The Autism Revolution: Whole-Body Strategies for Making Life All It Can Be
Book Review by Eilyn Sanabria
Florida International University
Abstract
The field of autism is a widely-researched field nowadays. However, very little has been discussed about how the physical well-being of children and adults with autism impacts their lives and their learning. The book The Autism Revolution: Whole-Body Strategies for Making Life All It Can Be, by Dr. Martha Herbert with Karen Weintraub, seeks to shed new light into new dimensions that may be affecting the quality of life and learning of these children and adults. Special educators play a major role in the lives of children with autism; therefore, this book serves as a revolutionizing guide for them to look at autism through a different lens, which will allow them to adapt instruction and make modifications using a more “whole-body” approach.
Although autism is a fairly new disorder, awareness about it has gained increased worldwide attention since the numbers of cases have rapidly risen in recent years. Many specialized schools and institutions provide educational opportunities to these children and more teacher-preparation programs targeting this specific student population are surging in universities across the nation. However, the practices used in schools and in other institutions that provide services to children with autism greatly differ since there are different groups that often disagree on effective practices. In her book, The Autism Revolution: Whole-Body Strategies for Making Life All It Can Be, Dr. Martha Herbert, a pediatric neurologist, researcher, and Harvard clinician, seeks to find common ground amongst these groups in an effort to create a more holistic and whole-body approach towards the education and lives of these children and adults. Although this book gives the reader the impression that it is geared towards parents and caregivers, the strategies, perspectives, and anecdotes discussed in it can be useful for teachers, doctors, scientists, therapists, and even adults facing autism themselves. Dr. Herbert’s experience in the field of autism research and neurology is evident throughout her work, as she provides an in-depth analysis on how the well-being of the human body plays a major role in helping to fulfill the lives of children and adults with autism.
As a medical doctor, Dr. Herbert focuses the beginning of her work discussing the important role the different body systems play in the well-being of a human being, especially in children and adults with autism. Her discussion of diet, stress, and the immune systems, among other health topics, clearly relates to her view of engaging the “whole-body” in order to help individuals with autism make “…life all it can be.” To further support her claims, a recent article published by The Atlantic explores the possibility that behavioral problems exhibited by children with autism may be due to constipation, celiac disease and/or any other gastrointestinal problems, to which the researchers stress the importance of evaluating the child’s physical health prior to initiating a behavior modification plan and, perhaps, antipsychotic drugs. This interaction between the physical health and the behavior of a child or adult with autism is particularly important to special educators since they are usually the ones that experience first-hand the changes in student behavior, thus guiding them to evaluate if any changes (e.g., dietary, etc.) have been made that could be affecting the child’s behavior and overall performance. Furthermore, the awareness that Dr. Herbert presents in her book about being mindful of a child’s physical well-being also extends to the general education classroom, where many students are also struggling with dietary changes, stressful environments, and a variety of health conditions that are impacting their learning and behavior. Aside from focusing on the body systems, this book also focuses on the mental well-being and happiness of both the person with autism and their family. The “revolution” that Dr. Herbert calls for focuses on the empowerment of individuals about this disorder through the sharing of information and networking. Special educators are essential in this networking process since they possess the knowledge and skills to guide parents through their child’s educational experience while at the same time working with parents on the physical and mental well-being of the child or adult with autism. Lastly, this work also tries to “de-victimize” children and adults with autism by stressing that, with proper care and instruction, these children and adults can go “…from autistic to extraordinary,” thus pushing to change society’s perspective on the disorder and the abilities of these individuals.
With this book, Dr. Herbert seeks to shed new light on society’s current views of autism by introducing topics into the discourse which have not been previously discussed. Although she admits there is limited research-based information on effective practices in this field, this book can serve as a guide to many parents, caregivers, and special educators to begin to look at the different dimensions discussed that can affect the lives of a child, or an adult, with autism. Although further research in this field is forthcoming, Dr. Herbert’s book serves as an ice-breaker into the “whole-body” approach to this disorder, which many parents and special educators will find refreshing.
References
Elliot, D. (2013, June 10). In autism, the importance of the gut. The Atlantic. Retrieved from www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/06/in-autism-the-importance-of-the-gut/276648/
Herbert, M., & Weintraub, K. (2012). The autism revolution: Whole-body strategies for making life all it can be. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.
Early Intervention Games: Fun, Joyful Ways to Develop Social and Motor Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum or Sensory Processing Disorders
Book Review by Apryl Mathews
Florida International University
For so many years, parents and teachers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or sensory processing disorder (SPD) have been looking for a solution to building social and motor skills. The answer is finally here, Early Intervention Games: Fun, Joyful Ways to Develop Social and Motor Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum or Sensory Processing Disorders by Barbara Sher is a book that helps caregivers provide the interaction that these children need in a fun and enjoyable way through the power of play.
Barbara Sher is definitely a trail blazer in the field of occupational therapy and although the book was written in 2006 it is a written works with ideals and strategies before its time with techniques that some professionals in the field are just catching up to. Sher has been deemed the “game lady” with experience of over 40 years and 10 books of helping these students learn in fun ways. She believes in using children’s natural love of play to enhance key skills and promote inclusion. Her books include Early Intervention games, Self-Esteem games, Attention games and Spirit games. She stands strong her statement that “There are more people understanding and trying new ways to help their youngster modify, cope, and deal with the world so that joy, not pain, is the main sensation of their lives.”
For any parent, teacher, or caregiver who has a child with ASD or SPD this book is a must-have. Autism Speaks, an autism advocacy organization in the United States that sponsors autism research and conducts awareness and outreach activities aimed at families, governments, and the public, talks about the importance of encouraging play and social interaction. Children learn through play, and that includes learning language. Interactive play provides enjoyable opportunities for caregivers and children to communicate. Autism speaks suggests trying a variety of games to find those that the child enjoys as well as trying playful activities that promote social interaction and this book accomplishes all of these things and more. This is not just an ordinary book, it is a handy resource filled with games to play with young children who have Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or other sensory processing disorders (SPD). The games are designed to help children feel comfortable in social situations and teach other basic lessons including beginning and end, spatial relationships, hand-eye coordination, and more. Games can also be used in regular classrooms to encourage inclusion. This book is a collection of almost 100 fun, simple games that can improve the lives of children with ASD or other SPDs. These games can be played by parents or teachers and with individual children or groups. The games are designed to make children more comfortable in social situations and to develop language and motor skills. Also included are a variety of interactive games to play in water, whether in a backyard kiddie pool, community swimming pool, or lake. All of the games are easy-to-do, utilizing common, inexpensive materials, and include several variations and modifications.
The book begins by walking the reader through an understanding of sensory processing issues. The author touches on sensory processing disorder, types of sensory processing disorders, the three major sensory systems, and how sensory processing disorder affects socialization. The author then taps into how the games help sensory processing challenges. This book is oozing with tips, advice, and strategies specific to these children who struggle with issues due to ASD and SPD.
Although each activity taps into more than one skill at a time, most games in the book are arranged by the primary skill being accomplished. Who knew learning could be so much fun? The skills that caregivers are able to teach to these children through play are infinite and the possibilities are endless. This book is definitely a road to success and accomplishment for a child dealing with ASD or SPD.
What Color is Monday
Book Review by Stephanie Pena
Florida International University
In the book “What Color is Monday” Carrie Cariello describes what life is like for her and her family living with an 8 year old son with autism named Jack. Parents of children with autism will find this book motivational as Mrs. Cariello focuses on the positive aspects of having a son with autism, while still including different struggles her and her family have gone through since they received Jack’s diagnosis. Mrs. Carrielo places a strong emphasis on family and describes how they all (5 children and her husband) support each other, such as all of them joining a karate class together, encouraged by Jack.
Although Mrs. Cariello tries to maintain a positive attitude and make the best of every situation, she is always realistic and honest. She does not exclude times of stress they have had to endure and feelings of embarrassment such as when their oldest son is embarrassed by Jack’s behavior or how she feels when Jack asks strangers embarrassing questions like when they think they will die. Mrs. Cariello openly discusses how she felt when they received Jack’s diagnosis and how they wanted to try to “fix” him. Her bluntness and honesty (like when she jokingly shares the times she has thought of leaving her husband with all the kids) shows other parents of children with autism that it is ok and normal to have these feelings of embarrassment, sadness, and extreme exhaustion and to not know what to do or how to react sometimes. She makes it ok for parents to make mistakes and reinforces continuously that she is learning along with Jack. It encourages parents to look past all the negative moments and focus on the wonderful parts of having a child with autism; for Carrie that means a unique, misunderstood, funny, loving, child who has showed her that the world is full of caring people, and nothing is more important than family.
Mrs. Cariello’s sarcastic sense of humor and detailed examples of Jack’s antics makes the book enjoyable and fun to read. She includes enough examples of Jack’s behavior and describes his personality so perfectly that the reader can easily visualize him and get a clear picture of what he is like. Jack is unintentionally funny and the stories Mrs. Cariello writes of him will keep the reader laughing throughout the entire book.
It is obvious Mrs. Carrielo has become involved and educated in the community of autism by the language and specific terms she uses like “joint attention”, “IEP”, and “stimming”. A person unfamiliar to these terms would not have any trouble reading or understanding “What Color is Monday?“ because Mrs. Carrielo does a wonderful job at explaining what these terms mean, and giving specific examples. At the end of book she even includes a glossary with common autism and special education terms and defines each one.
Educators of children with autism will benefit from reading “What Color is Monday” as it helps them better understand the kinds of everyday things parents need to deal with from having a child with autism and all the feelings and emotions it brings parents that sometimes are not obvious or known. Parents of children with autism will feel hope and gain a more positive outlook after reading “What Color is Monday.”
Reference
Cariello, C. (2013). What color is Monday? Bedford, NH: Riddle Brook Publishing LLC.
