Sandy Howarth
Description I am a mother of a thirteen year old Autistic boy. My child Steven, was diagnosed as being severely Autistic with a severe receptive language disorder at two and a half years of age. My book outlines the experience that has been gained from my son Steven. The book has been written to assist and offer support to other parents and families of children with Autism so that they too will benefit form what I have learnt. The book covers the diagnostic process, concerns of parents, coping strategies, teaching methods, behaviour strategies, research being carried out on the subject, recognizing educational needs, my child's developmental history and how I learnt about Autism. It also talks of finding an appropriate educational environment and offers practical guidance in this area. It offers guidance in teaching body awareness, developing life skills, building an understanding of the environment and everyday situations. I gave up my career as an Interior Designer to devote my time to Steven and used my creative skills to produce materials to further encourage his learning. I would like to share my book so that it could act as a practical guide for those caring for Autistic children. About the Author Sandy was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka to Buddhist parents who were both involved in a family owned furniture business. She was the younger twin of a family of four children and attended an all girls school. The family consisted of the two boys being the older and the two girls being the younger. Sandy had a privileged lifestyle where she was completely isolated from any of life's hardships. Sandy is a descendent of the Anagarika Dharmapala who dedicated his life to spreading Buddhism throughout the world. She was a competitive swimmer and an artist and enjoyed every aspect of growing up in a tropical land.
