A book written by a physician who clearly understands autistic children, their families, and the struggles they face.
In the first section, the author describes the various aspects of autistic children's behavior, and many parents will recognize problems they know all too well. The different theories about the causes of autism are presented briefly and criticized honestly.
But we especially recommend this book for the second section, titled "Education and Daily Life Management."
It offers no miracle cures, no abstract theories—only practical advice grounded in experience and genuine desire to help both parents and children. The author believes in education, believes in discipline, but above all in love. "The best teaching techniques are useless if they are not used by people who truly love the child and genuinely care about his fate." (p. 78)
Many of the suggestions apply equally to parents of handicapped children who are not autistic: the importance of family unity, attention to siblings, the danger of withdrawing into oneself, the value of parent support groups.
Dr. Wing trusts parents. She wants to free them from guilt and give them a decisive role in their child's progress.
For those who read French or English, three powerful testimonies from mothers and autistic children have been published in recent years:
Catu, ou l'enfance muette by Denise Herbanidière
Histoire d'Elly (translated from the English "The Siege") by Clara C. Park
Pour l'amour d'Anne (from the English "For the Love of Anne"), the last of which should appear in Italian soon.
NB. These books can be borrowed from the National Secretariat.