Andrea Libutti began the work of reconstructing herself after her oldest son was diagnosed with severe autism several years ago. Distraught and seemingly hopeless at the time, a series of unfolding events moved her from sleepwalking through life toward a personal journey of inner transformation. She immersed herself in research surrounding the causes and treatments for autism, and after several years of learning she has come to understand the disorder from a physical, emotional, and spiritual perspective. In Awakened by Autism, Andrea shares her journey and the knowledge she has gained along the way. She believes that the masses of children diagnosed today with autism are here to teach us some important lessons about the world we have created. Humanity has gotten off track—often motivated by profit—leaving our bodies and our planet overburdened with toxins, and our families exhausted, stressed, and broken. It is for these very reasons that autism has emerged as an epidemic and a calling for humanity to wake up. We cannot continue to deplete our planet and our souls and still expect our children to thrive. Awakened by Autism is both a memoir and a practical guide for healing our children—and a starting point for healing our planet.

When she was told that her 20-month-old son had autism, Dr. Andrea Libutti was devastated. Therapists said he would never communicate with others, nor would he ever form meaningful relationships. Still, Andrea refused to accept that dim prognosis and instead embarked on a years-long journey of discovery and healing. Using her position as a physician to gain access to a variety of specialists, she explored every promising biomedical and behavioral therapy. Eventually, she came to see that we must consider autism not just from a physical perspective but from an emotional and spiritual one as well. In Awakened by Autism, Andrea distills the results of the research she undertook and relays her personal experiences as she tried one treatment after another in search of a way to help her son. She shares her understanding of the multifactorial nature of autism and the problems inherent in how many health-care professionals view the disorder—all culminating in her ultimate revelation: that each child has unique needs and requires a personalized plan for healing. More than just a practical guide to our children’s health, Awakened by Autism is a starting point for healing ourselves and our world. It calls for a paradigm shift surrounding our beliefs about the possibilities for those with autism, allowing us to uncover their hidden brilliance while taking steps to improve their well-being. With the help of this book, we can heal our families beyond all expectations.

At eighteen months, Ashley Ruben still didnt talk. She wouldnt respond when her name was called; she didnt appear to hear either. She fixated on tiny pieces of dirt and ate only crunchy foods. She was enveloped in a thick fogimpenetrable by everyone except Barney the Dinosaur. She worked puzzles like a kindergartener and was computer-savvy before she was two years old. Her mothers late-night searches on the Internet hinted at a reason for her lack of engagement with the outside world. And then a developmental specialist confirmed it: autism, a diagnosis that shook the foundation of a family and shattered a mothers world. Ashley could hear, but she couldnt listen. In order to address that, a therapy retraining her ears to perceive sound better took her back to the time in the womb where listening begins. With the help of specialized recordings of Mozarts music, Ashley gradually awakened. Her brains desire to communicate was kindled, fostering a connection with her body, her family, and the world around her. Ashley had recovered, developing the ability to talk, to listen, to communicate to become an engaging child. But how could Sharon Ruben, a clinical researcher in her own right, convince the skeptics without clinical trial data to prove the effectiveness of this therapy? She didnt need data. She had Ashleyall the proof she needed. Listen Up! This remarkable story is for every person with a child waiting to be awakened to language and communication. Don Campbell, Author of The Mozart Effect and The Mozart Effect for Children

The story of two boys, one with autism, one without, who make their friendship work.

An extraordinary memoir about the cutting-edge brain therapy that dramatically changed the life and mind of John Elder Robison, the New York Times bestselling author of Look Me in the Eye NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST Imagine spending the first forty years of your life in darkness, blind to the emotions and social signals of other people. Then imagine that someone suddenly switches the lights on. It has long been assumed that people living with autism are born with the diminished ability to read the emotions of others, even as they feel emotion deeply. But what if we’ve been wrong all this time? What if that “missing” emotional insight was there all along, locked away and inaccessible in the mind? In 2007 John Elder Robison wrote the international bestseller Look Me in the Eye, a memoir about growing up with Asperger’s syndrome. Amid the blaze of publicity that followed, he received a unique invitation: Would John like to take part in a study led by one of the world’s foremost neuroscientists, who would use an experimental new brain therapy known as TMS, or transcranial magnetic stimulation, in an effort to understand and then address the issues at the heart of autism? Switched On is the extraordinary story of what happened next. Having spent forty years as a social outcast, misreading others’ emotions or missing them completely, John is suddenly able to sense a powerful range of feelings in other people. However, this newfound insight brings unforeseen problems and serious questions. As the emotional ground shifts beneath his feet, John struggles with the very real possibility that choosing to diminish his disability might also mean sacrificing his unique gifts and even some of his closest relationships. Switched On is a real-life Flowers for Algernon, a fascinating and intimate window into what it means to be neurologically different, and what happens when the world as you know it is upended overnight. Praise for Switched On “An eye-opening book with a radical message . . . The transformations [Robison] undergoes throughout the book are astonishing—as foreign and overwhelming as if he woke up one morning with the visual range of a bee or the auditory prowess of a bat.”—The New York Times “Astonishing, brave . . . reads like a medical thriller and keeps you wondering what will happen next . . . [Robison] takes readers for a ride through the thorny thickets of neuroscience and leaves us wanting more.”—The Washington Post “Fascinating for its insights into Asperger’s and research, this engrossing record will make readers reexamine their preconceptions about this syndrome and the future of brain manipulation.”—Booklist “Like books by Andrew Solomon and Oliver Sacks, Switched On offers an opportunity to consider mental processes through a combination of powerful narrative and informative medical context.”—BookPage “A mind-blowing book that will force you to ask deep questions about what is important in life. Would normalizing the brains of those who think differently reduce their motivation for great achievement?”—Temple Grandin, author of The Autistic Brain “At the heart of Switched On are fundamental questions of who we are, of where our identity resides, of difference and disability and free will, which are brought into sharp focus by Robison’s lived experience.”—Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Effect

How parents can appreciate their autistic children prevent them from being pathologized, over-medicated, and marginalized In this groundbreaking book, William Stillman, an expert and passionate advocate on behalf of those with autism, offers a commonsense guide for parenting children with autism. He gives mothers and fathers, caregivers, and teachers the information they need to recognize the child with autism's unique personality, passions, and intellect and therefore liberate them from today's culture of fear. He shows why the current conventional incentive and reward systems send the wrong message to kids with autism and just don't work. This book offers a sensible ten-step guide for enriching relationships with kids with autism through a belief in their essential competence. Includes information that liberates parents from the culture of fear surrounding autism Explains how kids with autism are intelligent but may have unconventional methods of communication that need to be understood and appreciated Shows why your child doesn't need traditional therapy or medication to "treat" autism Written by an acclaimed expert on the topic of autism, who is himself an adult with Asperger's Syndrome

You're a parent or teacher or therapist struggling to come to terms with the diagnosis of autism. You sense that drugs and behavior modification aren't the answer. But what is there? Here it is! A fresh new and boldly positive way to view autism as it really is...not a problem or mystery but a gift in your life. Suzy Miller had been a highly skilled pediatric speech pathologist for close to two decades when, through an amazing experience with a 4-year old child diagnosed with autism, she came to this break through way of understanding and working with these gifted children. She currently works with children and families bringing awareness to the various energies that make these children tick. Suzy's revolutionary thinking preserves the humanity and dignity of children, empowers the parents and makes a great deal of sense to anyone interacting with these highly aware children. Now, in Awesomism! You'll discover how to understand autism as never before. Here you will learn about the vibration behind autism and understand how to apply this awareness to experience the Awesomism in your child. Autism has been redefined as AWESOMISM!