Hitchhiking through Asperger Syndrome [Paperback]

Lise realised that rather than waiting for "experts" to tell her what to do, she needed to take a pragmatic approach and find her own strategies for working with John; and that the time to do it was now. So she rolled up her sleeves and got on with caring for and educating her son. She tried a variety of approaches; some were useful, others less so; some worked at one time, some at another. For instance, John was homeschooled for 3 years when he was unable to cope in the classroom, but returned successfully to mainstream school, from which he has recently graduated.

This book will inspire any parent to do the same for their child. It is packed full of sensible and practical advice on the strategies Lise used, presenting clearly and concisely both her own solutions and the many other options available. Lise's message is that each parent knows its own child best as an individual, and so is the best placed to negotiate their own route along the way.

Lise Pyles' book should be read by every parent of a child with Asperger Syndrome. They will be inspired, encouraged and empowered.

Despite the few typos and errors in names, this is an excellent book. Lise Pyles takes readers on a Magical Mystery Tour of Asperger's as experienced by her older son, John. Born in 1984 when a dearth of literature on Asperger's existed, John showed signs of it from infancy. He loved visual stimulation and playing with lights; insisted on having his legs covered; insisted on wearing only soft clothing and hated loud noises. One delightful anecdote was when John, then a pre-schooler looked at an iron with fear asking if it would make a noise. It seemed perfectly natural to find loud noises aversive stimuli.

John found school overwhelming due to his sensory sensitivies. He was forced to leave 4 preschools and found kindergarten and the early grades nightmarish. Since he had trouble navigating the social territory with peers, he was an easy mark for bullies. His rich experiences in living in 3 continents (U.S., Europe [England] and Australia) provided him with enrichments that many people have never known.

March 4, 1992 was a banner day for John. That was the day he began his homeschool program which continued until the 1994-95 school year. John was also taken off Ritalin, which he hated. From 1988-1992 John was on the drug which made him easier for his teachers. The downsides to the drug was that it caused sleep wetting and migraines as well as added stigma. Once off and once homeschooled and provided with helpful cues from his younger brother, Jay, John was well on his way.

John had special interests which is part of Asperger's Syndrome. Luckily he was allowed to pursue his special interests which segued into real talents and developed skills. He had a myriad of interests over time and became a good source of interesting information.

I like the way this book includes practical suggestions; each chapter contains a list of approaches to take with a child who is on the spectrum. There is also a list of organizations which is provided at the end of the book which will undoubtedly prove invaluable to many people seeking guidance.

This book makes me think of the 1967 Beatles' classic, "Magical Mystery Tour" because readers take that magical mystery tour through Asperger's with two very proficient guides - John and John's mother, the author of this book. "Roll up for the mystery tour! Step right this way!"