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Our team at Henrico CASA loves to read… and there’s no better time to read than the summer! We hope you enjoyed the book recommendations we shared… Summer may be officially over, but there ‘s one more we have to recommend because it’s so inspirational for anyone working with children.

Synopsis

Temple Grandin may be the most famous person with autism, a condition that affects 1 in 88 children. Since her birth in 1947, our understanding of it has undergone a great transformation, leading to more hope than ever before that we may finally learn the causes of and treatments for autism.

Weaving her own experience with remarkable new discoveries, Grandin introduces the advances in neuroimaging and genetic research that link brain science to behavior, even sharing her own brain scan to show which anomalies might explain common symptoms. Most excitingly, she argues that raising and educating kids on the autism spectrum must focus on their long-overlooked strengths to foster their unique contributions.

The Autistic Brain brings Grandin’s singular perspective into the heart of the autism revolution.

Why I Recommend… 

Selfishly, I selected this book because my 3-year-old granddaughter was diagnosed with severe autism in April 2024.  I was well aware she was autistic prior to the diagnosis, but it doesn’t cut any less hearing those words from the doctor.  This book was so hopeful and helpful.  I appreciated Ms. Grandin perspective of looking through the lens of the individual’s strengths, not the struggle.

I have been amazed at how many children we work with at CASA who have been diagnosed with some level of autism.  This book would be beneficial for anyone who has a case with an autistic child but honestly it is great information for anyone working with children.  It gives us a great perspective to apply to any child diagnosed with a disability – we should not sell them short or hold them back.

I was so worried my sweet granddaughter would only experience a life half lived due to her autism but this book gave me so hope and excitement to see the growth and changes she is going to make with interventions.