Reading about autism, Part 1

I try to read as much as I can about autism, for obvious reasons (slight pun intended). There is A LOT out there to read and not a lot of time in which to read it. Recently, a parent whose child was just diagnosed asked my advice on resources, etc. Here is a revised version of the email I sent him:

Basically, now that I've thought about it a little, there are 3 different categories of books from which I usually read: 1) Books written by people with autism/Asperger's, 2) Books written by scientists, teachers and therapists who have worked with them, and 3) Books written by parents of kids with autism/Asperger's.

Here's my word of caution about each category based on my experiences with autism: 1) Books written by people with the diagnosis seem more realistic about which therapies work and don't work, but they are very individual, so you can't just take one person's story and apply it to your child, 2) Books written by the professionals can be dry and boring and way more information than you want or need (skimming will become a newly refined skill), but they are essential for understanding and reference, 3) Books written by parents of kids with autism/Asperger's can be fantastic or terrible. Parents seem particularly prone to wild, emotional claims of miracle cures and crazy alternative therapies. I would take these books written by parents with a HUGE grain of salt and I would interpret these parents' claims in light of what the professionals and the folks with autism/Asperger's say about it.

Here are some of my favs in each category:

1) Thinking in Pictures by Dr. Temple Grandin
Her life is fascinating and I would recommend this to anyone who likes to read a good autobiography. Hearing first-hand about how she views the world was eye-opening and intriguing. It was especially interesting to hear how she survived her teenage and college years. I never thought cattle and their corrals could be so interesting!
2) Raising A Child With Autism: A Guide to Applied Behavior Analysis for Parents by Shira Richman
This should be the prescription that doctors give parents when their children are diagnosed with autism (instead of leaving them at the mercy of what's on the internet!). I'm not trying to say that everything a parent needs to know is contained in this one book. It's so easy to get overwhelmed with information about autism and this book has such clear-cut, easy-to-understand-and-implement ideas for parents. They give you just enough ABA theory to understand why you should implement one of their ideas, but not so much that you get too bogged down to finish the book. It was so easy to read, so helpful and practical. You could read this book in a day and start implementing the ideas immediately while you wait for months on waiting lists for ABA counselors and Speech and Occupational therapists.
3) Too Wise to be Mistaken, Too Good to be Unkind: Christian Parents Contend with Autism by Cathy Steere
I don't agree 100% with the therapy she chose to pursue with her son (there's that big honkin' grain of salt), but it was very helpful to hear from someone who doesn't think spanking is a crime and has a biblically-based view of loving, developmentally-appropriate discipline.