Let's Talk: Navigating Communication Services and Supports for Your Young Child With Autism

Abstract

This well-written text is intended for parents of children with recently diagnosed autism spectrum disorder. The book provides both concrete, actionable steps for parents to complete following receipt of a new autism diagnosis and guidance to families who may be emotionally struggling to picture what the future will look like for their child. The book gives a historical perspective on autism and then summarizes the current diagnostic criteria for autism, features of autism at each developmental stage, available treatments and therapies, and which professionals work with children with autism. Co-written by a speech and language pathologist and a PhD specializing in the education of children with autism, this book provides a broad overview of social communication and how these skills, or lack thereof, impact development across multiple domains. Case vignettes help make the information more relatable, and links to helpful websites are included at the end of the book. Early chapters outline how autism is diagnosed and which symptoms typically present at each age. This nicely transitions into chapters outlining which types of professionals work with children with autism (e.g. speech therapists, special educators, neurologists, and developmental-behavioral pediatricians) and what interventions are provided at each developmental stage. The authors describe early intervention programs and therapies for children younger than 3 years and explain how therapists work collaboratively to provide a comprehensive and individualized home-based curriculum. In the chapter on educational services, the authors define commonly heard educational terms, outline the educational rights of children with autism, and explain the concept of “least restrictive environment” while describing possible classroom settings. Supplemental resources provide examples of topics that were discussed in the chapter, such as a sample Individualized Education Program or a sample Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence chart. Throughout the book, multiple figures, cartoons, text boxes, and illustrative case examples help make more of the complex concepts or multiple treatment strategies easier to understand and interpret. One complete chapter is devoted to explaining the concept of “evidence-based” and outlines why this is such an important component to consider when choosing a particular therapy or treatment for a child. The authors provide basic concepts related to research (e.g. double-blind, peer-review, strength of the evidence) and even provide a chart that describes the various therapies available for treating autism and rates the quality of evidence for each method as “established,” “emerging” or “unestablished.” The authors are not afraid to tackle controversial topics and provide straightforward, honest, and scientifically valid explanations for why these treatments are not recommended. For instance, when describing how many educational programs may offer sensory integration therapy or “sensory diets,” the authors note “there is no evidence that these practices provide any benefits that extend beyond the immediate pleasure of engaging in [the therapies]” (p. 89). The authors highlight the principle of “first, do no harm” and warn strongly against any therapy that proposes to offer a “quick fix” or “total cure.” Although written for parents and caregivers, interested clinicians may find this a helpful resource, particularly those clinicians who are not as familiar with the intricacies of diagnosis and treatment of autism. One potential criticism of this text is that the title does not seem to accurately encompass the scope of the book; specifically, the book serves as a general introduction to autism for families with a focus on communication as a crucial part of the treatment for autism. Overall, “Let's Talk: Navigating Communication Services and Supports for Your Young Child with Autism” offers concise and easily understandable information and is highly recommended.