Download PDF Elijah Cup A Family Journey into the Community and Culture of HighFunctioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome Valerie Paradiz 9781416567769 Books

Product details Paperback 256 pages Publisher Free Press (June 25, 2007) Language English ISBN-10 1416567763

Elijah Cup A Family Journey into the Community and Culture of HighFunctioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome Valerie Paradiz 9781416567769 Books Reviews

• This is an extraordinary, rare and unique book about an autistic child. The thing that makes it this way, is his mother's pure and loving acceptance of him, just the way he is. His mother's creative solutions to make living with him the best it can be. Everyone having anything to do with an autistic child, should read it, if only for the different point of view. The view that every child has value, and there is something to be said for treasuring him just for who he is.
  
  Elijah is a fascinating child. He has been able to absorb much comprehension about the world, and his own disability, and how to cope, through his endless questioning of his mother, and her amazingly patient, honest, and encouraging replies. He will be an adult with a tremendous advantage over other children like him, for having had Valerie Paradiz for a mother.
• Elijah's Cup is a powerful narrative of the trials and tribulations of caring for a special needs children, and the difficult path to recognition of those need. It is a story of a struggle for care in a community unable to recognize the proper diagnosis. It is a story of a family struggle, the tensions between husband and wife, and the questioning of a mother. This book is therapy. This book is a tale for similarly situatoned parents struggling to care for marvelous little children.
• Thank you for this miracle of a book. This is a beautiful and honest story about a very special family. The author has done a huge service for the autism community with this exquisitely written work.
• Valerie and Ben are devastated when their then 2-year-old son was diagnosed with autism in addition to epilepsy. Ben has trouble accepting the diagnosis and in time the marriage dissolved.
  
  Instead of condemning Elijah to a life of labels and misperceptions about autism, Valerie Paradiz educated her small upstate New York community as well as the world at large in this book about her personal experiences with autism. Her son and father are both on the spectrum and this book is one of many that points out the genetic basis autism has.
  
  Elijah was enrolled in special programs from the age of three and his greatest progress is made at home and with a friend he and Valerie meet. Sharron, an independent artist is herself struggling with Asperger's, the spectrum partner to autism. She recognizes in Elijah similar traits and experiences she contends with and finally receives a diagnosis. She bonded immediately with the boy and was his regular sitter for some years.
  
  I like the way Valerie worked with Elijah; I like the way she taught him more appropriate ways of responding to peers, such as Trevor in the chess club. Trevor came away with empowered with knowledge and a chance to be more accepting of someone he sees as being "different" and Elijah understands what he can do to regulate his behaviors and move more comfortably in social circles.
  
  I like the conversations mother and son had; I also like the outdoor programs for people on the autism/Asperger's (a/A) spectrum that are described in the book. Best of all, having autism is CELEBRATED!
  
  I've banged on the different drum for a long time about how being on the a/A spectrum is something to celebrate. People on the spectrum have novel perceptions and unique insights that many neurotypical (NT) counterparts do not. One misperception is that people with autism all think in pictures, which simply is not true. Ben Levinson, co-author of "Finding Ben" and Sean Barron, co-author of "There's a Boy In Here" are not picture thinkers and neither are many other people on the a/A spectrum.
  
  Meltdowns due to sensory overload are not uncommon among the spectrum. Sadly, the NT world often looks askance at those on the a/A spectrum simply from a lack of understanding of what people with autism contend with on a routine basis. Elijah, for example would vomit during thunderstorms as the noise upset him. I like the way another reviewer said in re a/A, "Vive la difference!" Wave that banner of interlocking puzzle pieces proudly - autism is NOT something to be ashamed of having!
  
  Two songs seem to underscore this book so perfectly - Herman Kelly & Life's "Let's Dance to the Drummer's Beat" and Linda Ronstadt & the Stone Poneys 1968 song, "(Beat of a) Different Drum." With more drums beating, you get quite a tune! With more drums being beaten, you have different drummers!
  
  People on the a/A spectrum enrich the world tremendously. The contributions are NOT limited to Temple Grandin, Andy Warhol and Einstein and other public figures. People with autism also provide ample opportunity to learn acceptance and realize the world is for everybody and not just the NT population. All too often, people on the a/A spectrum are expected to make all the concessions, especially social concessions to the NT world and try to keep track of the Tacit Social Codes & Rules, which always seem to change at the whims of the NT world.
  
  Now let's all march to our different drummers.
• What can one say about a book written a parent about her child with Asperger Syndrome that isn't like the rest? From the beginning, the reader can tell that he or she has a real gem. The writer, Valerie Paradiz, describes her son, Elijah's early years, including the many seizures he had and the odyssey of doctors and medications. After a few years, the seizures abate, but he is found to have Asperger Syndrome by his babysitter, Sharron Lorree, who has the disorder, also. Sharron becomes a dedicated friend and takes to Elijah like a duck takes to water. In this nifty little book, Paradiz takes an abrupt right turn AWAY from the doom and gloom and the quest for a cure that so many other parent stories about their children focus on.
  Instead, the author takes her son to Autreat, a retreat in New York State for people with autism and the people who support them. Run by Jim Sinclair, a major figure in the self-advocacy movement and a proponent of "autistic culture, " the principle of allowing people with autism to be themselves and to accommodate their needs by what has been derisively called "self-stim," where in fact, it is a way to meet one's sensory needs, to communicate or to better adapt to one's environment, or all of these. While at Autreat and after, Paradiz takes on an increasingly positive attitude toward her son's autism, focusing on the STRENGTHS, instead of deficits.
  In addition, the author gives the reader insights into the relationship between her and her estranged husband and how they are able to reconcile their relationship.
  Throughout the books, the author weaves in descriptions of famous people who probably were on the Autism Spectrum, including Einstein and Andy Warhol, showing the reader how autism and Asperger Syndrome can actually HELP a person to make stunning discoveries and accomplishments that move society forward.
  The author writes like a poet a she deftly weaves the descriptions of these famous people in with descriptions of life with Elijah and how he relates to the world. One can't help but love him; he is a sweet, caring little boy, who seems to really enjoy life. Not only is Elijah's Cup beautifully written it is easy to read and understand, a real boon for busy parents who don't have the time or inclination to slog through a ponderous jargon-filled book. Another plus is that treatments are not mention. Instead, the author finds ways to accommodate her son's needs so that he can thrive in the world and enjoy life on his own terms. Once cannot say enough about this treasure. I want to shout from the rooftops BUY THIS BOOK!! It is a must-have for every library and school in the land.