Review: Inside Asperger's Looking Out

When a child is diagnosed with Asperger’s, it is the beginning of an incredible learning curve not only for the child and their family, but for extended family and friends. For those with no previous contact with anyone with Asperger’s Syndrome, it can be confusing and confronting to deal with some of the behaviours and mannerisms common to many ‘Aspies’.

With a combination of colour photographs and direct, first-person text, Inside Asperger’s Looking Out provides a simple overview of many of the typical traits associated with Asperger’s and offers some insight into how those traits impact the individual experiencing them.

Written by the best-selling author of All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome and All Dogs Have ADHD, Inside Asperger’s Looking Out is a wonderful introduction for anyone dealing with Asperger’s Syndrome for the first time. The first person text really personalises the information being shared, giving a very strong sense of the frustrations that must be experienced by those whose behaviours and reactions are so often misunderstood.

Even though I have several friends with children with Asperger’s, I found this book gave me a fresh insight into the challenges faced by Aspies and their families. I think it is a perfect book to have on hand in both the home and school environments to help explain common Asperger’s traits such as hypersensitivity to sounds and visual stimuli and difficulty interpreting facial cues and body language.

I particularly liked the focus on highlighting the positives of the Asperger’s experience, encouraging readers to consider Aspies as simply viewing life in a different way but still sharing the same hopes, dreams and needs as anyone else.

‘We are simply individuals who need our weaknesses supported, our strengths recognised and our abilities encouraged.’ Whether Asperger’s or neurotypical, I think we can all agree that statement applies to us all.

I would highly recommend this book as a very helpful resource for schools, daycare centres, preschools and for families with children with Asperger’s to help friends and family gain insight and understanding into this condition.

Inside Asperger's Looking Out is available at all good bookstores and from Footprint Books online.

Title: Inside Asperger's Looking Out
Author: Kathy Hoopman
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, $18.95 RRP
Publication Date: September 2012
Format: Hardcover with dust jacket
ISBN: 9781849053341
For ages: 8 years - adult
Type: General Non-fiction, Books about health