Hidden World of Autism: Writing and Art by Children with High-functioning Autism
A celebration of the talents and insights of children on the autism spectrum, The Hidden World of Autism presents a collection of writings and drawings contributed by 21 autistic children. The children's work covers topics that are of primary importance in understanding some of the common experiences that children with autism, and their families, go through. These include life before diagnosis, friendships, relationships, feelings, bullying and the future. A key characteristic of having...
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A celebration of the talents and insights of children on the autism spectrum, The Hidden World of Autism presents a collection of writings and drawings contributed by 21 autistic children. The children's work covers topics that are of primary importance in understanding some of the common experiences that children with autism, and their families, go through. These include life before diagnosis, friendships, relationships, feelings, bullying and the future. A key characteristic of having autism is a difficulty in expressing emotions; but too often that prevents children with autism from being listened to. This book gives them both a voice and a forum for creative expression and provides a window on what having autism means for the children themselves and how they feel about their experiences. This unique collection provides invaluable insights for professionals, families and friends of children with autism, as well as the children themselves.About the Author:Rebecca Chilvers is a research psychologist. She has worked in the Social Communication Disorders Clinic at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London for over three years and specialises in working with children with high-functioning autism
Foreword 9Introduction 11Notes for reading and using: The Hidden World of Autism 12A note about the children's contributions 15What's so Different about Me? Life on the Autistic Spectrum 17Comorbidity in autism 21Perspectives through poetry 27Telling children about their diagnosis 29Summary 30School 31Behavioural problems in the classroom and their link to social communication difficulties 32Educational attainment 33Fitting in at school 34Help with social relationships at school 37Support in school 38Starting a new school: A recollection and a story 41Summary 53Me, My Friends and My Family 55Does having an autistic child in the family change family relationships 56Friendships 64Summary 68Those Things that I Do - Obsessions and Special Interests 69Special interests in earlier childhood 75Lessons from obsessions - how they can be used positively in everyday life 81Using obsessions and special interests morewidely 83Creating tools to help children use special interests 83Using special interests as rewards and incentives 84Does everyone with autism have this collection of behaviours and interests? 84Future directions 85Summary 86The Future 87Navigating outcome research - making sense of the studies 88Perspectives on outcome: From Asperger to the present 88Educational outcome 89Employment 90Psychiatric issues 91Social and interpersonal outcome 91Children's writing about the future 92Summary 103References 105Biographies 109Index 121
