Full Description
In Right from the Start: A Practical Guide for Helping Young Children with Autism, Karin Donahue and Kate Crassons assert that autistic children can be successful when parents and teachers understand key principles of autism and have the tools to help these children expand their social and emotional skills. Emphasizing the importance of self-regulation—the ability to moderate our feelings and reactions—the authors describe practical strategies to help children manage their emotions and behavior, learn social and play skills, and cope with challenging sensory experiences. Right from the Start is a needed and indispensable resource for parents, professionals, and educators. With these techniques, we can lay a positive foundation that enables autistic children to be confident and successful in any environment.
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction: An Exceptional Child, An Unexceptional Story: A Parent's Perspective on the Preschool Years
Part I: Self-Regulation: The Key to Making it Through the Day
Chapter 1: The Case for Self-Regulation
Chapter 2: Why Do Autistic Children Have Difficulty Self-Regulating?
Part II: Setting Children Up for Success
Chapter 3: Adjust Learning Experiences and the Environment
Chapter 4: Emphasize Structure and Consistency
Chapter 5: Foster Collaboration and Emotional Awareness
Part III: Social Skills
Chapter 6: Autistic Children and Social Skills Challenges
Chapter 7: Teaching Social Thinking
Chapter 8: Teaching Conversational Skills
Chapter 9: Building Social Confidence across Settings
Part IV: Encouraging Imaginative Play
Chapter 10: When Playtime Isn't All That Fun
Chapter 11: Teaching Play and Building Imagination
Chapter 12: Facilitating Play with Peers
Chapter 13: Maintaining Play and Coping with Resistance
Part V: Making Sense of the Senses
Chapter 14: The Eight Senses
Chapter 15: Signs and Symptoms of Sensory Processing Challenges in Children
Chapter 16: Dominant Classes of Sensory Processing Disorder: Profiles and Strategies
Chapter 17: General Approaches to Managing Sensory Processing Disorder
Conclusion: A New Lens of Understanding
Appendix
References
About the Authors
