The Autism War


Book Description

Tony Colletti, a good suburban cop and father, finds himself drawn into the controversy over vaccines and autism when he tries to uncover the truth behind the shadowy Vaccine Court. His dangerous journey forces him to will risk his life and honor while confronting corrupt government officials, the powerful pharmaceutical industry, and disturbing elements of his own past. Colletti and his allies battle spies, Russian gangsters, and sexual predators preying upon disabled children. They go to war against foes who manipulate the media, fabricate scientific research, and viciously attack those who question vaccine safety. In this gripping novel, government and industry have formed an unholy alliance that places profit ahead of children’s health, one that makes ordinary Americans fight back to protect their families and the ideals of justice. Echoing the infamous Minimata, Japan, mercury poisoning tragedy, The Autism War shows how history can repeat when humanity fails to heed the lessons of the past. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction—novels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.




War on Autism


Book Description

War on Autism examines autism as a historically specific and power-laden cultural phenomenon that has much to teach about the social organization of a neoliberal western modernity. Bringing together a variety of interpretive theoretical perspectives including critical disability studies, queer and critical race theory, and cultural studies, the book analyzes the social significance and productive effects of contemporary discourses of autism as these are produced and circulated in the field of autism advocacy. Anne McGuire reveals how in the field of autism advocacy, autism often appears as an abbreviation, its multiple meanings distilled to various "red flag" warnings in awareness campaigns, bulleted biomedical "facts" in information pamphlets, or worrisome statistics in policy reports. She analyzes the relationships between these fragmentary enactments of autism and traces their continuities to reveal an underlying, powerful, and ubiquitous logic of violence that casts autism as a pathological threat that advocacy must work to eliminate. Such logic, McGuire contends, functions to delimit the role of the "good" autism advocate to one who is positioned "against" autism. Book jacket.




Waging War on the Autistic Child


Book Description

As the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders grows each year, new discoveries and controversies arise. Andrew Wakefield explores many of these in his thorough investigation of the recent trial case of the “Arizona 5,” which destroyed an Arizona family. Two parents, with five children on the spectrum, were accused of Munchausen syndrome by proxy—a rare form of child abuse—and were ganged up on by physicians, child protective services, and the courts, who alleged that the parents fabricated medical symptoms in all five children. However, Wakefield now presents ample evidence that was disregarded and that would have proven the parents’ innocence. Families affected by autism suffer great hardship and prejudice, particularly as they navigate the uncertain waters of diagnosis, treatment, and education. The shocking story of the Arizona 5 family delves into the tremendous challenges some parents have to face, especially if their views on how to treat the syndrome don’t align with the medical world’s standards. Wakefield also includes numerous studies and research trials that support the controversial yet significant roles that vaccines and diet play in autism, factors many medical professionals wrongfully dismiss.




I Know You're in There


Book Description

For parents of children with autism and doctors treating autism, this groundbreaking guide will give you the tools to help your child. There was something wrong with Ryan. His parents knew it before the psychiatrist predicted he would end up in an institution. Ryan was diagnosed with autism at age four. That day changed everything. There was no recovery from autism . . . there was no cure . . . there was no hope. Or was there? I Know You’re in There tells the true story of how, through diet, applied behavior analysis, consistent and rigorous medical treatment, and more, Ryan’s family was able to overcome autism. It took a lot of trial and error, but today Ryan is an aerospace engineer, has friends, and lives a happy “typical” life. His recovery wasn’t miraculous, but instead the result of getting proper medical care, and his parents never taking “no” for an answer. Marcia provides real world examples and actionable steps to take to get your child the treatment and care that could help them beat autism. If your child has been diagnosed with autism, or the warning signs are there, which are also covered here, I Know You’re in There is an indispensable resource in your fight against autism spectrum disorder.




Surviving War, Surviving Autism


Book Description

This book recounts the author's childhood growing up during the Vietnam War, her journey to America, school and college experiences dotted with humor and heartache, poignant memories of John F. Kennedy Jr., and life as a single parent raising three autistic children. A portion of the proceeds of this book will go to Autism Speaks and the Autism Society of America ---- About the author: Kim Yen T. Nguyen was born and raised in Vietnam during the pivotal years of the Vietnam War. She came to the United States as a refugee in 1975 and continued her education, achieving her Bachelor's degree in Engineering from Brown University in Rhode Island in 1983 and subsequently earning her Master's degree in Electrical Engineering. Kim has three children, whose autism ranges from mild to severe on the spectrum. Kim earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree and is now applying her education, background, and experience to teach, inform, and bring awareness in autism research and support services for families.




Asperger's Children: The Origins of Autism in Nazi Vienna


Book Description

“An impassioned indictment, one that glows with the heat of a prosecution motivated by an ethical imperative.” —Lisa Appignanesi, New York Review of Books In the first comprehensive history of the links between autism and Nazism, prize-winning historian Edith Sheffer uncovers how a diagnosis common today emerged from the atrocities of the Third Reich. As the Nazi regime slaughtered millions across Europe during World War Two, it sorted people according to race, religion, behavior, and physical condition. Nazi psychiatrists targeted children with different kinds of minds—especially those thought to lack social skills—claiming the Reich had no place for them. Hans Asperger and his colleagues endeavored to mold certain “autistic” children into productive citizens, while transferring others to Spiegelgrund, one of the Reich’s deadliest child killing centers. In this unflinching history, Sheffer exposes Asperger’s complicity in the murderous policies of the Third Reich.




Neurotribes


Book Description

This New York Times–bestselling book upends conventional thinking about autism and suggests a broader model for acceptance, understanding, and full participation in society for people who think differently. What is autism? A lifelong disability, or a naturally occurring form of cognitive difference akin to certain forms of genius? In truth, it is all of these things and more—and the future of our society depends on our understanding it. Wired reporter Steve Silberman unearths the secret history of autism, long suppressed by the same clinicians who became famous for discovering it, and finds surprising answers to the crucial question of why the number of diagnoses has soared in recent years. Going back to the earliest days of autism research, Silberman offers a gripping narrative of Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger, the research pioneers who defined the scope of autism in profoundly different ways; he then goes on to explore the game-changing concept of neurodiversity. NeuroTribes considers the idea that neurological differences such as autism, dyslexia, and ADHD are not errors of nature or products of the toxic modern world, but the result of natural variations in the human genome. This groundbreaking book will reshape our understanding of the history, meaning, function, and implications of neurodiversity in our world.




We're Not Broken


Book Description

"This book is a message from autistic people to their parents, friends, teachers, coworkers and doctors showing what life is like on the spectrum. It's also my love letter to autistic people. For too long, we have been forced to navigate a world where all the road signs are written in another language." With a reporter's eye and an insider's perspective, Eric Garcia shows what it's like to be autistic across America. Garcia began writing about autism because he was frustrated by the media's coverage of it; the myths that the disorder is caused by vaccines, the narrow portrayals of autistic people as white men working in Silicon Valley. His own life as an autistic person didn't look anything like that. He is Latino, a graduate of the University of North Carolina, and works as a journalist covering politics in Washington D.C. Garcia realized he needed to put into writing what so many autistic people have been saying for years; autism is a part of their identity, they don't need to be fixed. In We're Not Broken, Garcia uses his own life as a springboard to discuss the social and policy gaps that exist in supporting those on the spectrum. From education to healthcare, he explores how autistic people wrestle with systems that were not built with them in mind. At the same time, he shares the experiences of all types of autistic people, from those with higher support needs, to autistic people of color, to those in the LGBTQ community. In doing so, Garcia gives his community a platform to articulate their own needs, rather than having others speak for them, which has been the standard for far too long.




The Art of Autism


Book Description




The Alphabet War


Book Description

Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College Why was reading so hard? When Adam started kindergarten, the teacher wanted him to learn about letters. But "p" looked like "q," and "b" looked like "d." Adam would rather color or mold clay. In first grade, his teacher wanted him to put the letters into words so he could read. That was the beginning of the Alphabet War. "Was" looked like "saw," and "there" looked like "then." Almost everyone else in his class was learning to read, but Adam was fighting a war against letters. In second grade, he had to learn to spell, which was also impossible. Now he was so frustrated he got into trouble and had to go to the principal's office. At last, in third grade, he got the right kind of help. Slowly he began to do better. During fourth grade, he learned that he could excel in other things. That gave him the confidence to take chances with reading. One day he found himself reading a book all by himself!