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Navigating Autism: 9 Mindsets For Helping Kids on the Spectrum
Empowering strategies for anyone who works with children and teens on the spectrum.
Internationally best-selling writer and autist Temple Grandin joins psychologist Debra Moore in presenting nine strengths-based mindsets necessary to successfully work with young people on the autism spectrum. Examples and stories bring the approaches to life, and detailed suggestions help listeners put them to practical use.
Temple Grandin shares her own personal experiences and anecdotes from parents and professionals who have sought her advice, while Debra Moore draws on more than three decades of work as a psychologist with kids on the spectrum and those who love and care for them. So many people support the lives of these kids, and this book is for all of teachers; special education staff; mental health clinicians; physical, occupational, and speech therapists; parents; and anyone interacting with autistic children or teens.
Internationally best-selling writer and autist Temple Grandin joins psychologist Debra Moore in presenting nine strengths-based mindsets necessary to successfully work with young people on the autism spectrum. Examples and stories bring the approaches to life, and detailed suggestions help listeners put them to practical use.
Temple Grandin shares her own personal experiences and anecdotes from parents and professionals who have sought her advice, while Debra Moore draws on more than three decades of work as a psychologist with kids on the spectrum and those who love and care for them. So many people support the lives of these kids, and this book is for all of teachers; special education staff; mental health clinicians; physical, occupational, and speech therapists; parents; and anyone interacting with autistic children or teens.
1 pages, Audio CD
Published October 26, 2021
347 people are currently reading
1299 people want to read
About the author
Temple Grandin
157 books1,776 followersMary Temple Grandin is an American academic and animal behaviorist. She is a prominent proponent of the humane treatment of livestock for slaughter and the author of more than 60 scientific papers on animal behavior. Grandin is a consultant to the livestock industry, where she offers advice on animal behavior, and is also an autism spokesperson.
Grandin is one of the first autistic people to document the insights she gained from her personal experiences with autism. She is a faculty member with Animal Sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Colorado State University.
In 2010, Time 100, an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, named her in the "Heroes" category. She was the subject of the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning biographical film Temple Grandin. Grandin has been an outspoken proponent of autism rights and neurodiversity movements.
Grandin is one of the first autistic people to document the insights she gained from her personal experiences with autism. She is a faculty member with Animal Sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Colorado State University.
In 2010, Time 100, an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, named her in the "Heroes" category. She was the subject of the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning biographical film Temple Grandin. Grandin has been an outspoken proponent of autism rights and neurodiversity movements.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
October 26, 2021
Throughout the years I have interacted and worked with children and adults who find that they have some form of autism. So, I am always looking for material that is helpful and practically useful for parents and professionals on the subject. Therefore, I was elated when the authors notified me that they had just published this 384-page softback, “Navigating Autism: 9 Mindsets for Helping Kids on the Spectrum”. Temple Grandin, best-selling author, prolific speaker, and Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, and Debra Moore, psychologist, and Founder and Director of Fall Creek Counseling Associates in the greater Sacramento Area, have teamed up on this manuscript and handed parents and professionals a well-researched, but easy to read dossier. Readers of all stripes will find it engaging and practical as they seek to walk with kids and young adults who are dealing with some level of autism.
The book takes the approach that there are nine mindsets parents and professionals should incorporate as they help young people on the spectrum grow and develop. As the authors note, they “strongly believe that if the adults interacting with autistic children stay grounded in the mindsets presented in this book, each child has a much improved chance of reaching their fullest potential than otherwise” (xiii) and, using “these nine mindsets will help you see more progress and bring out each child’s unique and maximum potential” (4).
The nine chapters break down each mindset with advantageous research and guidance. One will quickly pick up that in each chapter there are valuable directions for both mothers and fathers as well as counselors and clinicians. Grandin and Moore are taking a bigger approach to this subject because they see the need for a whole-team tactic to maximize the growth of a non-neurotypical child. Nevertheless, some chapters lean more heavily toward the parents, and other chapters lean more heavily toward the professionals. But it all works together for the best! Moms and dads need to know what the evaluators and therapists are up to, and the professionals need to be alert to what the parents are being steered toward.
For example, the second and third chapters address evaluators and counselors as they test and plan out interventions. The authors present important details, with several examples, so that professionals have a bigger picture in mind as they assess the child. And yet, the fourth and fifth chapters inform the parents of the medical conditions that often attend to autism, such as gastrointestinal issues, and sleep problems. But also, the mental health issues that can appear with those on the spectrum, such as increased rates of depression and suicidal ideations. I mentioned how this book related that the increased incidences of depression and suicidal thoughts came along with autism to a parent whose child is on the spectrum. She breathed a sigh of relief and said, “That is so helpful! I feel like our experiences are not so abnormal. I feel acknowledged.” This is an important book!
One of the initial concepts in “Navigating Autism” that I find deeply significant is that every child is more than their autism. As the authors warn, once the autism label is used by professionals and parents, “they will apply that image. This happens a lot to people with autism. Once we label someone, we also risk creating an oversimplified snapshot of that person. Once a person gets labeled, people’s opinion of that person may never change…you should always look beyond labels and see all of their strengths and features” (1-2). This is true, not just of autism, but for many other label-laden issues.
“Navigating Autism” is the kind of book that will give dads and moms a shot in the arm as they long to aid their autistic child’s development and growth. It will be useful in professional practices to help counselors and psychiatrists as they approach the child and include the family in that child’s wellbeing. This is a must-have and must-give-away book! I highly recommend it.
My glad thanks to the authors who reached out to me and asked if I’d be interested in reading and reviewing the book. They happily sent me a copy, and I used it for this evaluation. There were no hostages taken in the process, no demands or diktats given to me, and no animals were hurt in writing of this analysis. These sentiments are freely made and freely given.
The book takes the approach that there are nine mindsets parents and professionals should incorporate as they help young people on the spectrum grow and develop. As the authors note, they “strongly believe that if the adults interacting with autistic children stay grounded in the mindsets presented in this book, each child has a much improved chance of reaching their fullest potential than otherwise” (xiii) and, using “these nine mindsets will help you see more progress and bring out each child’s unique and maximum potential” (4).
The nine chapters break down each mindset with advantageous research and guidance. One will quickly pick up that in each chapter there are valuable directions for both mothers and fathers as well as counselors and clinicians. Grandin and Moore are taking a bigger approach to this subject because they see the need for a whole-team tactic to maximize the growth of a non-neurotypical child. Nevertheless, some chapters lean more heavily toward the parents, and other chapters lean more heavily toward the professionals. But it all works together for the best! Moms and dads need to know what the evaluators and therapists are up to, and the professionals need to be alert to what the parents are being steered toward.
For example, the second and third chapters address evaluators and counselors as they test and plan out interventions. The authors present important details, with several examples, so that professionals have a bigger picture in mind as they assess the child. And yet, the fourth and fifth chapters inform the parents of the medical conditions that often attend to autism, such as gastrointestinal issues, and sleep problems. But also, the mental health issues that can appear with those on the spectrum, such as increased rates of depression and suicidal ideations. I mentioned how this book related that the increased incidences of depression and suicidal thoughts came along with autism to a parent whose child is on the spectrum. She breathed a sigh of relief and said, “That is so helpful! I feel like our experiences are not so abnormal. I feel acknowledged.” This is an important book!
One of the initial concepts in “Navigating Autism” that I find deeply significant is that every child is more than their autism. As the authors warn, once the autism label is used by professionals and parents, “they will apply that image. This happens a lot to people with autism. Once we label someone, we also risk creating an oversimplified snapshot of that person. Once a person gets labeled, people’s opinion of that person may never change…you should always look beyond labels and see all of their strengths and features” (1-2). This is true, not just of autism, but for many other label-laden issues.
“Navigating Autism” is the kind of book that will give dads and moms a shot in the arm as they long to aid their autistic child’s development and growth. It will be useful in professional practices to help counselors and psychiatrists as they approach the child and include the family in that child’s wellbeing. This is a must-have and must-give-away book! I highly recommend it.
My glad thanks to the authors who reached out to me and asked if I’d be interested in reading and reviewing the book. They happily sent me a copy, and I used it for this evaluation. There were no hostages taken in the process, no demands or diktats given to me, and no animals were hurt in writing of this analysis. These sentiments are freely made and freely given.
January 12, 2024
This is extremely helpful. This would be good to read before you begin the evaluation process. (Although overwhelming, but maybe if you’re in the evaluation process you’re already overwhelmed and this would, from that place, help.) Much of it is geared towards evaluators, therapists, and educators, but even reading those chapters will give you a good idea of what questions to ask to make you a better advocate for your child. She includes a list of questions to ask when beginning therapy that I wish I would have had. She goes over conditions that can be associated with autism and how to recognize them (everything from seizures to GI distress to dental problems to psychiatric obstacles). She covers trauma and how it shows up in and affects autistic children. She has many educational cautions, including standardized testing, but really echoes ideas I already understand: spread the feast and give them a large room. I appreciated learning about the growth zone. This book was written after the pandemic, so there is some information for educators and students with IEPs and distance learning. She talks about scaffolding for the real world and integrating therapies into everyday life. Over and over she stresses the importance of learning to “see the whole child” and “treat the whole child” with reminders to stay away from a negative mindset. I came away with some new ideas and some questions I want to ask OT about.
June 6, 2022
This is a place to start for the newly diagnosed autistic family. This book would walk you through the troubleshooting of what to do at varying life stages.
I wish I'd have had this book back in 2011 when my son was diagnosed with autism. It may have helped us by requesting a neurological screening for epilepsy (he had his first seizure in 2015). Who knows. There were several things in life this book could have helped make a smoother path for. It has even helped me know how to help my now teenager transition into independent living (he's only 15 but so many things I wouldn't have thought to help him know).
For anyone who loves or teaches autistic people.
I wish I'd have had this book back in 2011 when my son was diagnosed with autism. It may have helped us by requesting a neurological screening for epilepsy (he had his first seizure in 2015). Who knows. There were several things in life this book could have helped make a smoother path for. It has even helped me know how to help my now teenager transition into independent living (he's only 15 but so many things I wouldn't have thought to help him know).
For anyone who loves or teaches autistic people.
February 12, 2022
As a parent to two children with Autism I appreciated the book. Many things I feel like I could have written myself, others gave me a different angle to try with my boys. Some parts didn't pertain to my situation and was a little hard to get through but overall, it was worth the read as a parent.
February 20, 2022
There's a lot of autism in my family, and I find that Temple Grandin is the best at helping me understand it and how to relate to it. However, this is not her typical explanatory book. Instead, this is where you need to go if you think or know your child is on the spectrum, and need helping navigating the system to get him/her what's needed. Frequent comorbidities to look for (epilepsy is a biggie and often atypical - didn't know to ask for a neuro workup to check). ADHD (no surprise here, it's also a biggie in my family). And of course others. Then there's lots of guidance for arranging and getting the most out of the diagnostic workup. How to get the school on board at the very best they can do. And so on.
In my case the child is actually a grandchild, so I passed the book to his mother. And wow, did it make a difference to the process! Recommendations were made that we hadn't known to consider. And yes, we got the neuro referral. If you're anywhere in process, you must read this book.
In my case the child is actually a grandchild, so I passed the book to his mother. And wow, did it make a difference to the process! Recommendations were made that we hadn't known to consider. And yes, we got the neuro referral. If you're anywhere in process, you must read this book.
November 14, 2024
I think everyone should read this book, especially if you work with autistic individuals or children, have autistic people in your life, or have an interest in learning more about autism. It’s quite easy to read, but has a lot of important information in it that can help you not only understand autism better, but also even recognize its traits, better know how to show support and understanding, and even perhaps assist in interventions for evaluations or diagnosis as well (if relevant or necessary, such as for special education teachers). So much about our knowledge of autism has expanded, and this book is right at the beginning of that surge, but it still has really relevant and useful information in it.
This book is full of personal stories and examples, as well as real applications to life worth considering. It’s intended as a tool for people working with autistic teens, but I think its relevancy expands even beyond that. While it could use some updates to some aspects of the language, it’s really empowering, enlightening, and educative. I found myself taking notes and pausing certain sections for reflection many times. I definitely wish I had read this before teaching or even earlier in my own life to have better understood this resonating in my own life.
It definitely made some passages difficult to read as I’m processing my own late diagnosis, and this book really made me realize how many more signs there were for this diagnosis than I’d originally realized in my early childhood and even beyond. It was difficult to realize I missed being able to experience or achieve these mindsets and their benefits because of my own lack of diagnosis, and even how I failed some students I now realize were autistic in my classroom. But that’s why I appreciate these books so much and think they’re so vitally important. If our studies aren’t preparing us with this knowledge then we have to seek it out on our own, and even though I’m no longer teaching, I still found this very relevant in a variety of ways.
This book is full of personal stories and examples, as well as real applications to life worth considering. It’s intended as a tool for people working with autistic teens, but I think its relevancy expands even beyond that. While it could use some updates to some aspects of the language, it’s really empowering, enlightening, and educative. I found myself taking notes and pausing certain sections for reflection many times. I definitely wish I had read this before teaching or even earlier in my own life to have better understood this resonating in my own life.
It definitely made some passages difficult to read as I’m processing my own late diagnosis, and this book really made me realize how many more signs there were for this diagnosis than I’d originally realized in my early childhood and even beyond. It was difficult to realize I missed being able to experience or achieve these mindsets and their benefits because of my own lack of diagnosis, and even how I failed some students I now realize were autistic in my classroom. But that’s why I appreciate these books so much and think they’re so vitally important. If our studies aren’t preparing us with this knowledge then we have to seek it out on our own, and even though I’m no longer teaching, I still found this very relevant in a variety of ways.
September 7, 2023
I thought this was a really straightforward and clear book on methods you can employ to assist and empower those on the spectrum. Due to the proximity of our ages, my brother and I have been in the same year groups almost all our lives and I would've loved to have read this book when I was younger to help inform me of why some things tended to trigger him or ways to alleviate his stress. I think the book definitely gave what it was advertising so I can't knock it down for that, but I would've loved to have delved deeper into the psychology and physiology of neurodivergence. Overall, I think it's a great book that everyone should read.
April 8, 2022
If you only read one book as you embark on a journey as a professional or parent to a child with ASD- let this be it. Extremely detailed, well organized, lots of practical advice and scenarios. Balances respect for the individual, current scientific and educational methods, and pragmatic concerns. Optimistic and realistic.
July 1, 2023
Must read for all educators and parents. This book is fantastic. Read this even if your child/student is not on the spectrum. This book offers comprehensive guidance on the needs of children.
November 6, 2021
I didn't realize this book was published this year and I'm likely the first person who checked it out from the library. It seemed a little basic for its audience, but being a novice about autism, it made sense to me and offered some decent info. It seems like if someone wanted to read it for anything more in-depth, they might be disappointed, like, "Well, I already knew that. What else can you tell me?" That type of thing.
Also, this edition could benefit with some additional editing to remove typos (extra words, incorrect suffixes, incorrect tenses, small things like that).
I watched the Temple Grandin movie with Claire Danes while I was reading this. Definitely helped me get a better sense of what autism can look like for someone.
Book coincidences:
- I’m reading this book to get a better understanding and insight into autism because a certain person is in my life. I saw that this book was published exactly on his 40th birthday. And there is also a reference to an example vignette that uses his name and relates to computers (pg. 6), so him. I can see why he self-diagnosed as potentially being on the spectrum, as some of the autism characteristics relate, but likely only mildly. I think he's definitely an HSP though.
“We all experience states—temporary moods, reactions, and mindsets. We usually don’t emphasize or dwell on the temporary states of people, but when someone has a label, we’re more likely to attribute their temporary state to that label, even if it is unrelated. We don’t realize we do this; it is an unconscious, automatic reaction.” pg. 4
“Imagine changes to the electrical functioning in your home. Sudden power surges can damage or render appliances inoperable. Too much voltage overheats the system and it seizes up. Loss of electrical connection, on the other hand, can cause spotty, inconsistent operations. One minute your printer works, and the next you get error messages or it stops completely. You wouldn’t want to live in a house without consistent, appropriate levels of electrical connection. Your world would feel undependable, unpredictable, and unsafe. This is how it can feel for a person with autism.” pg. 34
“The brain’s ability to process incoming stimuli depends on how well it can filter out unimportant incoming sensory information while at the same time intensifying what is important. When an infant or child brain cannot process incoming sensory information normally, their ability to self-regulate is diminished, and they may not be able to maintain an appropriate level of awareness to meet environmental demands.” pg. 36
“Don’t get too caught up in basing chores on whether a child is likely to live independently. Often, that can’t reliably be predicted when a child is young. If they are able to understand and physically carry out a household task, have them learn it. Even if they end up living in a group home or other facility that doesn’t require they handle all the tasks they learned, they still benefit. They learned not only the specific task, but also all the executive skills and cognitive steps needed to carry it out, such as initiating, sequencing, planning, and following through. Emotionally, they gained self-efficacy, pride in their accomplishment, and the feeling of being a valued member of their family.” pg. 168-169
“Any branch of therapy can be used in a strength- or deficit-based format. The focus on building positive outcome versus reducing problems and purposefully incorporating a child’s interests and skills into therapeutic tasks is what distinguishes a strength-based approach, not the choice of theoretical orientation.
Note that the goals are different. The strength-based goal entails building a skill. The deficit-based goal entails eliminating a behavior. The tools used in the deficit model are standard positive and negative reinforcers. There is nothing inherently problematic about using these, but they often mean little to autistic children. Plus, there are other reinforcers that are much more powerful to many children with autism. These reinforcers are items or activities directly related to their unique interests and abilities.” pg. 227
“No matter how good transition planning is, each child also needs a network of adults who are available for support and guidance. This network, similar to transition planning in general, needs to be built ahead of time. You can’t wait until a child graduates from high school to suddenly look around for a support team. A good network is built over time, because it takes time to build trust and to get comfortable sharing problems and fears with another person.
Just as when they were younger, adults on the spectrum benefit from having a circle of acquaintances with similar interests. This gives them people to actually do things with—not just talk about them in theory, but to go and try them out—to walk through the real steps of activities. For example, they might learn to navigate a city bus systems by riding with another person who also wants to go to the planetarium or join a group of coders on the other side of town. Or they might learn to purchase and pay for movie tickets by going to the theater with a peer who also loves science fiction films. Preparing for transitions ahead of time and building networks in advance help prevent a young adult from being overwhelmed when faced with these changes. It’s easy to get overloaded by all the new experiences a teen encounters after high school.
Proactive preparation reduces the number of times the individual will encounter a brand-new situation. Facing and figuring out unknown circumstances is exhausting for everyone, but especially for those with autism. No one can prepare another person for every eventuality, but when educators, therapists, and parents join together, they can eliminate many surprises.” pg. 285-286
“‘I have seven rules for successful adulthood:
Follow your passion and learn everything you can about it.
Live life.
Be yourself, but you have to fit in a little. [my favorite]
Develop your talents.
Perfect is not possible.
Work hard.
Never stop learning.’ - Temple” pg. 317
Book: borrowed from SSF Main Library.
Also, this edition could benefit with some additional editing to remove typos (extra words, incorrect suffixes, incorrect tenses, small things like that).
I watched the Temple Grandin movie with Claire Danes while I was reading this. Definitely helped me get a better sense of what autism can look like for someone.
Book coincidences:
- I’m reading this book to get a better understanding and insight into autism because a certain person is in my life. I saw that this book was published exactly on his 40th birthday. And there is also a reference to an example vignette that uses his name and relates to computers (pg. 6), so him. I can see why he self-diagnosed as potentially being on the spectrum, as some of the autism characteristics relate, but likely only mildly. I think he's definitely an HSP though.
“We all experience states—temporary moods, reactions, and mindsets. We usually don’t emphasize or dwell on the temporary states of people, but when someone has a label, we’re more likely to attribute their temporary state to that label, even if it is unrelated. We don’t realize we do this; it is an unconscious, automatic reaction.” pg. 4
“Imagine changes to the electrical functioning in your home. Sudden power surges can damage or render appliances inoperable. Too much voltage overheats the system and it seizes up. Loss of electrical connection, on the other hand, can cause spotty, inconsistent operations. One minute your printer works, and the next you get error messages or it stops completely. You wouldn’t want to live in a house without consistent, appropriate levels of electrical connection. Your world would feel undependable, unpredictable, and unsafe. This is how it can feel for a person with autism.” pg. 34
“The brain’s ability to process incoming stimuli depends on how well it can filter out unimportant incoming sensory information while at the same time intensifying what is important. When an infant or child brain cannot process incoming sensory information normally, their ability to self-regulate is diminished, and they may not be able to maintain an appropriate level of awareness to meet environmental demands.” pg. 36
“Don’t get too caught up in basing chores on whether a child is likely to live independently. Often, that can’t reliably be predicted when a child is young. If they are able to understand and physically carry out a household task, have them learn it. Even if they end up living in a group home or other facility that doesn’t require they handle all the tasks they learned, they still benefit. They learned not only the specific task, but also all the executive skills and cognitive steps needed to carry it out, such as initiating, sequencing, planning, and following through. Emotionally, they gained self-efficacy, pride in their accomplishment, and the feeling of being a valued member of their family.” pg. 168-169
“Any branch of therapy can be used in a strength- or deficit-based format. The focus on building positive outcome versus reducing problems and purposefully incorporating a child’s interests and skills into therapeutic tasks is what distinguishes a strength-based approach, not the choice of theoretical orientation.
Note that the goals are different. The strength-based goal entails building a skill. The deficit-based goal entails eliminating a behavior. The tools used in the deficit model are standard positive and negative reinforcers. There is nothing inherently problematic about using these, but they often mean little to autistic children. Plus, there are other reinforcers that are much more powerful to many children with autism. These reinforcers are items or activities directly related to their unique interests and abilities.” pg. 227
“No matter how good transition planning is, each child also needs a network of adults who are available for support and guidance. This network, similar to transition planning in general, needs to be built ahead of time. You can’t wait until a child graduates from high school to suddenly look around for a support team. A good network is built over time, because it takes time to build trust and to get comfortable sharing problems and fears with another person.
Just as when they were younger, adults on the spectrum benefit from having a circle of acquaintances with similar interests. This gives them people to actually do things with—not just talk about them in theory, but to go and try them out—to walk through the real steps of activities. For example, they might learn to navigate a city bus systems by riding with another person who also wants to go to the planetarium or join a group of coders on the other side of town. Or they might learn to purchase and pay for movie tickets by going to the theater with a peer who also loves science fiction films. Preparing for transitions ahead of time and building networks in advance help prevent a young adult from being overwhelmed when faced with these changes. It’s easy to get overloaded by all the new experiences a teen encounters after high school.
Proactive preparation reduces the number of times the individual will encounter a brand-new situation. Facing and figuring out unknown circumstances is exhausting for everyone, but especially for those with autism. No one can prepare another person for every eventuality, but when educators, therapists, and parents join together, they can eliminate many surprises.” pg. 285-286
“‘I have seven rules for successful adulthood:
Follow your passion and learn everything you can about it.
Live life.
Be yourself, but you have to fit in a little. [my favorite]
Develop your talents.
Perfect is not possible.
Work hard.
Never stop learning.’ - Temple” pg. 317
Book: borrowed from SSF Main Library.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2023
Note: *I was pretty excited to get this book while I was in Boston. Dr. Grandin was speaking during the general session of the National Association of School Psychologists convention. So I bought two signed copies and gave one to a dear friend who is no longer with us but dedicated his life to the service of children and young people. He truly helped the children who were in the most need have the best life possible.*
Navigating Autism by Temple Grandin is a valuable resource for families, individuals, and professionals who are impacted by autism. Grandin, who is herself on the autism spectrum, offers a unique and insightful perspective on what it's like to live with autism and provides practical advice for navigating the complexities of the condition.
One of the strengths of Navigating Autism is Grandin's personal experiences and expertise. Her first-hand account of living with autism adds depth and empathy to her advice and helps to humanize the experience of autism. This makes the book particularly useful for parents, caregivers, and individuals on the autism spectrum who are looking for guidance and understanding.
Another strength of the book is its practicality. Grandin provides a wealth of information and advice on a variety of topics that are relevant to individuals with autism and their families. This includes tips for improving communication skills, navigating social situations, and finding appropriate educational and professional opportunities.
However, some may criticize the book for its limited focus on the autism spectrum. While Grandin provides valuable advice and insight, the book does not delve deeply into the broader experiences of individuals with autism or explore the experiences of those with different forms of autism. Additionally, some may find Grandin's advice to be too prescriptive or not applicable to their individual experiences.
Navigating Autism is a helpful and informative resource for anyone impacted by autism. While it may have its limitations to the advanced practitioner and those who work with low-incidence disabilities and autism, the book provides a valuable and personal perspective on what it's like to live with autism and offers practical advice for navigating the complexities of the condition.
Navigating Autism by Temple Grandin is a valuable resource for families, individuals, and professionals who are impacted by autism. Grandin, who is herself on the autism spectrum, offers a unique and insightful perspective on what it's like to live with autism and provides practical advice for navigating the complexities of the condition.
One of the strengths of Navigating Autism is Grandin's personal experiences and expertise. Her first-hand account of living with autism adds depth and empathy to her advice and helps to humanize the experience of autism. This makes the book particularly useful for parents, caregivers, and individuals on the autism spectrum who are looking for guidance and understanding.
Another strength of the book is its practicality. Grandin provides a wealth of information and advice on a variety of topics that are relevant to individuals with autism and their families. This includes tips for improving communication skills, navigating social situations, and finding appropriate educational and professional opportunities.
However, some may criticize the book for its limited focus on the autism spectrum. While Grandin provides valuable advice and insight, the book does not delve deeply into the broader experiences of individuals with autism or explore the experiences of those with different forms of autism. Additionally, some may find Grandin's advice to be too prescriptive or not applicable to their individual experiences.
Navigating Autism is a helpful and informative resource for anyone impacted by autism. While it may have its limitations to the advanced practitioner and those who work with low-incidence disabilities and autism, the book provides a valuable and personal perspective on what it's like to live with autism and offers practical advice for navigating the complexities of the condition.
October 22, 2024
This book is a priceless resource for anyone who works with humans!
Yes, of course this is obviously, expertly and gratefully targeted toward helping children, teens and adults with autism. If you or anyone you know has received or is curious about getting a diagnosis, this book is a MUST! Absolutely fantastic, concise, accessible, applicable and filled with excellent real world examples and anecdotes. If parents were stranded on a deserted island with their newly diagnosed child and could only have one resource, I'd recommend THIS book.
But that's the thing, these people are not a diagnosis, they are people! If you generally treat people as individuals with both obvious and invisible struggles, ideas, flaws, quirks, strengths, weaknesses, talents, vices, peculiarities, challenges and voices that deserve human rights and respect, compassion, patience and support, then that's just good human-ing! That's how everyone deserves to be treated, as they really are. Everyone deserves to be seen for who they really are.
Temple Grandin GETS that and so does her co-author Debra Moore. The continued emphasis of assessing, treating, supporting and teaching people as holistic, multifaceted beings with individual needs is inspiring and motivating.
If we want to be good professionals, we need to see people as they truly are. Including ourselves. Flawed dreamers with incredible and individual capabilities and weaknesses who all need help. No two will be the same and yet we all need the same thing: to be truly seen and understood.
As the saying goes: "If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism."
We need to see the deficits and we need to see the strengths. We need to see the drawbacks and the advantages. We need to see the pros and cons, the limits and the possibilities, the truth and what we incorrectly thought was true, the current reality and the potential for a brighter future. We have to be willing to see the big picture and the whole person in all their stumbles, stupidity, stagnation, sanctity and splendor.
All the stars, all the good vibes, an absolute triumph!
Yes, of course this is obviously, expertly and gratefully targeted toward helping children, teens and adults with autism. If you or anyone you know has received or is curious about getting a diagnosis, this book is a MUST! Absolutely fantastic, concise, accessible, applicable and filled with excellent real world examples and anecdotes. If parents were stranded on a deserted island with their newly diagnosed child and could only have one resource, I'd recommend THIS book.
But that's the thing, these people are not a diagnosis, they are people! If you generally treat people as individuals with both obvious and invisible struggles, ideas, flaws, quirks, strengths, weaknesses, talents, vices, peculiarities, challenges and voices that deserve human rights and respect, compassion, patience and support, then that's just good human-ing! That's how everyone deserves to be treated, as they really are. Everyone deserves to be seen for who they really are.
Temple Grandin GETS that and so does her co-author Debra Moore. The continued emphasis of assessing, treating, supporting and teaching people as holistic, multifaceted beings with individual needs is inspiring and motivating.
If we want to be good professionals, we need to see people as they truly are. Including ourselves. Flawed dreamers with incredible and individual capabilities and weaknesses who all need help. No two will be the same and yet we all need the same thing: to be truly seen and understood.
As the saying goes: "If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism."
We need to see the deficits and we need to see the strengths. We need to see the drawbacks and the advantages. We need to see the pros and cons, the limits and the possibilities, the truth and what we incorrectly thought was true, the current reality and the potential for a brighter future. We have to be willing to see the big picture and the whole person in all their stumbles, stupidity, stagnation, sanctity and splendor.
All the stars, all the good vibes, an absolute triumph!
July 2, 2024
This book was more geared toward teachers and therapists rather than parents. Some of it was very academic and difficult for me to understand.
I also saw a common theme which is something I have personally experienced in working with teachers and clinicians for my own autistic child: not enough emphasis is put on helping the parents. I almost think that after a diagnosis is given to a child, the priority should be to give the PARENTS, rather than the child, the help and resources. They should be the primary caregivers and helpers of their child. This book definitely seemed to put the role of parents behind that of the child's teachers and clinicians.
That said, it was still a helpful read. Especially the ending few chapters. I did like their emphasis on making sure parents, teachers, and even diagnosed children to not live behind a "label". A good reminder for me.
To summarize the whole book, here is my favorite quote from the last page by Temple Grandin:
"I have seven rules for successful adulthood:
Follow your passion, and learn everything you can about it.
Live life.
Be yourself, but you have to fit in a little.
Develop your talents.
Perfect is not possible.
Work hard.
Never stop learning."
I also saw a common theme which is something I have personally experienced in working with teachers and clinicians for my own autistic child: not enough emphasis is put on helping the parents. I almost think that after a diagnosis is given to a child, the priority should be to give the PARENTS, rather than the child, the help and resources. They should be the primary caregivers and helpers of their child. This book definitely seemed to put the role of parents behind that of the child's teachers and clinicians.
That said, it was still a helpful read. Especially the ending few chapters. I did like their emphasis on making sure parents, teachers, and even diagnosed children to not live behind a "label". A good reminder for me.
To summarize the whole book, here is my favorite quote from the last page by Temple Grandin:
"I have seven rules for successful adulthood:
Follow your passion, and learn everything you can about it.
Live life.
Be yourself, but you have to fit in a little.
Develop your talents.
Perfect is not possible.
Work hard.
Never stop learning."
October 11, 2023
It is definitely oriented more towards evaluators, therapists, & teachers, but would help parents, too. I am none of those, I just come into peripheral contact with autistic kids sometimes; as such, it did not provide the kind of tips I was looking for. It has a LOT of info, I think it would be helpful for people in the above-mentioned roles to keep on hand as a reference book. It is well-written & the audiobook is well-read. I also got the book from the library to look at the tables mentioned; I really liked the visual layout of the book, with examples put on a gray background, & quotes from Temple inset into the paragraphs, in addition to tables of info. All the graphic aspects break up the text so it isn’t like looking at one long scroll of identical text. Oh—there were occasionally terms thrown in without explanation that made it feel like the book was written for professionals only (like when you understand something so well & automatically that you just toss out a word like it doesn’t even occur to you that not all will know what it means); but there aren’t a lot of those.
March 18, 2024
I chose this book from the library to read about for a work goal. I started working in a special education class in a middle school this school year. So I read it to help myself help the kids in my homeroom. It was very helpful and I really like the examples given in charts and such. Other kids.. how approaches can go one way or the other. What's going to give the kid confidence to keep going? Know that they need to be in a positive state, not fear or anxiety, before attempting to learn. Just like any other person, be mindful of what they need first.
I didn't know until a few chapters in that Temple Grandin (author) got a biopic made of her. Claire Danes stars in it. Pretty baller.
Basically, know/remember that perspective and attitude/ approach to the person on the spectrum is very important. Don't limit them. Challenge them a little, but incrementally. Create good routines. Give them positive options/ ways to do or ask for things they need.
I didn't know until a few chapters in that Temple Grandin (author) got a biopic made of her. Claire Danes stars in it. Pretty baller.
Basically, know/remember that perspective and attitude/ approach to the person on the spectrum is very important. Don't limit them. Challenge them a little, but incrementally. Create good routines. Give them positive options/ ways to do or ask for things they need.
June 9, 2024
This is an in depth look into how to better support and teach people with Autism. It was extremely interesting and educational, a very good resource for teachers, therapists, caregivers and parents who have a child or adult with autism under their care— so I would highly recommend this book to you if you're in a similar field of work.
I would also recommend it to individuals with Autism that are interested in learning more about themselves and their relationship with autism, I found myself doing a lot of self reflecting and was encouraged and comforted by a lot of tips and explanations that this book gets into.
Despite it being such an educational read, this book is so packed full of information I've already forgotten half of it—there is so much to think about and consider, so getting a physical copy and going through it slowly or multiple times is something I would recommend if you're anything like me 💫
I would also recommend it to individuals with Autism that are interested in learning more about themselves and their relationship with autism, I found myself doing a lot of self reflecting and was encouraged and comforted by a lot of tips and explanations that this book gets into.
Despite it being such an educational read, this book is so packed full of information I've already forgotten half of it—there is so much to think about and consider, so getting a physical copy and going through it slowly or multiple times is something I would recommend if you're anything like me 💫
January 5, 2023
No one person with autism is definable within a book, or explained by a book. What I love about this book: Along with other resources, I understand better *why* so many things are happening - from how teachers and professionals see my child and me as a parent, to why my child struggles to cope (in school, at home, at the dentist, in extra curriculars) when he’s capable of so much from a logical, external perspective. I skimmed a great deal of this book because of where we are in our journey; I also have a lot of detailed notes from the book; and I recommend it highly.
One slight criticism? My particular human doesn’t want you to make their hobbies into work, so using a special interest for every conceivable project is a depressingly familiar way to fail to engage my child. That said, if you happen to have legos and puzzles in your room, you’re a lot more likely to keep him there.
One slight criticism? My particular human doesn’t want you to make their hobbies into work, so using a special interest for every conceivable project is a depressingly familiar way to fail to engage my child. That said, if you happen to have legos and puzzles in your room, you’re a lot more likely to keep him there.
May 7, 2023
I love Temple Grandin so I feel really bad giving this 3 stars, but it was just too thorough of the entire spectrum of autism to be of much help to me. All the examples of random kids with autism made the book so long and tedious. My favorite examples were the ones from Temple’s own life because I felt so much more engaged to be able to picture exactly who she was talking about. So much of the book and so many examples were not applicable to my autistic child’s life at all. This is not really the author’s fault - I realize it’s a spectrum and there is a super broad range of autism, but from now on, I am going to stick with reading “high functioning autism” or “Aspberger’s” books because I really need help for our specific issues and am just not finding that in any of the books about autism that I have read so far.
January 5, 2024
As a youngish mother raising a 7 year old boy on the spectrum, I feel like this book was right on the money. It was an excellent beginner text to talk about autism and supporting autistic. Child’s needs throughout their life without being too specific or too in-depth. It was a little slow here and there, but where it hit hard it hit home.
I love that Temple Grandin, an autistic woman born in the 70s has her PhD has written so many books about how to educate the masses on how to better serve autistic children. She is an inspiration and I am so grateful for her and her mom and their example.
The different ways of thinking part really intrigued me, it was good to see so many similarities and differences between others’ lives and ours.
I love that Temple Grandin, an autistic woman born in the 70s has her PhD has written so many books about how to educate the masses on how to better serve autistic children. She is an inspiration and I am so grateful for her and her mom and their example.
The different ways of thinking part really intrigued me, it was good to see so many similarities and differences between others’ lives and ours.
March 3, 2022
I am being assessed for autism right now and found this book very helpful. I would recommend this to anyone who has or is in the midst of getting a diagnosis.
What I found help/positive:
-strength based, not deficit focused
-includes section of how COVID has affected families with autistic children and how to rebuild routines that will help make this troubling time easier to navigate
-life skill focused; sets up a good start for adulthood
-provides caregivers tools to find/talk to professionals to help child
-provides perspective of someone who has been through this not just a professional who studies autism
What I found help/positive:
-strength based, not deficit focused
-includes section of how COVID has affected families with autistic children and how to rebuild routines that will help make this troubling time easier to navigate
-life skill focused; sets up a good start for adulthood
-provides caregivers tools to find/talk to professionals to help child
-provides perspective of someone who has been through this not just a professional who studies autism
May 10, 2022
I will have to listen to this book again. It's so full of information...and it's presented straightforward and easy to access.
But it's hard information. Autism in your kid is hard.
Grandin&Moore compile and share so much information here on how to make your child stronger, how to recognize and remove pains that hold autistic kids prison, how to change perspective, how to play to strengths. But you have to listen to it, digest it, apply it to your own case, and it's...well frankly emotionally exhausting.
But I need to do it anyway. It's incredibly valuable information that's uncomfortable to learn. But it might help make in immeasurable difference.
But it's hard information. Autism in your kid is hard.
Grandin&Moore compile and share so much information here on how to make your child stronger, how to recognize and remove pains that hold autistic kids prison, how to change perspective, how to play to strengths. But you have to listen to it, digest it, apply it to your own case, and it's...well frankly emotionally exhausting.
But I need to do it anyway. It's incredibly valuable information that's uncomfortable to learn. But it might help make in immeasurable difference.
September 5, 2025
Love this lady
The author grew up on the autistic spectrum and she outlines in this book her opinions on how to successfully raise kids that are also autistic
I personally relate to and prefer hanging out with people on the spectrum more than typical people
A book like this is nice to listen to because it feels like a book written from one of my friends about my friends
Her ideas are meant for autistic kids but to me these ideas greatly apply to typical kids as well
The world would be a better place if each teachers and organizations took the time that it takes to understand and develop autistic kids, and applied that to typical kids as well
Have a great day
The author grew up on the autistic spectrum and she outlines in this book her opinions on how to successfully raise kids that are also autistic
I personally relate to and prefer hanging out with people on the spectrum more than typical people
A book like this is nice to listen to because it feels like a book written from one of my friends about my friends
Her ideas are meant for autistic kids but to me these ideas greatly apply to typical kids as well
The world would be a better place if each teachers and organizations took the time that it takes to understand and develop autistic kids, and applied that to typical kids as well
Have a great day
January 24, 2022
This book was an incredible amount of information for families with Autism, for anyone in education, a work situation, all around anyone kind of book. There is so much misunderstanding of the word "autism", this book thoroughly explains it all in terms anyone can understand. Temple is lightyears ahead of the game. She is brilliant! If you are not familiar with her and her story, I highly recommend you do some research. There is also an autobiographical movie about her. This is how I was first introduced to her & her talents.
January 26, 2023
Polecam książkę każdej osobie, która chce zapoznać się z tematem autyzmu - nawet niekoniecznie u dzieci, ponieważ z każdego dziecka wyrasta na końcu dorosły, prawda?
Bardzo precyzyjnie opisanie wskazówki i kierunki rozwoju dzieci w spectrum. Dla rodziców książka może być niczym biblia w kontekście załatwiania spraw z terapeutami i lekarzami, gdyż znajdą w niej konkretne rady o co i jak pytać oraz jak planować rozwój dziecka.
To czego mi zabrało to informacje nt. tego na co się powinno zwrócić uwagę, aby dostrzec autyzm „wysokofunkcjonujący”.
Bardzo precyzyjnie opisanie wskazówki i kierunki rozwoju dzieci w spectrum. Dla rodziców książka może być niczym biblia w kontekście załatwiania spraw z terapeutami i lekarzami, gdyż znajdą w niej konkretne rady o co i jak pytać oraz jak planować rozwój dziecka.
To czego mi zabrało to informacje nt. tego na co się powinno zwrócić uwagę, aby dostrzec autyzm „wysokofunkcjonujący”.
November 26, 2023
I appreciated all of this book but especially mindset 9- preparing your autistic child for the future. I am so grateful my oldest is in a high school that has vocations and an opportunity to work after school. I feel like many of the other things suggested in this chapter applied to both of my teen autistic boys. But I feel like this is a book for parents who suspect their child has autism or are in the early stage of learning about their child’s autism. I could have used this book 10 years ago.
October 17, 2024
I can see how this book would be helpful for parents of autistic children. Presented in "should do this" scenarios which in a perfect world would be amazing but is beyond impractical for practitioners. EX: I cannot meet with the autistic child's entire care team for an hour every month due to time, reimbursement by insurance, practicality of scheduling, etc., especially when 90% of my caseload is autistic. This book may set parents and caregivers expectations high for perfect, textbook autism care when the reality is so different especially due to insurance reimbursement.
August 24, 2025
I couldn't help but picture my own kiddos while reading this. My 2 youngest were diagnosed at 13 and 16. I went through so many things that are discussed in this book. If I would have read this prior to them finally being diagnosed, I would have brought this book in to their schools and told them to read it. Their schools were not kind to them at all. Chalked them up as behavioral problems and kept suspending or shipping them to other behavioral schools. This book is truly a wonderful source of information for parents, and anyone who interacts with anyone on the spectrum!
June 1, 2024
Finished audiobook in one go, very easy to read and the author was very adept at communicating how to navigate having a child with autism. I’m not in this category but found this book’s idea of not looking at autistic individuals through their deficits as much as their strengths eye-opening. I wish more people had this attitude and it was more widespread. Excellent book. I also appreciated the emphasis on paying attention to sensory inputs given the higher sensitivity of autistic individuals.
July 2, 2024
It took me a while to get through this one but there was a lot of good information as a parent with a child who has autism. Some of the most beneficial parts were confirming the link of GI issues and sleep issues with autism. It was also a good reminder of how wide the autism spectrum is and how many different needs people with autism can face. Lots of great info for various providers as well as parents.
January 2, 2025
I think this would have been better if broken up for parents vs one for educators, providers, therapists, etc. There were huge parts geared only to providers and therapy teams or teachers, which while valuable was not really helpful to parents.
A lot of this book could be summed up as "find what you/your kid likes and play into that favorably". (Though there's a lot more, I dunno that I found much new here)
A lot of this book could be summed up as "find what you/your kid likes and play into that favorably". (Though there's a lot more, I dunno that I found much new here)
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