Sound Of Falling Snow: Stories of Recovery from Autism and Related Conditions

Annabel Stehli's Sound of a Miracle is the beautifully written story of her life with two stricken daughters and how she walked one to the gates of heaven while seeking healing for the other; 18 years after its publication it remains a stellar document in the field of mental illness and recovery. With courage and frankness, Stehli recounts her own floundering efforts to maintain control of her life as her first husband retreated from the overwhelming difficulties in their family, leaving her to cope alone. The ignorance, today gradually eroding, of those most often trusted with the care of the mentally impaired is a cautionary tale for those ministering inadequately to autistic, dyslexic, and all other person's suffering from ear-related mental dysfunction. Some severe forms of mental illness can be healed through exposure to sound rich in the high frequencies in certain music. The gated electronic equipment of AIT is featured in her writing and anthologies. I am convinced that the treatment Stehli found that healed her daughter's autism remains the most important intervention available for mental illness to date -- not just for autism but for the range of ear-related conditions in the brain. My writing about our son, diagnosed as schizophrenic, provides further documentation supporting (and extending) the work of Tomatis and Berard and their practitioners in this vital mode of drug-free intervention for those suffering from ear-related mental disturbance. I would recommend this book and Stehli's two anthologies of parents' stories: Dancing in the Rain and Sound of Falling Snow as must-reads for parents of autistic, dyslexic, bipolar, Tourette's, epileptic, schizophrenic, or otherwise mentally disturbed children. Laurna Tallman, author and publisher, Marmora, Ontario, Canada

This book is filled with stories that wrench any parent's heart - and then fill it up again page after page - with new hope and inspiration! These amazing recovery stories are a wonderful testimony to the devotion and unconditional love of unrelenting parents who will stop at nothing to recover their special needs child.

This is another extraordinary collection of personal accounts of people on the autism/Asperger's (a/A) spectrum who have been successfully treated with Auditory Integration Therapy (AIT). People with autism have trouble synthesizing sensory modes and have "hyper" sensitivity; that is, extraordinarily acute senses. James, whose mother wrote about his spectacular progress in Stehli's previous book, "Dancing in the Rain" describes his personal experience with autism. A bright, well-rounded young man, James appears to be very accepting and open-minded. I like the way he was avidly interested in the "American Girls" series and saw no reason not to learn knitting; it was a real skill he had and he found it a soothing activity. I loved it when James said, "...when you see your child lining up cards, for example, don't punish him for perseverating...don't see it as acting strangely. See him as the architecht or draftsman he could become, designing the strongest buildings or drawing the straightest lines." James speaks to hope and potential. He also addresses the very real problem of the word "perseverate" in any tense. While many professionals and parents might find it a helpful "shorthand," it is really just a negative and destructive word. It is highly damning, judgmental and has hurt many and done far more harm than any good. James, like Stehli's daughter, Georgiana Thomas is an author. Articulate and insightful, James focusses his chapter on the positive aspects of having autism. Georgiana Thomas has written "Overcoming Autism," about her personal experiences and at the time of this review, her book is currently available only on her web site. Her book, together with James' work, "The Self-Help Guide for Special Kids and Their Parents" deserve places of honor along with this book. This is one of the most inspiring and uplifting books about autism that I have ever read. Hats off to the people who shared their stories and for the Rays of Hope they have beamed each reader's way. We need this book!