Finding Ben: A Mother's Journey Through the Maze of Asperger's (NTC SELF-HELP) - Softcover

Lasalle, Barbara

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0071431942 ISBN 13: 9780071431941

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education, 2004

Synopsis

"An introspective, honest account that may offer solace...to other families coping with challenging children." - "Kirkus Reviews". "[LaSalle's] story is one of human triumph over adversity and ignorance...It has a happy ending, but there will be moments when readers are likely to cry before they share her happiness." - Tony Attwood, Ph.D., Director, The Asperger's Syndrome Clinic.Barbara LaSalle's first son, Ben, seemed to be an extraordinarily gifted child. For the first few years of his life, he amazed his mother with his brilliance and creativity, speaking in full sentences before age one and reading competently by age two. Yet, lurking beneath this boy genius' amazing abilities were a crippling social aloofness and fear of change. For years, she searched for a diagnosis for her son, who, unbeknownst to her, suffered from Asperger's Syndrome - the "little grownup" disorder - a neurological condition considered a high-functioning form of autism.In this frank, emotionally written account, Barbara LaSalle reveals what it's really like to parent a child with a neurological disorder. She paints a powerfully honest portrait of how a mother's love can turn into bitterness at having to raise a special-needs child and how, by opening herself to the wisdom of others, she can at last learn to love her child - and herself - once again. Barbara LaSalle, M.A., is a marriage and family therapist who runs a psychotherapy practice in Los Angeles. A tireless advocate for people with mental illness, she is a frequent lecturer, workshop leader, and documentary filmmaker.

About this title

Review:

A wise and sad and ultimately uplifting book which speaks eloquently to the often unexpected experiences of being a parent an dlovin a child. - Perri Klass, M.D., author of Love and Modern Medicine; To love a child is to give them the gift of life. Learn how to find that love for yourself and your child from the experience of others and not your own pain. Finding Ben shows this beautifully. -Bernie Siegel, M.D., author of Love, Medicine & Miracles and Prescriptions for Living; Barbara LaSalle's new book about Asperger's, Finding Ben, beautifully chronicles her own journey to understand her son with the encyclopedic mind and distressingly separate world. - The Washington Post

From the Back Cover:

Author: LaSalle

ISBN: 0071431942

Category: Psychology/Memoir

Trim Size: 5 1/2 x 8 1/4

UPC: 639785384717

Price: $14.95

[category] Psychology/Memoir

"An introspective, honest account that may offer solace . . . to other families coping with challenging children."

--Kirkus Reviews

"[LaSalle's] story is one of human triumph over adversity and ignorance... It has a happy ending, but there wil be moments when reaers are likely to cry before they share her happiness."

--Tony Attwood, Ph.D., Director, The Asperger's Syndrome Clinic

Barbara LaSalle's first son, Ben, seemed to be an extraordinarily gifted child. For the first few years of his life, he amazed his mother with his brilliance and creativity, speaking in full sentences before age one and reading competently by age two. Yet lurking beneath this boy genius's amazing abilities were a crippling social aloofness and fear of change. For years she searched for a diagnosis for her son, who, unbeknownst to her, suffered from Asperger's Syndrome--the "little grownup" disorder--a neurological condition considered a high-functioning form of autism.

In this frank, emotionally written account, Barbara LaSalle reveals what it's really like to parent a child with a neurological disorder. She paints a powerfully honest portrait of how a mother's love can turn into bitterness at having to raise a special-needs child and how, by opening herself to the wisdom of others, she can at last learn to love her child--and herself--once again.

Barbara LaSalle, M.A., is a marriage and family therapist who runs a psychotherapy practice in Los Angeles. A tireless advocate for people with mental illness, she is a frequent lecturer, workshop leader, and documentary filmmaker.

About this edition

• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0071431942
• ISBN 13: 9780071431941
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304