Girls Growing Up on the Autism Spectrum: What Parents and Professionals Should Know about the Pre-Teen and Teenage Years

"I hope someday you'll join us and the world will live as one." -- John Lennon, 1971 This is one of the best books for girls on the autism spectrum I have ever read. No parent or professional should be without this gem. This stellar work is replete with a myriad of information ranging from professional as well as personal accounts of working with girls who are on the autism/Asperger's sepctrum. The writing is sharp and crisp; the information presented is direct and very reader friendly. Statistics have shown that the majority of people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are male. It is long past time that a body of literature for girls and women on the spectrum addresses the issues that they face. Many girls don't attract notice by professionals as being on the spectrum and are often misdiagnosed at worst, undiagnosed at best until adulthood. Coping with unexplained differences and navigating among neurotypical (NT) peers are major challenges for anyone on the spectrum. Dr. Nichols does an excellent job of addressing this. The best message contained in this book is that girls on the spectrum are NOT to be marginalized. The world is for everybody and not just the NT population. Dr. Nichols, as does Drs. Tony Attwood and Travis Thompson remove at best, reduce at worst the needless stigma attached to the autism spectrum. This book helps instill a strong sense of Autism Pride! Teaching Toolkit, a guide to help people explain social and developmental changes to girls is included. The 4 P's (Puberty, Periods, Pads and Pelvic Exams)are brilliantly covered, thus making a parent's job of explaining these developmental matters to girls so much easier. Related topics such as nutrition, general health, physical activity and overall self image are included. Practical suggestions for bra shopping and adjusting to one's own body are well covered in this book. Sexuality is also discussed seriously and intelligently. It makes a parent's job worlds easier. The crowning touch is the chronicling of a mother and daughter navigating through these tricky terrains by presenting both perspectives, the mother's and the daughter's. No doubt countless families will find this helpful information in a ready made format. A standing ovation to the author and every reference cited in this book. I think this is truly one of the standout books on autism and helping girls to cope in a confusing world that sadly, is all too often slanted in favor of the NT population. Girls on the spectrum have long deserved a turn at bat and it is books like this that restore my hope and keep me banging on the high frequency different drum on behalf of everyone on the spectrum. I wish I had had this book when I was growing up. To Dr. Nichols, I say a very deep and heartfelt "THANK YOU!"

Girls Growing Up on the Autism Spectrum is an amazing resource chock-full of so much information including professional perspectives and personal experience from mothers, daughters and educators, that I consider this a "must have" for anyone interacting with young ladies in the teens/tweens age group who have ASDs. It is phenomenal just how much information is so effectively contained in 350 pages and, yet, it is presented in such "bite-sized" pieces that one doesn't get lost in a sea of information. The book touches on the differences between boys and girls on the spectrum as well as how girls sometimes "fly under the radar" generally getting diagnosed later than boys. As well, the roller coaster of challenges that the combination of adolescence with autism presents are covered in depth. A "Teaching Toolkit" with guidelines and techniques is thoroughly highlighted. The 4 P's (Puberty, Periods, Pads and Pelvic Exams) are covered so effectively that a mom will now have confidence and practical "tools" in helping her teen succeed in these areas. Providing detailed suggestions about health, fitness, body image and even the importance of shopping for her first bra are such practical and useful tips that a mother of any young lady would find them useful. Directly addressing the social "landscape" of friends and social status will help parents navigate these tricky waters and provide opportunities for their daughters. Addressing healthy sexuality as well as personal safety for girls with ASDs provides parents with straightforward tips and resources for making a tough subject a very manageable learning experience. The book ends with the proverbial icing on the cake by following a mother and daughter (with ASD) as they progressed through their journey with Asperger's Syndrome. Seeing the story told from both vantage points gives such an invaluable perspective which, I am sure, will help many families know that they are not alone in this journey through autism. KUDOS to the authors and all the references, resources and internet links that they made available to make this book even more beneficial for readers. I have read stacks of books on autism and I truly believe that GIRLS GROWING UP ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM is a must-have for any family who has a daughter on the autism spectrum. I can definitely see a mother reading, re-reading and highlighting this book as her daughter progresses through various stages of adolescence and life as a girl on the autism spectrum. It is bursting to the seams with useful hands-on proactive approaches to parenting these wonderful and unique young ladies. Joanna Keating-Velasco, Para-Educator and Author of Kid's Books on Autism A Is for Autism F Is for Friend: A Kid's Book for Making Friends with a Child Who Has Autism In His Shoes, A Short Journey Through Autism

As one of the many women who contributed their experiences to flesh-out this book, I knew this would be a cathartic look at my earlier years. Although I am a self-diagnosed Aspie upon my son's official diagnosis of Autism, I could identify with the myriad traits and antecdotes of other women in the same boat. I applaud the authors for their dedication to shed light on the inner workings of the female psyche, neurotypical or otherwise. Most of the strategies can be used in guiding all girls through the adventures in adolescence! Although I was excited to participate in this book project, reading it ripped open wounds from long ago. I had forgotten how exactly the pain felt until reading the passages in Chapter 9. It cannot be said enough how much the effects of childhood torment plays into how people attempt to forge a social life. Navigating the school years is tough enough even for typical children. Some of us never have that innate sense of 'when to do what and how to do it'. As any parent, I want to spare my children undue pain. However, I don't want to handicap them further by sparing them the experiences of conflict that serve to aid their maturity. This book is a resource that should be in every parent's arsenal for raising their daughter who happens to be on the Autism Spectrum.

This book is very helpful for parents of autistic girls, as well as for educators and those who work with girls on the autistic spectrum. It delicately and compassionately handles the particular problems that girls on the autistic spectrum face as they go through puberty. It makes excellent suggestions and gives tangible ideas to both the autistic girl and her parents as the youngster makes the transition from child to young woman. The book is very well researched, yet remains very readable. It can certainly help parents to feel that they are not "alone" and that the authors really have studied this and know what they are talking about. Highly recommended.

This book is thorough, quite parent-friendly, and valuable. It has a lot of practical suggestions for everything from teaching autistic young women how to handle their menstrual cycles to addressing the issue of fashion/trends to the potential physiological bases for the different manifestations of autism in boys and girls. The sections on sexuality are, IMO, particularly valuable: parents of people with disabilities often don't want to face these issues because the future can be so scary to contemplate. I saw Shana Nichols talk on this topic at a conference and it was a real eye-opener for me.