The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome

This book is not for the faint of heart. It starts with aspergers as a small child and works its way through each age range, all the way through adult hood. It includes being elderiy and having aspergers. It also has a dishearening section on long term relationships, romantically speacking, on being with an aspie. I have an aspie husband of 8 years now. He has taken some time to come to teams that this is his struggle. He has taken an even longer time coming to terms how I live with him, why I stay, and how it will work in the future. I will say this about the book: the author is the first to get through to my husband in a way he completely understood and made my husband feel like he could accept it as real, as true, as authentic, and as who he is as a person. This alone has changed our marrigae dramatically to say the least. I have not read the book myself, as the parts I did I found dry, hard to wade through and written from a very clinical point of view, perfect for an aspie not an NT. I am grateful eternally for the boo. Within the first 6 weeks of him reading it, my husband and I communicated more authentically and seriously and comically thenin the prior 8 years put together. It has led to many, many sleepless nights up taling about what he is learning, what it means, what it can do for us, how we see it fitting, what we can do as a couple to make adjustments and change and help. My husband has gone to work sleep depriced from talking so much...funny for us! I reccomend this book for everyone who thinks they may have aspergers themselves or their families or friends. Its the best thing outside of finding eachother that has happened to us. I ordered a copy for his mom also and she is reading it as i write this which has been seriously helpful in the respect that she can confirm things from when he was little, an adolesent, and a teenager. She is relieved to finally know why he has little to no communication with any of this parents, siblings, or other family or friends. She is excited to learn how to communicate in a way that will finally bring her close to her son. I am so glad to have found this book. It saved my marriage, seriously. ANd we were already both very committed. Im also learning how to communicate in ways that work for both of us...A MUST READ!!!

What an amazing book! It is very informative. Even though the term Asperger's isn't used anymore, it applies to some people on the spectrum with Autism Level 1. I really appreciate this one!

Tony Attwood is an English psychologist living in Australia who has made Asperger’s Syndrome his major study and clinical practice. This is one of six books he has written on the subject. Liane Holliday Willey, who has now written books about Asperger’s herself, says of Attwood, “Dr. Attwood, or Saint Tony as I call him, gave me the strength to come out to the world and admit I was only pretending to be normal. That strength saved my life, of that I am certain.” In this book he defines Asperger’s and explains how it is diagnosed; then he goes into a number of chapters on the characteristics of those with Asperger’s Syndrome. I have a daughter with AS and these helped me to understand her better. He discusses their limitations in social understanding and making friends; how and why they are often the subject of teasing and bullying; their inability to understand others’ facial expressions and their feelings; their tendency to be high in some cognitive abilities and low in others, causing unrealistic expectations to be placed on them; their confusion and immaturity with regard to feelings; and their sensitivity to sounds, textures, tastes, and light. The book is quite readable and certainly recommended if you are on the syndrome or personally related to someone who is. Or if you suspect you might be. In explaining challenges this syndrome presents, Attwood says, “Sometimes people with Asperger’s Syndrome assume that a friendly act, smile or gesture has greater implications than was intended, and this may lead to the development of an intense interest or infatuation with a person who appears kind and friendly.” Also, “They are often perfectionists with high self-imposed standards of achievement, and . . . are notorious for their inability to cope with frustration.” Their sensory sensitivity is such that sounds that others hardly notice can be almost unbearable, hugs are often experienced as unpleasant, and aromas of perfumes or cleaning products can cause nausea. Though Attwood emphasizes the areas where those on the AS need to work, he clearly delights in his clients and the creativity they bring to life with their differences.

This is a good, but really in no way quite definitive book on high-functioning autism, from which A.S. is not sufficiently distinguishable. There are some valuable and highly practical insights Attwood divulges here. I am curious now as to why the DSM 5 has thrown out the name Asperger's Syndrome from their diagnostic criteria. in the new preface to the new edition of this book, Attwood dances, rationalizes his way around the fact the name indeed has been dropped. No doubt Hans Asperger was of considerable intellect regarding youth and other people of cognitive differences, intellectual disabilities, but research since 2010 by Herwig Cech and others has unearthed that, at the end of the day, Asperger was not a man of sufficient character to avoid complicity with the regime that was in place in Vienna of the late 1930's and to avoid having a number of disabled children of neither sufficient economic benefit (with any special abilities they might have)nor distinctive enough special ability or intellect not to get sent to a facility called the Spiegelgrund to be 'cured' or rehabilitated from what might have ailed them, for there only to be autopsy reports sent back to grieving families reporting cases of pneumonia regarding a good many of them - while there was most likely no pneumonia epidemic sweeping other corridors or facilities in Vienna at that time. Furthermore, when one should come up with an alternative name to HFA, can we have one perhaps that is not listed as a syndrome with what for a long time has been an arcane name behind it? With so many areas well covered in this book, there are a few areas in which the book comes up short. The subject of adults with autism is short-changed. One of the most profound, but at the same time incomplete chapters in this book is in regards to Theory of Mind, with the existence of intense world theory of autism, which I reckon is best seen as the opposite side of the same coin as what is listed as 'theory of mind.' Most welcome of all would be a change to the name of this book, to indicate what we better know now, as opposed perhaps to where we were eight or nine years ago. Yes, other clinicians, such as Ani Klin and Fred Volkmar, with the fine work they've published (and to which Attwood has contributed a chapter to their second edition towards documenting the research they have done and collected) still use A.S. coinage to refer to what is going on. I further should concede, that apart from the misnomer for this, this book and Attwood's very relevant practical insights for the most part has been a great help to me and to many others to finally sort out what is going on, though we may have all wound up with the wrong name for it. Lest there be better evidence out there to clear or exonerate Asperger's name than what now we can see, then it is time for a change of name to either something new or to fall back on what we had before, high functioning autism, that as far as most anybody can see, again is not sufficiently distinguishable in how it manifest from what here is referred to as A.S. One fruther issue of which to make note is that, according to current research, there si sufficient neuro-diversity involved here with all of this not to limit indicating people with special abilities and/or deficits as fitting one place or another on the autism spectrum. It is a given that it sounds insightful that the entire general populace fits somewhere along the 'autism spectrum', but a considerable majority of us not to rank high enough on it to be diagnosable as anything, but again, this does not tell the whole story. As almost practically necessary supplements to reading Attwood, I'd recommend In a Different Key by John Donvan and perhaps also Prodigy's Cousin by Joanne Ruthsatz as supplemental reading to this book. One other highly trustworthy source and for at times very entertaining and insightful reading on this topic is John Eldar Robison. I rest my case.

It’s a must! For aspies, family, or anyone in general. It’s quite easy to understand actually

While we no longer collectively use the term Asperger’s Syndrome, this can be a vital research for parents who have a child with what was once called Asperger’s and is now known as ASD1. I thought I knew a lot about the topic, but this book contained things I didn’t know and especially insight into practical family activities that can help with the entire family understanding the condition. Great resource also for anyone with a recent diagnosis or loved one who was just diagnosed.

Dr. Atwood is one of the worlds leading experts in the field of autism. This book is extremely well written, and packed full of great insights. I purchased this book to help my wife better understand the way my mind works, and in general why I am the way I am. I didn’t realize she had already purchased and read it a year ago, so I decided to read it myself. I learned a lot about myself through this book. If you are looking for insight into yourself, or a loved one who is on the spectrum, this book should be in your library.

Hi All & Hi all fellow Aspies. To quote another reviewer, if there is to be one book, let it be this one. It's the book that kept me sane when I self diagnosed in november 2008. It helped me ask the right questions. I now would like to sidetrack this review for what I feel is an important missing link for people who like me mostly suffer from the depression that often follows on the coattails of Asperger's Syndrome. I like to start by mentioning another book, Alone Together: Making an Asperger Marriage Work by Katrin Bentley, forworded by Tony Attwood. It is this book that I read a few years after reading TCGtAS by Tony Attwood that "made me see the light" by pointing out to me the importance of light, more specifically the way light triggers the production of serotonin, important in countering autism related depression. As an Aspie I am seriously hindered by light and noise, I do live in a house I adapted to be quite darkish and quiet for this very reason, in a country that REALLY is not sunny(Belgium). Being light shy cut me off from natural serotonin so I tried the next best thing, serotonin in form of an antidepressant prescribed by my regular medical doctor. This works, but only up to a point. It does upset melatonin production big time. Serotonin = wake up & be happy hormone, melatonin = sleep & be rested hormone. You basically replace depression for lack of light with depression for lack of sleep. Being thus dead ended I sought out a psychiatrist who after reviewing among many things my medications suggested light therapy. Light therapy with specific lamps is used the world over to counter Seasonal Affective Disorder/depression aka winter blues. A sufficient dose of the "right" kind of light in the morning will trigger the normal production of serotonin to get you going without upsetting the normal and timely production of melatonin. After nearly a month of using light therapy glasses I am no longer using the antidepressants nor do I need sleeping medication. I did not relapse into depression and am slowly regaining a normal sleeping pattern. I would therefore like to suggest light therapy as an alternative for medication for autism related depression. DISCLAIMER I am not a medical man. Medication was prescribed by my regular doctor, the one you go see also for the flue. Light therapy was suggested(strongly) by a psychiatrist who is completely up to date on Asperger Syndrome, the writings of Tony Attwood and Simon Baron Cohen. I did check on this because even in this day and age there is still a lot of disinformation out even among mental health care professionals. If you think light therapy might be a solution for you (if you're a fellow Aspie) or you are a caregiver I respectfully suggest you do your own research first and/or talk to a professional caregiver with experience with light therapy. The light therapy glasses I am using were suggested by such a professional and are marketed under the name of Luminette. Other similar products are availlable (even here on Amazon ;-) more DISCLAIMER I am in no way (other then as a very happy user) associated with the developers or sellers of the light therapy glasses I am using. I went to my local pharmacy ordered them & paid for them.

This book is a great combination of scientific information as well as personal testimonials. There are a lot of stigmas and misinformation about Aspergers, but Dr. Abbott approaches it with compassion and understanding. Also there is a lot of focus on just children, so as someone diagnosed at almost 40, was feeling a bit lost until read through this. Personally had a lot of 'lightbulb' moments where a lifetime of certain behaviours (and underlying cause) suddenly made sense, but has also been helpful for my wife to read and understand a bit better. This has helped me sort out some things and develop better coping mechanisms, improving my overall quality of life. Would recommend it for any adult with a diagnoses, as well as for parents/spouses who want to understand it better.

Purchased this book as our 7-year old son is currently being evaluated for Asperger's. This book is a real eye opener: as I read it, so many things that puzzled or even, at times, frustrated us about our son are suddenly explained in a very clear and accessible way. It was like all the pieces of the puzzle suddenly fell into place. I find that as I learn more, I start to see and understand more of the difficulties that my son faces day-to-day, and it becomes easier to guide him through these challenges. I highly recommend this book as a starting point if you're in a similar situation. It's organised into clear section, which makes it easy to pick the parts relevant to you, depending on what your focus is. It's exceptionally detailed with plenty of examples and practical advice. Each chapter is also followed with a summary, reiterating the main points. There are also recommendations on further resources, for example, The Social Story methodology. I read a couple of other books on Asperger's since then, but this definitely gets my vote as the most comprehensive resource. In a nutshell, if you only buy one book on Asperger's then this is the one.

Livre très facile à lire, très informatif, présentant quelques exemples de témoignages, et faisant aussi référence à de nombreux articles scientifiques.

Excellent book. I am halfway through and have already learned a lot. I am finding that Italy is at least 20 years behind the rest of the Western world in the diffusion of information and treatment of Autism and Asperger's and I've found more information in this book than I've received from my son's two doctors and his therapist combined. If you live in Italy and have or know someone with Asperger's or HFA I highly recommmend getting this book in English if you are able or the Italian translation. Knowledge is power. Ottimo libro. Non ho ancora finito il libro ma ho già imparato molto. Mi sto trovando che l'Italia è da almeno 20 anni indietro rispetto al resto del mondo occidentale nella diffusione di informazioni e sul trattamento di autismo e sindrome di Asperger e ho trovato più informazioni in questo libro che ho ricevuto da i due medici e la educatrice che "segue" mio figlio. Se vivete in Italia e conoscete qualcuno con Asperger o HFA, vi raccomando di prendere questo libro in inglese o la traduzione in italiano. La conoscenza è potere.

Excelente libro.. al principio tuve mis dudas y más por el precio que es mas elevado que otros.. pero desde el primer capitulo se adentra muy bien en el tema de asperger, y en los siguientes se va desenvolviendo el tema punto por punto en palabras muy fácil de entender para los que no somos doctores..