Understanding Death and Illness and What They Teach About Life

In this book, you will find a comprehensive treatment of death focusing on things most likely to concern those with ASD presented in the clear, straightforward, and concrete manner that is most likely to help those on the spectrum, as well as the professionals, family members, or friends that are concerned about them. Readers of this book will learn a lot about death, themselves, and how to help people with ASD to better understand and cope with it. After reading this book, my admiration for the author, Catherine Faherty, has continued to grow, along with my appreciation for her courage and conviction in making this available for all of us who care about helping people with ASD to deal with this issue and succeed in understanding this still confusing and anxiety-provoking aspect of our everyday lives."-Gary Mesibov Professor & Director Division TEACCH University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Catherine Faherty works with children and adults with autism through the well-renowned TEACCH program in North Carolina. She is also a parent consultant and child therapist; consults to school programs; trains teachers and other professionals locally, nationally, and internationally; and runs social groups for children and adults with autism. She has written manuals used in TEACCH trainings, developed training models, and, in addition to this new title, has written a workbook for children with autism and their parents and teachers, titled Asperger's: What Does It Mean To Me? Catherine Faherty resides in Asheville, North Carolina.

Foreword A Mother's Essay Message from the Author Why did I write this book? Why should you read this book? Who should read this book? Using This Book When should it be read? Is it about both people and animals? How is this book organized? What are the "Communication Forms"? A Close Look at Communication What is the purpose of Chapter 18? How can this book be adapted for young children or adults who can neither read nor comprehend the text? What can I do for a child or an adult who does not read with comprehension, or who seems not to understand pictures or photographs? Special Note to Parents and Significant Others Important Information For The Reader What should I read first? What are the Communication Forms? Chapter 1: Illness and Injury Why do people get sick? Is Asperger's an illness? How do I know if I am sick? How do I know if I am injured? What should I do when I am sick or injured? What is an emergency? What is a difficult situation? Why should I practice the plan when an emergency is not really happening? Chapter 2: Recuperating and Healing What helps people recuperate and heal? What may being sick teach us? What does being injured teach us? Do people and animals usually recuperate and heal after being sick or injured? After recuperating, are people the same as they were before they were sick or injured? What else may we learn from being sick? Does everyone recuperate and heal, all of the time? How does a person who is sick or injured know if he or she is going to recuperate, or if he or she is going to die because of the illness or injury? Is the person or animal going to recuperate, or going to die from the illness or injury? Chapter 3: Death and Dying: Who, What, When, Where, and How What is death and dying? What is a lifespan? When do people and animals die? What is life expectancy? How do people or animals die? What does it mean when someone dies after being sick or injured? What does it mean when someone has died suddenly? What does it mean when someone has died of old age? Do all old people and old animals die? Where do people die? Where do animals die? Chapter 4: When Someone Is Dying Who takes care of people when they are dying? What happens to the body of the person or animal in the dying process? Why do people visit a person who may be dying? What if a person feels uncomfortable about visiting someone who is dying? What may happen during a visit to a person who is dying? What might it be like if the person is in a hospital? What if the person who is dying tries to talk? What if the person who is dying cannot talk? What if the person who is dying does not want any visitors? How do people react when someone they know is dying? What does it mean when people say it is time to "let him (her) go"? Chapter 5: Communication What is communication? Why is communication important? What does it mean to communicate "before it is too late"? What are some examples of the things that people may want to communicate before someone dies? How do people communicate effectively? What is a miscommunication? What should be done in cases of miscommunication? Why is understanding each other so important? "Understanding" Goes Two Ways: How does someone know that he or she has something important to communicate? The First Category: How does someone know that he or she should communicate to express the need for a change? What is "help"? The Second Category: How does someone know when he or she should communicate pleasure and gratitude? Why is it important to communicate gratitude when having positive feelings and experiences? Whom should I thank? The Third Category: How does someone know when he or she should communicate to share ideas, thoughts, or feelings? What are the most common methods of communication? What is other important information about communication? If there is something that a person didn't communicate to someone who died, is it too late now? Chapter 6: What Happens to