1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders offers ideas for parents with children who have Autism spectrum disorders. The book won the Silver medal in the Independent Publishers Book Awards. It has been authored by Veronica Zysk and Ellen Notbohm. Veronica is the former managing editor of Autism Asperger's Digest magazine, and Ellen is a columnist for a number of major publications on Autism related subjects as well as a multi award winning author, book editor and writing coach.

Structure
The book of over 200 pages begins with a preface, acknowledgments, and a glossary followed by seven chapters:


 * Chapter 1: The Radar-Net of Our Senses - Sensory Integrations Strategies and Considerations
 * The first chapter contains a number of suggestions to improve sensory motor activities of types that can be easily undertaken in home environment using simple materials and things available at home. For instance, such activities may be carrying the laundry basket, pushing the vacuum cleaner, rubbing lotion on the bodies, using electric tooth brush. The tips also include many activities covering simple water sports.


 * Chapter 2: The Limits of My World - Communications and Language Strategies and Considerations
 * This chapter is about effective communication. It gives tips to move beyond single words and using visuals to improve the communication skills, and many other tips and suggestions. This chapter also contains a list of children's books, without texts as well as books with texts.


 * Chapter 3: Strong Reasons - Behavior Strategies and Considerations
 * This chapter deals with behavior and "hinges on the statement that behavior is communication". The chapter suggests that while approaching behavior certain guidelines should be kept in mind: looking for sensory issues, never assuming anything, teaching communication that is functional, understanding that behavior occurs for a reason, and watching for what is being reinforced. The capter continues to explore and study many types of behavior including resistant behavior, aggressive behavior, self-biting behavior, stubborn behavior.


 * Chapter 4: To Do and Understand - Daily Living Skills Strategies and Considerations
 * This chapter has many useful practical ideas and suggestions useful for day-to-day living. Ideas cover a wide range - ideas from managing a smooth move from one house to another to haircuts and hair washing, nail trimming, and tooth brushing. The ideas found in chapter have been broken in steps for easy adoption and implementation.


 * Chapter 5: A Sensitive Awareness of Others - Social Skills Strategies and Considerations
 * This chapter revolves round concerns pertaining to social skills and relationships. Some of the ideas included in this chapter deals with choosing toys, interaction at the playground, board games related activities, etc. There are also some suggested steps to identify emotions.


 * Chapter 6: Learners and Doers - Teaching and Education Strategies and Considerations
 * This chapter is especially meant for the teachers and other persons related with education of affected children. However, even parents may draw useful lessons from this chapter. The ideas and suggestions in this chapter are useful for teachers for creating an effective and successful learning environment.


 * Chapter 7: To Know the Law - Special Education Law Considerations
 * This chapter deals with the legal framework in existence for special education law in the USA. The chapter contains information about a number of websites too which specifically deals with points and issues of the Special Education and the Law. Although the materials available in this chapter is specifically applicable to the USA, the contents give a fair background of the issues that me be used by groups in other countries to advocate similar facilities and legal framework.

Reviews

 * Temple Grandin; "Genuine, commonsense advice that all parents and educators can quickly and easily use"
 * Scott Tanner; "1001 Great Ideas is just that, a treasure trove of wonderful ideas and activities! This hope-filled book not only connects the reader to the world of Autism Spectrum Disorders but also provides a multitude of practical solutions to the broad range of challenges that parents and professional face each and every day. 1001 Great Ideas is a resource that both parents and professionals will continually turn to."
 * Bridget; "I think everyone should read this book so that they can understand the struggles that parents and children face. It has great ideas for teaching children with these conditions but a lot of the tips apply to people who deal with a child who has ADD or ADHD or just doesn't have the desire to learn. It's a big book but it doesn't take as long to read it as you would think."
 * Gleidis; "Excellent book. Delivers exactly what promises, a thousand ideas and strategies to care for, teach and help children with autism. And it does a wonderful job at covering both the parental area as the academic one, so whether you are a lost parent looking for guidance or a desperate teacher in need of education on the subject, this book will be a life saver, and an extremely well documented point of reference to which you will find yourself coming back to more often than not."