Sincerely, Your Autistic Child: What People on the Autism Spectrum Wish Their Parents Knew About Growing Up, Acceptance, and Identity - Softcover

Emily Paige Ballou

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0807025682 ISBN 13: 9780807025680

Publisher: Beacon Press, 2021

Synopsis

A rare and diverse collection of autistic voices that highlights to parents the unique needs of girls and nonbinary people who are growing up with autism.

Most resources available for parents come out of the medical model of disability--from psychologists, educators, parents, and doctors--offering parents a narrow and technical approach to autism. Furthermore, it is widely believed that many autistic girls and women are underdiagnosed, which has further limited the information available regarding the unique needs of girls and nonbinary people with autism.

Sincerely, Your Autistic Child represents an authentic resource for parents written by people who understand this experience most, autistic people themselves. From childhood and education to gender identity and sexuality, this anthology of autistic contributors tackles the everyday challenges of growing up while honestly addressing the emotional needs, sensitivity, and vibrancy of autistic girls and nonbinary people. Written like letters to parents, the contributors reflect on what they have learned while growing up with autism and how parents can avoid common mistakes and overcome challenges while raising their child.

Sincerely, Your Autistic Child calls parents to action by raising awareness and redefining normal in order to help parents make their child feel truly accepted, valued, and celebrated for who they are.

About this title

About the Author

Emily Paige Ballou is an old Millennial from the Midwest who currently lives and works in NYC, where she primarily stage manages off-Broadway new plays and new musicals, including works such as the Hello Girls with Prospect Theater Company, Nikola Tesla Drops the Beat at the Adirondack Theatre Festival, and Rose with Nora's Playhouse. She graduated from the University of Georgia, where she was also a member of the Demosthenian Literary Society. Previous publications include pieces in the Thinking Person's Guide to Autism, The Real Experts: Readings for Parents of Autistic Children, NeuroQueer, Barking Sycamores, and Fuckit: A Zine.

Sharon daVanport lives in the Midwest by way of their home state of Texas where they spent young adulthood writing short stories, poetry and serving as co-editor of their academic newspaper. After nearly a decade in social work, Sharon founded the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN). Appointed by their state's board of education, Sharon served a full term on the SILC board of directors. Publications include co-authoring a paper in Sage Pub Autism Journal, a chapter in Autistic Community and the Neurodiversity Movement: Stories from the Front Line, and pieces in Welcome to the Autistic Community, and Disability Visibility Project.

Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, MA, is a global self-advocate, educator and disabled woman of color in a neurodiverse, serodifferent family who was diagnosed as autistic in adulthood following the diagnoses of two of her children. A prolific writer, public speaker, and social scientist, her work focuses on meaningful community involvement, human rights, justice, and inclusion. Morénike is a Humanities Scholar at Rice University and a member of several disability executive and advisory boards. Her publications include The Real Experts: Readings for Parents of Autistic Children and All the Weight of Our Dreams: On Living Racialized Autism.

Autistic Women's Network, renamed Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, (AWN), was founded as the first organization that focused on Autistic women, girls, and nonbinary people. They are an essential resource for autistic people, parents, and allies for dispelling stereotypes and misinformation around autism. More information can be found at https: //awnnetwork.org/

Edition details

• Publisher: Beacon Press
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0807025682
• ISBN 13: 9780807025680
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 232