My Autism Book

Dr Glòria Durà-Vilà is a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist working in the Surrey and Borders NHS Trust with a main clinical interest in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She is experienced in assessing, diagnosing and treating children and young people with ASD, and she works closely with parents and educational and social services. She is passionate about the importance of communicating the ASD diagnosis to parents and to the child in the best possible way. She is an Honorary Lecturer at University College London, Department of Mental Health Sciences. Tamar Levi has studied child psychology and worked with students with a range of disabilities including ASD. She has illustrated numerous children's books including The If Machine, The If Odyssey and The Philosophy Shop and she guest lectures on how picture books can be used as tools in schools and at home to effectively share complicated ideas or sensitive information with children.

This valuable picture book gives parents and children a chance to share and discuss the strengths and differences that a child newly-diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder may experience... Advice to parents is given at the beginning and at the end, and the final checklist has tick boxes and also space to add things - such as special interests and strengths and differences that have not been covered in the book. This book will be of real use to families with a newly-diagnosed child, and it can be used for many years as the child develops and changes.

• Opening Letter to Parents. My Autism Spectrum Disorder. My Strengths and Differences. Strengths and Differences Checklist. Closing Letter to Parents.