Autism is a baffling brain disorder that profoundly affects children's communication and social skills. It is also a spectrum disorder, which means it can occur in a variety of forms and intensity. Most cases of autism appear before a child's third birthday. Recent years have marked a stunning rise in the number of children diagnosed as autistic, with the U.S. Department of Education reporting a 173-percent rise in the number of autistic students served under the Individuals with Disabilities Act between the 1992-93 and 1997-98 school years.
Through her questioning of traditional approaches regarding autism, and with determination and patience, Florica Stone has been able to develop a satisfying and supportive two-way channel of communication with her once non-verbal and solitary autistic son. In Autism - The Eighth Colour of the Rainbow Florica shows how shared meanings can be learnt and expressed between autistic and non-autistic individuals, though they experience radically different perceptions of reality. Through interacting with and listening to her autistic friends and son, she began to understand the autistic learning style and to decipher the various behavioural needs that arise from their particular sensory processing.
Autism and Creativity is a stimulating study of male creativity and autism, arguing that a major genetic endowment is a prerequisite of genius, and that cultural and environmental factors are less significant than has often been claimed. Chapters on the diagnosis and psychology of autism set the scene for a detailed examination of a number of important historical figures. For example: * In the Indian mathematician Ramanujan, the classic traits of Asperger's syndrome are shown to have coexisted with an extraordinary level of creativity. * More unexpectedly, from the fields of philosophy, politics and literature, scrutiny of Ludwig Wittgenstein, Sir Keith Joseph, Eamon de Valera, Lewis Carroll and William Butler Yeats reveals classical autistic features. Autism and Creativity will prove fascinating reading not only for professionals and students in the field of Autism and Asperger's syndrome, but for anyone wanting to know how individuals presenting autistic features have on many occasions changed the way we understand society.
