These booklets contain from 12 to 64 pages of information that will be helpful and beneficial to families who have just received the diagnosis to those who have older children on the Autism Spectrum.

The following booklets would be suitable for Father's Day to give to the men, Grandparent's Day for their perusal to understand what family life is like and to prepare for a family visit, holiday event or summer vacation. Some of them are also perfect for therapists, teachers and other professionals working within the autism community. These are listed in no particular order.

1. What Are Visual Strategies? - Tools for Overcoming Communication Challenges. This is available through Quirk Roberts for $3.50, written by Linda Hodgdon, M.Ed., CCC-SLP. This is also available in the quantity of 25 for $25.00. There are 12 pages that include visuals and diagrams covering examples of visual tools and when to use them. UseVisualStrategies.com. These are very helpful in putting together schedules as we are doing now with Behavior Support.

2. Learning Self-Care Skills - Functional Programming For People With Autism: A Series... through IRCA, Indiana Resource Center for Autism. The cost is $3.00 for 29 pages by Valerie DePalma and Marci Wheeler. Appendix A-D are charts that can be photocopied. They are a list of strengths, likes/preferences, fears/frustrations and home skills assessment for grooming. Appendix E is a black and white instructional aid for a sample morning routine using Mayer-Johnson cards.

This includes task analysis, goals, step-by-step instruction of toothbrushing and much more. This is one of the first booklets I purchased when my son Nicholas was first diagnosed in 1998. It is still very useful for families as we are going through these issues now. There are behavior supports, case examples and reinforcement

3. Toileting - Functional Programming for People With Autism: A Series... through IRCA at a cost of $3.00. There are 20 pages that include a schedule chart to photocopy that goes from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm. This is by Nancy Dalrymple and Margaret Boarman. I have pink highlighted data on the pages from years ago. My son Matthew is not toilet trained so this is still information I need to keep handy. A sentence I highlighted, " Slow encouragement will be needed rather than force." This booklet is suitable for teachers and therapists as well since as the child gets older the family will need more support in this endeavor.

4. Helpful Responses to Some of the Behaviors of Individuals with Autism - Another IRCA publication for $4.00 written by Nancy Dalrymple. There are 36 pages with two pages devoted to the index of the behaviors. Each page lists a behavior, common response, autism interpretation and helpful responses.

These include sleeping patterns, repetitive actions, pacing back and forth, rigid, agitated when makes a mistake, follows rituals compulsively and closes doors and cupboards. Each page has 4 or 5 helpful hints to deal with stated behaviors. This is a wonderful resource to obtain for family members, teachers and therapists.

5. Identifying High Functioning Children with Autism - Another IRCA publication that costs $2.00 for 11 pages. This is by Stine Levy and covers the onset of the problem, language impairment, emotional disturbances, social impairment, echolalia, reading and prognosis. I have many sentences underlined, including one that states those with autism have had successful careers in computer technology, statistics and library science.

6. At Home With Autism - Three Families Stories. This book is out of print but available at the lending libraries at Chapters of the Autism Society of America. I found it at several places through a google search. You can get on the list for a used copy at Amazon. Potential Unlimited Publishing is a non-profit New Hampshire Corporation. The stories are by Danielle Morse, Viki Gayhardt and R. Stuart Wallace.

PUP also published Captain Tommy.

7. Crossing Bridges: A Parent's Perspective on Coping After a Child is Diagnosed with Autism/PDD - this is available through the Autism Society Chapter of New Hampshire for $6.00 - they take paypal. This booklet contains 64 pages and includes a parent's bill of rights, strategies for mangaging behaviors, education, cycle of grief, other children, what books to read first and more stories by Viki Satkiewicz-Gayhardt, Barbara Peerenboom and Roxanne Campbell, R.N.

8. High-Functioning Individuals With Autism - Advice and Information For Parents and Others Who Care by Susan J. Moreno, M.A. The updated version is entitled, More Advanced Individuals with Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorders. This is available for $10.00 at MAAP Services for the Autism Spectrum.

The booklet I have is 36 pages long and describes my HFA son Nicholas perfectly. There is information on preparing the child for school placement, preparing a teacher for a child with autism, the top 15 tips for teaching high functining people, terms used, tips for out in the community,rigidity in thought process, communication skills and much more.

Tips for Teaching High-Functioning People with Autism by Susan J. Moreno, M.A.

9. Autism: Perspectives on the Family - This is through COSAC - NJ Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community. The first copy is free with copies thereafter at $3.50 each. I contemplated moving back to NJ and obtained materials from COSAC years ago.

This booklet is a series of articles by parents and professionals about the joys and challenges faced by families living with autism. There are 58 pages and include night time difficulties, siblings, single parents, grandparents, eating out, diets and education.

10. Toilet Training For Children with Severe Handicaps - A field manual for coordinating training procedures across multiple community settings. This booklet is distributed by Autism Training Center, Marshall University. The cost is $5.00 at the UCSB Koegel Autism Center. I just ordered this a month ago along with two of their manuals I will be reviewing.

This booklet discusses hygiene, has a program checklist, data sheet, readiness and coordinating the program. We might get assistance with Behavior Support on toilet training, so this would be helpful for therapists to peruse as well as teachers. Matthew's teacher borrowed my copy of Toilet Training for Individuals with Autism & Related Disorders last year. This has many case examples with loads of tips I plan on using. I think I have enough books on this subject now to tackle it this summer!

11. The Americans with Disabilities Act - Questions and Answers in this 31 page booklet. www.ada.gov or call 1-800-514-0301

12. A Guide To Disability Rights Law - There are 21 pages in this booklet. 1-800-669-4000 or www.eeoc.gov

Educational Autism Tips for Families 71 page resourceful ebook for families entering the school system with a recent autism diagnosis. Find out what issues take place over the course of a school day and meet these challenges head on.



Gift Ideas for the Autistic child