The Asperger Plus Child: How to Identify and How to Identify and Help Children With Asperger Syndrome and Seven Common Co-existing Conditions

by George T. Lynn, Joanne Barrie Lynn

91% of children with autism have co-occurring challenges. In the book, The Asperger Plus How to Identify and Help Children With Asperger Syndrome and Seven Common Coexisting Conditions - Bipolar Disorder, Nonverbal Learning Disability, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, High-Functioning Autism, Tourette's Syndrome, and Attention Deficit Disorder, author George Lynn combines research with his own experience with children who he calls attention different to create an indispensable guide about the many children with autism who also demonstrate signs of other exceptionalisms. Written for parents, teachers, counselors, and medical professionals, the book provides a map that helps people better understand the often complex issues of individuals with autism and, as a result, provide better services.

Genres: Nonfiction

280 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm uncomfortable assigning a rating to this book. I read it because, although I do have a psychology degree and some clinical experience, I don't know as much as I would like to about Asperger's. When I checked this out of the library I wasn't sure whether this was the book I should educate myself with, and I'm still not 100% sure.

There were a lot of good things about this book, assuming the information is trustworthy. The book discussed criteria for diagnosing Asperger's including formal DSM criteria, some research findings, and the author's observations from working with individuals diagnosed with Asperger's for many years. The book discussed several diagnoses which may co-exist with Asperger's (such as bipolar disorder and nonverbal learning disability), how to tease out their presence, and what the diagnostic picture might look like if these other disorders are present. The book also discussed some other disorders which may be mistaken for Asperger's and some similarities and differences (high-functioning autism, Tourette's, ADD). I appreciated the book's clarity and practicality as well as its many charts and concrete recommendations for diagnosing and assisting these individuals.

Having said that, although I hate to sound like a snob, the book was not published by a company I'm familiar with and the author is not a psychologist or social worker (although the book was apparently edited by a psychologist). The author clearly has a great deal of clinical experience and drew heavily on published research articles according to the bibliography, so maybe this shouldn't matter. At the same time, there were a few minor errors and inconsistencies in his otherwise helpful charts. Additionally, some of his recommendations for teachers struck me more as a wish-list than as realistic interventions in a school setting.

Bottom line: I'd like to get the impressions of someone who knows more than I do. If the book's information is reliable, then it's an extremely useful book. Unfortunately, I don't feel I'm in a position to make that judgment.

[Amanda Marotz Roemer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outdated language, but still made me think

[Rayni]

My Aspergers "child" is 21. Not sure what I'll gain from this book. Due 4/22, returned unread