Book Review: Autism Spectrum Disorders The First Year by Nancy Wiseman

Autism Spectrum Disorders: The First Year by Nancy Wiseman is, of course, intended for parents new to autism. And certainly any parent who follows all its advice will have left no stone unturned. But the sheer quantity of information, recommendations, forms, guidelines and directives is overwhelming. I highly recommend this book to the parent who has already dealt with the initial autism diagnosis, found an acceptable setting for their child, and is ready to dig deeper.

Nancy Wiseman is the mom of a daughter on the autism spectrum who has become a well-regarded advocate for early autism detection and intervention. Her non-profit, First Signs, has done a great deal to raise awareness of early signs of autism among parents, pediatricians and other professionals.

Autism Spectrum Disorders: The First Year takes Wiseman's vast store of knowledge to the next level. It's a true compendium of information, resources, directives and guidelines. Written as a timeline, it starts off with "Day One" and goes from there. Within the first "seven days," the book exhorts parents to get an expert evaluation for their child, put together a top team of professionals, gather a personal support network, and much more.

Succeeding chapters offer advice and direction on everything from treatment protocols to school settings. Parents will find a whole range of record-keeping tools, resources for planning, and much more.

Most of Wiseman's advice is excellent (though I disagree with some of it). But her ideas couldn't possibly be put into place as rapidly as she suggests, even if the reader had no other obligations and a professional degree healthcare management. In fact, getting that first expert evaluation can easily take months to a year - and putting together a team you can rely on may take many years. And that's just for starters.

Any parent who is already feeling overwhelmed by a diagnosis will feel more overwhelmed by this book. A parent who's ready to move forward, though, will find it an invaluable resource.