The Asperger parent: How to raise a child with Asperger syndrome and maintain your sense of humor

The Asperger parent: How to raise a child with Asperger syndrome and maintain your sense of humor is a 260-page book for parents and guardians raising children with Asperger syndrome. In an easy-to-read style, the author shares valuable information and support to other parents who are going through a roller coaster of emotions, particularly parents whose children have a new diagnosis.

Want to check it out? Email us at cedir@indiana.edu or use worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Made for Good Purpose

It's hard enough being a teenager thinking of leaving home and facing the unknown but, for those on the autism spectrum or with learning disabilities, it can be even harder. Made for good purpose: What every parent needs to know to help their adolescent with asperger's, high functioning autism or a learning difference become an independent adult can help. Giving these kids the extra support and advice they need  makes all the difference. This book is filled with personal anecdotes from the author's experiences with asperger's and those of his students. Social skills, finances, healthy lifestyles, higher education, and employment are all covered.


Want to check it out? Email us at cedir@indiana.edu or use worldcat.org to find it in a  library near you.

College Success for Students with Learning Disabilities

College Success for Students with Learning Disabilities by Cynthia Simpson and Vicky Spencer offers great advice and guidance for teens and parents on selecting, choosing, and preparing for college. This resource guide includes advice from current college students with disabilities and offers hope and encouragement. Also included in this user-friendly book are helpful strategies for students with dyslexia, Asperger's Syndrome, ADHD and other learning difficulties to get prepared for university life.

Interested in this book and live in Indiana? Contact us.

If you're not a resident, check WorldCat to see if your library has it.

New Autism Resources Blog!

Are you looking for information on Autism Spectrum related books and videos? Visit our new blog at http://iidcautismresources.blogspot.com. Here you will find information about all the latest autism related resources available to Indiana residents through CeDIR, as well as quality online resources, tips and tricks on how to find good information online, learn how to search our collection and more! We look forward to "seeing" you there!

Aspergers and Employment

Asperger Syndrome and Employment: What People with Asperger's Syndrome Really Really Want by Sarah Hendrickx explores the reasons why work just doesn't work for many people with Asperger's Syndrome and how to resolve these issues. Featuring personal stories from those with AS, the book highlights successful scenarios and provides suggestions for both employers and those in search of work on how to improve employment for the benefit of everyone.

Interested in this item? Indiana resident? Contact us!

Not an Indiana resident? Find this item at your local library!

Guide to Sex for People with Asperger's

Making Sense of Sex: A Forthright Guide to Puberty, Sex, and Relationships for People with Asperger's Syndrome by Sarah Attwood is ideal for those who need clear, detailed explanations and direct answers to the many questions raised by puberty and sexual maturity. Also offered in this book are coping strategies for different social experiences, from bullying to dating, and includes essential tips on the politics of mature behavior.

Interested in this book and an Indiana resident? Contact us!

Not in Indiana? Click here to find this book in your local library.

New Books on Autism and Asperger's!

We just got in five new books on Autism and Asperger Syndrome. Check them out!

Basic Skills Checklists: Teacher-friendly Assessments for Students with Autism or Special Needs by Marlene Breitenbach is an easy-to-use, informal assessment tool that focuses on pre-academic, readiness, and academic skills expected from learners in the early elementary years. It contains simple, customizable charts making it easy to record a child's progress in various areas.

The Way I See It: A Personal Look Autism & Asperger's by Temple Grandin offers helpful do's and don'ts, practical strategies, and try-it-now tips regarding issues that parents, teachers, and individuals on the spectrum face everyday.

Dietary Interventions in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Why They Work When They Do, Whey They Don't When They Don't by Kenneth Aitken explores the main dietary approaches that have been advocated in ASDs. He lists the pros and cons for each one and recommends the Simple Restriction Diet.

How to Make School Make Sense: A Parent's Guide to Helping the Child with Asperger Syndrome by Clare Lawrence gives parents practical advice on how to make the most of the important partnership with educators and how to work with schools to ensure their children's needs are being met. Invaluable guide!

Counselling for Asperger Couples by Barrie Thompson is the first book to provide a complete model for counselling couples where one partner has Asperger Syndrome.

Are you an Indiana resident and interested in any of these books? Contact us!

Not an Indiana resident? Look up any of the titles on Worldcat to find if your local library has them!

More Than Little Professors

More Than Little Professors: Children with Asperger Syndrome: In Their Own Words will delight and amaze you! In this wonderful collection of quotes, stories, poems and art, the editor brings together fabulous insight into the minds of children with Asperger syndrome. From as young as age 2, incredible things come out of the mouths of these children. From older kids, we learn about some of the common misunderstandings that can arise when people interact with kids on the autism spectrum.

Check it out at CeDIR today! Or if you're not an Indiana resident, check worldcat.org to see if it's available at your local library.

Caring for Myself: A Social Skills Storybook

Any parent will tell you that getting their child to wash their hands or brush their teeth can be a difficult thing. This can be especially true if their child has an Autism spectrum disorder. To help kids understand the importance of these activities Christy Gast and Jane Krug have developed a great book called "Caring for Myself"

"Caring for Myself" is divided into 5 activities: washing hands, getting a haircut, brushing teeth, taking a bath and going to the doctor. Each section starts with a "Who: What: Where: When: How: and Why:" summary of the activity followed by clear, concise descriptions and photos of each step of the activity. At the end of each section the authors have provided lists of things to consider for parents.

Interested in checking it out? Indiana residents can contact us at (800) 437-7294 for more information. Not an Indiana resident? No worries! Find it at your local library!

Web Community

WrongPlanet.net is a thriving web community designed for people who have Autism or Aspergers and anyone else who is interested in understanding people with these disorders. Wrong Planet offers a a variety of information including interviews, articles, chat, a blog list and a shop.

One of the most notable aspects of the site is the active message board, where a diverse group of people post questions, trade advice and tell stories. Wrong Planet has many forums, including a Parent’s Board, an area where people with Aspergers can talk about employment and several topical boards that discuss anything from video games to philosophy. Wrong Planet provides a very personal and interesting look inside the world of people who have Aspergers or Autism.

Gifts of Aspergers

The Myriad Gifts of Asperger's Syndrome by John M. Ortiz focuses on the talents, abilities, and achievements of individuals with Asperger's Syndrome. Ortiz celebrates the qualities of individuals with Asperger's that he has met through his clinical experience, including their characteristic tenacity, honesty, and attention to detail. He also looks at the wide range of careers they have chosen and flourish in.

Are you an Indiana resident and interested in this book? Contact us!

Not an Indiana resident? No worries find this book at your local library!

Asperger and Employment

People with Asperger Syndrome often face difficulties when making the jump from formal education to the work force. They might face challenges such as being unable to communicate effectively with co-workers, problems with adjusting to a disruptive work environment or being unable see the "big picture" of a project. However, people with Asperger Syndrome also have many strengths that make them valuable employees when in the right occupation.

Temple Grandin’s Choosing the Right Job for People with Autism or Asperger's Syndrome lists various occupations that would be in tune the strengths of a person with Aspergers Syndrome.

CeDIR also has several books on this topic, including:

How to find work that works for people with Asperger syndrome : the ultimate guide for getting people with Asperger syndrome into the workplace (and keeping them there!) by Gail Hawkins

Asperger syndrome employment workbook : an employment workbook for adults with Asperger syndrome by Roger Meyer

Check them out today!

Mind/Body Techniques for Asperger's Syndrome: the Way of the Pathfinder by Ron Rubio


People with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) typically experience difficulty with balance, coordination and sensory awareness. The mind/body exercises in this book help young people with AS improve these skills, leading to greater self-confidence, and independence.

Easy to use, with photographs to show how exercises are done correctly, these techniques can have an immediate effect on how an individual stands, sits, moves, thinks of him- or herself, and relates to others. The author's approach integrates ideas and practices from disciplines including martial arts, Eastern principles of mindfulness, techniques of visualization, breathing, posture, and movement, and the practice of mentoring.

Check out Mind/Body Techniques for Asperger's Syndrome at the Center for Disability Information and Referral today! Not an Indiana Resident? Find Mind/Body Techniques for Asperger's Syndrome in a library near you with worldcat.org!

Knowing Yourself, Knowing Others

Knowing Yourself, Knowing Others: A Workbook for Children with Asperger's Disorder, Non Verbal Learning Disorder and other Social Skill Problems

Asperger's disorder is a common neuropsychiatric condition that affects children's abilities to understand and become involved in social interaction. When a child in your life struggles with Asperger's or Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD), developing social skills will be a particular challenge for him or her. This illustrated workbook--written by the founders of SuperKids, an innovative program that treats hundreds of children with Asperger's disorder each year--offers simple exercises you can use to facilitate this important process.

Knowing Yourself, Knowing Others includes activities that will help kids with Asperger's disorder and related conditions learn how to read social cues, avoid meltdowns, understand others' needs and intentions, resolve conflicts with friends, build basic nonverbal skills, and more.

To find this title at a library near you, click here!

-Amazon.com

First Annual International Autism Summit

Presented by Autismtoday.com and the Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, the First Annual International Autism Summit will be held in Cleveland, Ohio on October 10th through the 12th. This event will be a great way to connect with others who are interested in autism issues, locate new resources, ask questions, and hear professionals discuss current topics relating to autism and Asperger's syndrome. It is open to anyone interested; for more information, visit www.autismcleveland.com, or call Autism Today at (866) 838-3687.

Born on the Wrong Planet

Living with Asperger's syndrome and Tourette syndrome, author Erika Hammerschmidt feels alienated from her classmates and the world around her. Born on the Wrong Planet, her latest work, describes her life and how her experiences often left her feeling misunderstood. Stephen M. Shore, executive director of Autism Spectrum Disorder Consulting, gives it the following review: "Erika takes us on a whirlwind ride, and in the process we witness the inner workings of a brilliant Aspie mind. From toddler to school age, to marriage and beyond, we are privileged to learn more about what it is to be human." If you would like to check out this insightful book, stop by CeDIR today. Or, if you aren't an Indiana resident, click here to find it at a library near you.

My Strange and Terrible Malady

Written by Catherine Bristow, My Strange and Terrible Malady takes the reader into the mind of a teenage girl with Asperger's syndrome. Main character Ronita Baker narrates her experiences at school and home with humor and wit, as well as her interactions with her family, life coach, and best friend Hannah. Meredith Coates, a Youth and Family Ministries coordinator and parent of a teenager with Asperger's, calls the book a "must-read not only for teens with AS and those who care for and love them but for all teenagers who cope with trying to fit in and find themselves." Visit CeDIR to check this book out today, or click here to find it at a library near you.

A Practical Guide to Asperger's Syndrome

In Asperger's from the Inside Out, author Michael John Carley shares his experiences living with Asperger's syndrome. As executive director of GRASP (The Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership) and father of a son who also has Asperger's, he describes the toll it has taken on his life and uses humor and advice to show how one can live successfully and fulfillingly with this condition. Among other topics, he discusses coping strategies, handling relationships and family, and finding a suitable career in the workforce. Mark Roithmayr, president of Autism Speaks, says that this work is an "engaging book" that "offers a thoughtful and creative roadmap for people with Asperger's and their loved ones," while actress Sigourney Weaver calls it a "wonderfully candid and encouraging book about navigating the world of Asperger's syndrome." If you are interested in this enlightening read, come by CeDIR today to check it out, or click here to find it at a library near you.

The Boy Inside

Kaplan, M. (Producer). (2006). The boy inside [DVD]. Boston, MA : Fanlight Productions.

The Boy Inside gives viewers the opportunity to experience what life is really like for a child with Asperger's Syndrome. Filmmaker Marianne Kaplan chronicles her son's 7th grade year as he struggles with family tensions, bullying, social pressures and an overwhelming sense of isolation.

For more information visit www.theboyinside.com where you will find video clips, showing listing, a film synopsis as well as an online Asperger's Community where you can connect to other with Asperger's and their teachers and families. Are you interested in showing this film in your classroom? Visit Fanlight Productions for a viewers guide.

Indiana residents who would like to check out this film can call us at 800-437-7924. Not an Indiana resident? Find The Boy Inside at a library near you!

Intricate Minds: Understanding Classmates with Asperger Syndrome

Coulter Video. (2005). Intricate minds: Understanding classmates with Asperger syndrome. Winston Salem, NC: Coulter Video.

Sometimes the hardest disabilities for kids to accept are the ones they can't see. Kids with Asperger Syndrome are often bullied and made fun of because their peers don't understand what Asperger Syndrome is. Intricate Minds is a great resource for teachers and parents to help kids in grades 6-12 have a better idea of what it is like to have Asperger's.

For more information about this film and a free discussion guide visit Coulter Video's website. Indiana residents who would like to check out this film can give us a call at (800) 437-7924. Not an Indiana resident? Find Intricate Minds at a library near you!