning end, will find this useful and inspiring.

Booklist

Right from the Start is an excellent resource full of specific strategies, and written with a positive perspective. Any parent, teacher, or professional looking for guidance will find this book helpful, giving them hope and specific tools for moving forward with the challenges of raising or working with an autistic child.

Robin Holcomb

Coping with sensory issues is often a huge challenge for children with autism. This wise book, written by a parent and a behavioral specialist consultant, offers excellent sensory-motor suggestions to help children become more self-regulated and ‘in sync.’

Carol Stock Kranowitz

'Right From The Start’ is filled with useful tips and information to make parenting a child on the spectrum a bit easier to manage. It is by no means a miracle cure (which does not exist) but it was never trying to be. The book is aware that what might work for one child might not work for another, and even has a section on how to handle meltdowns when they arise. .. If you’re anyone struggling to manage or connect with a young child on the spectrum, then I highly recommend picking up ‘Right From The Start.’

Bucks County Herald

This book is an intimate look of the real life challenges for families of young children with autism. It’s filled with very practical strategies on how to manage their behaviors. A must read for parents, teachers, and caregivers of children who struggle with emotional self-regulation!

Mary E. Bove M.D

Parents of non-neurotypical children need to know they are not alone. This user-friendly book helps to meet that need. It also provides a myriad of ideas that parents and preschool teachers can use to help children regulate their emotions and behavior, develop key social skills, and manage sensory issues. The many real-life, compelling examples will stimulate parents’ and teachers’ own creative thinking about how to help their kids in ways consistent with current best practices.

Susan S. Woodhouse Ph.D.

One in 59 children has autism, and Honahue, a psychology teacher who works with families, and Crassons, whose son, Henry, is on the spectrum, want to help preschoolers and their parents live with this neurological condition . . . THe authors want to empower parents to help their kids learn “self-regulation” so they can calm themselves and avoid sensory overload. They cite many examples and provide simple solutions . . . Parents with kids on the spectrum, especially at the higher-functioning end, will find this useful and inspiring.

Booklist