“Creative, Successful, Dyslexic”

23 High Achievers Share Their Stories

by Margaret Rooke, Foreword by Mollie King
Jessica Kingsley Publishers

“everybody is a genius but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing it is stupid”.

The book is a collection of people sharing their stories including:

The foreword is written by Molly King, Singer/Songwriter who is also an ambassador for Dyslexia Action. In the foreword she mentions she hopes that people will feel inspired, that Dyslexia doesn’t have to mean not doing as well as people whose minds work differently.

The book is written in a font which, in my opinion, is Dyslexia friendly and it is often difficult to find books for people with Dyslexia to read as part of their post-diagnostic support.

There are some very interesting stories, for example, David Bailey describes himself as being in the silly class at school where he was caned for not being able to spell and he described Hollywood films as his education as it was cheaper to go the cinema than feed the gas meter.

After people’s individual stories at the back of the book there is a description about Dyslexia, what some people with Dyslexia experience and where to go for help, for example, UK Dyslexia Action, the British Dyslexia Association and so on.

We will be bringing the book along to our monthly post-diagnostic support group along with some other books we have recently purchased. If people would like to borrow them that will be possible.

“A Multidisciplinary Approach to Managing Ehlers-Danlos (Type III) – Hypermobility Syndrome: Working with the Chronic Complex Patient”

Isobel Knight
ISBN: 978-1848190801

Jessica Kingsley Publishers

This book is about a multi-disciplinary approach to managing multi-systemic conditions such as ED-S Type III now known as Hypermobility Syndrome.

The six types of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome are listed at the back of the book. It also refers to joint Hypermobility Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain. That is, multi-systemic conditions in relation to the fact that many professionals are involved. It is often professionals from different disciplines who struggle to communicate with each other.

The author talks from an auto-ethno-graphical approach which is defined as a writing that connects the personal experience to the cultural and places the self within the social context. That means it is usually written in the first person and involves writing from one’s own experience but actually for academic purposes so that it can inform professionals.

The book talks about the wide range of psychological and physiological implications of such conditions and also the final part is about exercise and rehabilitation.

There are a number of appendices including useful contacts, goal settings, what to expect from physiotherapy but also the diagnostic criteria for Hypermobility Syndrome, the five questions that are asked which I will put in this review as this may be of relevance to individuals who have connections with our service.

1. Can you now or could you ever place your hands flat on the floor without bending your knees
2. Can you now or could you ever bend your thumb back to touch your forearm
3. As a child did you amuse your friends by contorting your body into strange shapes or could you do the splits
4. As a child or teenager did your shoulder or knee dislocate on more than one occasion
5. Do you consider yourself to be double jointed

It also then looks at the Beighton score with illustrations. The scoring system involves the following:

1. Can you put your hands flat on the floor with your knees straight.
2. Can you bend your elbow backwards
3. Can you bend your knee backwards
4. Can you bend your thumb back on to the forearm
5. Can you bend your little finger up at 90 degrees right angles to the back of your hand

This is a well written book that is very clearly referenced and is not only the experiences of the author who has the Syndrome herself but has a number of experienced and reputable contributors from the field of Rheumatology, Physiotherapy, Health Psychology, the Bowen Technique, the Feldenkrais and a contemporary dancer who has a Masters in advanced professional practice in the school of Integrated Health.

“You Can’t Do That”

Written and illustrated by Sue Wood
ISBN: 978-1909320611

Funky Gerbil Press

The book is primarily about an elephant who has a dream but a crowd of people including a doctor, the fireman and newspaper reporter think it is silly. The book focuses on whether his dream becomes a reality or does he listen to the people who tell him to stop.

It is very nicely illustrated and would need to be read to children by their parents as there would need to be some explaining to do as to what some of the symbolism means although I am sure a child could just enjoy it for the illustrations alone.

I recommend this book particularly for any child who has been told you can’t do that.

“You’re So Clumsy Charley.”

by Jane Binnion (Author), Colin Shelbourn (Illustrator)

This book was recommended to me by a parent.  It was published in 2013 and somehow I seem to have missed it.  I note that in 2015 the British Dyspraxia Foundation ordered several hundred copies to be put into primary schools to help children understand more about Dyspraxia.

The book is by and large mostly illustrations and starts off with Charley getting into trouble and being punished for things.  He then goes to stay with his Aunty Bella who says that she is like Charley and she also introduces him to a number of other people who have succeeded in their chosen field such as photography, banjo playing, cake maker and so on who she describes as all being like him and her.

It doesn’t shy away from the fact that Charley will stock knock things over, trip up and can’t catch but talks about exploring what Charley is good at and it ends with the following

“so Charley was still clumsy and forgetful and lost things but more importantly he knew he was clever and creative which made him confident and cheerful”.

The book at the end also talks about a website www.funkygerbil.com which I then visited and it has some very interesting books that are either published or in the state of being published that I think would appeal to young people.  I am therefore recommending that people have a look at the website and I shall be bringing the book to give to Autism Inclusive at our next monthly post-diagnostic support group which is on 8 June 2016.

“Choosing Autism Interventions: A research based guide”

By Bernard Fleming, Elizabeth Hurley and The Goth.

A Publication from Research Autism

This is a superb book that will answer many questions both parents and individuals with Autism have regarding what works, what doesn’t work, what should I do and so on. It will also provide information as to interventions that may be suggested and are not recommended in terms of not having an evidence base.

The book is colourful, relatively easy to read and is very well referenced and clearly as the title says is research based and evidence based.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

“Autism Spectrum Disorder in Mid and Later Life”

Edited by Scott D. Wright, PhD
with a foreword by Professor Francesca Happe.
Jessica Kingsley Publishers

The foreword is by Professor Francesca Happe who some of you may remember we had her PhD student come to talk to us about the research projects they are engaged in.

This is an excellent book, I suspect primarily written for professionals and brings together a number of unique contributions.

An overview is provided of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder past present and future.  Part two focuses on genetic and environmental issues.  Part Three focuses on historical, contemporary and personal perspectives on aging within the Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Part four looks at aging and the aging individual.  Part five looks at aging and family issues.  Part six looks at community issues and Part seven looks at the aging experience, social policy and advocacy and Part eight looks at future directions.

As Francesca Happe points out in her foreword even five years ago such a book could not have been written, it would have been impossible to gather so many chapters by leading researchers and writers on the topic of aging.

She hopes in five years from now that producing a book like this will be impossible because the research literature on Autism and aging will be so extensive.  Let’s hope that is the case and we will keep you updated with any outcomes from either the Newcastle University research projects and/or Francesca Happe’s.

I shall be bringing this book along to our monthly post-diagnostic support group.