Autism Every Day: Over 150 Strategies Lived and Learned by a Professional Autism Consultant with 3 Sons on the Spectrum

by Alyson Beytien

Stemming from a wealth of both professional and personal experience, this guidebook combines real-life stories of challenges and successes with practical ideas for handling autism, every day. Autism consultant Alyson Beytien outlines over 150 tried-and-true techniques for home, school, and community. Alyson’s three boys cover the whole spectrum of autism―Asperger’s syndrome, high-functioning autism, and classic autism. She understands the wide range of needs these children have and has discovered what helps and what hinders. Covering a full gamut of issues―from picky-eating and echolalia to IEPs and “The Woes of Walmart”―Alyson’s ideas and interventions will inspire and inform all those who are connected to a person with autism. Alyson believes that each day brings more opportunities to learn, problem-solve, and celebrate the joys that children with autism bring to our world―after all, today’s crisis is tomorrow’s humor. Her family’s motto will soon become your everyday “Improvise and Overcome!”

Genres: Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Parenting, Nonfiction, Adult

286 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2011

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The author does not approach the subject of autism with doom and despair but with love and a sense of humor. I love that I saw myself and my son in a lot of the stories she wrote about herself and her sons. She also includes wonderful tips and strategies for handling the everyday and bigger issues. As a mother of a son with autism I definitely recommend this book to other parents who have children with ASD or anyone who just wants some insight into the world of autism.

[Cindy Ritter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoying this book! An uplifting read for anyone raising a special needs child and I love the way the author focuses on the strengths of each individual in her family and keeps it light with her great sense of humor!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good. . a self-help book, but the author makes it VERY entertaining reading. I laughed and cried.

[Bradley Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a parent, you are always looking for ways to improve the lives of your children and to help them best relate to others and connect to the things that make them happy. If you have children on the autism spectrum (I have two of my three) and want to best understand how to help them (and yourself) through some of the day to day challenges, you will find this book helpful. I read it on a 3 hour plane ride, so it's also easy to digest. One of the things I appreciated about the author's style, while occasionally too informal, was the 2-3 page summaries at the end of each chapter. These summaries help reinforce the content in the chapters, as well as providing action items and coping strategies. The end of the book also lists a number of recommended books, magazines, websites and organizations for further education about autism and autism parenting.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the best books on Autism that I have read so far. As a parent of a 4 year old with Autism, I found it to be not only helpful but reassuring. A lot of times, as a parent you can feel very isolated and alone when raising a child with Autism. This book helped me to realize that I am not alone in those feelings and the author gave suggestions on how to combat that feeling. I highly recommend this book to no only parents who have a child with Autism, but also to family members of a child with Autism, people who work with kids on the Spectrum, or just any person interested in learning about Autism and ways that they can help those who struggle with this disorder.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful SLP / parent home trainer at the University of New Mexico recommended this book to me. It isn't (and doesn't try to be) a comprehensive history of autism, an apologia for the diagnostic criteria, or a guidebook for autistic people themselves. It's more like a chatty memoir for parents with children on the spectrum. Some of the tips were genuinely useful, but I mostly love it because Beytien shares herself and her sons with us with such dignity and good humor. I cried a lot, but I think this book really helped me. It inspired me, relieved some of my worries that I am doing everything wrong all the time, and reminded me to have hope and gratitude.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where has this book been the last 13 years?? It is the autism version of What to Expect When Your Expecting...in my opinion. Every page I read I thought...SHE GETS IT! I need this woman in my life! My son needs me to have this woman in my life! I am thrilled our local librarian found this for me! I will never let it go. I am recommending it to everyone I know!

[Delynn Bodine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really helped me understand more about autism and the challenges that individuals and family face.

[Iwona Mroczek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bardzo przyjemna książka mimo poważnego tematu

[Jenben8426 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alyson Beytien is the mom of three boys on the autism spectrum. Each boy has varying degrees of autism and when they were diagnosed she decided to learn everything she could about autism. In each chapter she gives real life stories of daily struggles she has had throughout the boys' lives then has a section of tips that parents, teachers, and families can read, think on, and perhaps implement if applicable.

I really enjoyed this book. This book isn't for really understanding the autism diagnosis on a medical or professional level, but rather on the level of a loving mother who was thrown somewhat of a curve ball in the world of parenting who wants to share her ups and downs and what worked for them. As I read each chapter and story it was good for my heart as I related to her and her struggles seeing as how I have gone through some of the same things (albeit in different obsessions, habits, etc.). There were also sections that I am grateful for because we have not had to go through some of the inevitable life experiences that Alyson's family has, and it was definitely good for me to start thinking about those things that will happen eventually. I highly recommend this to all who are affected by Autism whether a parent, sibling, teacher, or relative.

[R.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book I found to be very comforting overall. Sometimes the greatest pain is thinking you are alone.
My brother was diagnosed with autism when he was two years old and not walking yet. My mother has read far more books on autism than I have but I saw this new one on display at my library and I decided to take it home. Strategies was a word that stood out to me. I like to be actively solving problems.
I felt this book has given me a lot of things to think about plus tools to help me. I'm grateful it was written and published and that I had the opportunity to read it.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met the author during a meeting at the Iowa DHS last week and was so taken with her enthusiasm I bought her book. This is an excellent book for people who need a glimpse of the life of a family of someone with autism.

[Kayla Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really practical and easy to relate to. I will definitely be using some of her ideas in therapy with the families I work with.