More Praise for
THE OASIS GUIDE TO ASPERGER SYNDROME
The complexities and treatment needs of the person with Asperger Syndrome (AS) are described far better in this comprehensive book than any other book on the subject. Virtually any topic that relates to helping the child with AS is discussed. The reader can explore the emotional impact of this diagnosis on the family while also gaining insight into specific treatment strategies that can be used both by professionals and parents. This is an excellent and uplifting must-read for all parents and professionals trying to come to terms with their child or student who is bright but clueless. Michelle Garcia Winner, M.A., S.L.P.-C.C.C., director, the Center for Social Thinking (www.socialthinking.com)
Just when I decided that The OASIS Guide was the ultimate go to book for AS, the authors made it even better! The completely revised and updated OASIS Guide yields another nugget of wisdom every time I pick it up. Whether the reader is new to AS, needing ideas about an emerging problem, or facing the next developmental stage, The OASIS Guide offers readable, practical advice. Ill recommend it enthusiastically and often. Teresa Bolick, Ph.D., author of Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence: Helping Preteens and Teens Get Ready for the Real World and Asperger Syndrome and Young Children: Building Skills for the Real World
To improve on the remarkable is an achievement few accomplish. With the revised edition of The OASIS Guide to Asperger Syndrome, Patricia Romanowski Bashe and Barbara Kirby have created an even more essential resource for parents and professionals. At once comprehensive and easy-to-navigate, the revised OASIS Guide will offer parents, teachers, and other professionals a wealth of information in a compassionate voice by parents who have been there. Every parent of a child with Asperger Syndrome, and every teacher working with these students, should own this book. Michael D. Powers, Psy.D., Center for Children with Special Needs, Yale Child Study Center, and author of Asperger Syndrome and Your Child: A Parents Guide
A wonderful bookthis volume will be an invaluable guide for parents and teachers. Fred R. Volkmar, M.D., professor of child psychiatry, psychology, and pediatrics, Yale Child Study Center
The OASIS Guide is a welcome addition to the growing body of literature on AS. This easy-to-read resource will provide readers with much-needed information on a broad array of topics. Diane Adreon, associate director, University of Miami Center for Autism and Related Disabilities
OASIS has long been a tremendous resource for family members and professionals. The authors have thoughtfully organized a massive amount of critical information into a comprehensive and valuable guide. Every family and professional should have a copy of this book. Dr. Cathy Pratt, board of directors, Autism Society of America
Barbara L. Kirby and Patricia Romanowski Bashe have provided the community of Asperger Syndrome with more than a rainbows end of gold. Theyve opened a treasure chest brimming with understanding and support. Liane Holliday Willey, Ed.D., author of Pretending to Be Normal: Living with Aspergers Syndrome and Asperger Syndrome in the Family: Redefining Normal
If someone were to ask me to suggest the most useful resource about AS, I would not hesitate for an instant: The OASIS Guide to Asperger Syndrome. This is a must-read book for parents, educators, and individuals with AS alike. Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D., author of Asperger Syndrome and Difficult Moments: Practical Solutions for Tantrums, Rage, and Meltdowns
This inspiring book offers sound advice, comforting support, and remarkable insights with clarity of purpose, profound honesty, and depth of meaning. Its destined to become a classic in its genre. Diane Twachtman-Cullen, Ph.D., executive director, Autism and Developmental Disabilities Consultation Center
Rarely does one find such a wealth of quality information all between the same two covers. This book has important work to do, and it is more than up to the task. Carol Gray, director, Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding
Incredible! The OASIS Guide to Asperger Syndrome contains tremendous advice, tips, and practical solutions to manage the confusion of special ed and Asperger Syndrome. The new parent and seasoned veteran should read the guide cover to cover. It is excellent. Peter W. D. Wright, Esq., coauthor of Wrightslaw: Special Education Law and owner of wrightslaw.com
AUTHORS NOTE
No book, including this one, can ever substitute for the care of an M.D. or other health professional. One of the points weve emphasized in these pages is the relative scarcity of long-term information on Asperger Syndrome and the treatments and interventions for it. We therefore believe its especially important to share this book with your doctor and all other persons who will be helping you and your child. The best, most effective approach to Asperger Syndrome is a team approach, and your doctor is an essential member of that team.
A note on resources: Because Web sites and their contents get moved, redesigned, and rearranged, we cannot always provide the URL for specific papers or pages. In most cases you will be able to find a particular document by searching from a Web sites main or home page, or by running a search engine search by the pieces title.
For Justin Eric Romanowski Bashestill and always my brightest star, my greatest joy, my favorite friend, my loving boythis is for you.
Love, Sweetie Mom
To the four men in my life: my sons Josh, Ben, and Nick, and my husband, Kirby. You teach me every day the true meaning of unconditional love.
CONTENTS
PART ONE:
PART TWO:
PART THREE:
FOREWORD
by Simon Baron-Cohen, Ph.D.
Barbara Kirby and Patty Romanowski Bashe have given a special gift to families with a child with Asperger Syndrome (AS). They have written a book that communicates directly, from parent to parent. Its tone speaks from the heart, and Barbara and Patty are uniquely positioned to write such a book, having run OASIS for many years.
Parents of children newly diagnosed with AS seek out and find huge relief in discovering OASIS. Packed with information and practical advice, the OASIS Web site and support message boards make parents feel they are not alone, that their child is not the only child developing in this way, and that there are lots of things that they as parents can do to support their special child.
This book speaks from the mind as much as the heart. It covers what is known, in a clear summary of the medical and educational evidence. It is a book that professionalsand especially teacherswill find very useful.
AS is one of those unusual conditions that is a mix of both disability and, at times, talent. It is very easy to misrepresent AS by focusing on just one of these two aspects, but Barbara and Patty avoid this pitfall. They dont shy away from the disabling aspects and in typical fashion meet this challenge head-on, with a wealth of down-to-earth advice, including legal, psychological, and educational. But equally they emphasize that the special needs of children with AS can involve a different learning style, one that can lead to areas of strength and talent. Examples include a remarkable focus of attention on favorite topics, an ability to pick out detail and remember detail where it fits into a special interest, and at times even a precocious development in some areas (e.g., hyperlexia).