The Jumbled Jigsaw: An Insider's Approach to the Treatment of Autistic Spectrum `Fruit Salads' Paperback – November 24, 2008

Donna is a bona fide genius of autism. I don't know why the psychiatrists, psychologists and doctor's of all descriptions aren't hammering down her door to pick her brain on how to understand autism better. I mean she HAS autism, had no meaningful language till 9 years - who else to ask how it feels, what it looks like and means to live with autism? She is a very sensory person whose ability to empathise is very strong and in some ways it seems was hard won. Her work changed my son and family's life for the better. Essential reading - especially for those whose kids aren't as visual or who don't act like Temple Grandin! Her ability to compassionately break autistic and other behaviours into mentally edible parts is a joy to read. I had a highlighter with me the whole way through the book.

Invaluable book for any parent who is having trouble understanding what makes their autistic child tick. Very informative and helpful.

This book is a masterpiece! I'm not easily impressed and I've read many books on autism, this one is head and shoulders above them all. There is a HUGE amount of information packed into this book covering everything from dietary and environmental influences to anxiety, mood and personality disorders which all cluster together and underpin an individual's ASD. Describing it as a "fruit salad" with each individual having different pieces making up their ASD is genius. It is a book you will return to again and again for help and understanding. I think a good basic knowledge of Autism would be an advantage before reading this book or else it may blow your mind, but I think everyone should read it, in fact I'd say it is essential to gain a far deeper understanding of ASD, there are so many stereotypes and misunderstandings that Donna has successfully smashed. Every person who has a child/spouse/relative/student/friend on the spectrum, individuals who have ASD and professionals who work in this field would all greatly benefit from this book it is worth it's weight in gold, this book does not get anywhere near the recognition it deserves, it should be winning awards!!! Thank you Donna Williams for sharing your incredible insight and experience, this book is a much needed gift to the world.

This is an excellent book for parents, educators and other professionals who teach/live/work with people who have autism.The "jumbled jigsaw" is what is so sadly misunderstood and mislabelled by many; sadly, many such "experts" apply the Procrustean Bed tactics to the autistic population. This helps none and hurts all.Raun Kaufman, the child for whom "Son-Rise" and "Son-Rise II: The Miracle Continues" was written, said in "Son-Rise II" that "expert" is the biggest misnomer for that very reason above. He was diagnosed with severe autism in infancy and for the first nearly three years of his life displayed behavior suggestive of Kanner's Autism. Early intervention turned the tide for Raun; now an adult, he has no residual behaviors or tendencies of this neurobiological condition. He is also currently the CEO of a company.Raun rightfully points out that had many people listened to these so called "experts" who recommended institutionalizing people with autism, many rays of light and hope would never shine. Raun Kaufman; Walker Stacey; Gunilla Gerland; Sean Barron; Tony Randazzo; Ben Levinson; Jeremy Kephart; Ryan Hamilton; Georgiana Thomas; Donna Williams and countless others whose stories we don't know have provided the Voice of Hope for many. Each of these above people had or still have autism to varying degrees; each have either written or have been the subject of biographies about living with autism. Each one of these people and countless others have lent their voices; their experiences and their explanations of autism so as to help encourage tolerance. Donna Williams and her scholarly books, this included have certainly helped move that process along. Had the so called experts' advice been followed, think of the loss we would all be suffering today. Just read Annabelle Stehli's books about people who have been successfully treated with Auditory Integration Therapy and who are no longer autistic; Karyn Seroussi's and Lynn Hamilton's sons were successfully treated with a special diet as was Tony Randazzo, who had an allergy to milk. Patricia Stacey's son Walker Stacey and two of Catherine Maurice's children were eased of the autism spectrum with ABA and Floor Time. Jane McDonnell's son Paul ("News From the Border") offers his own insights into living with autism; he was helped by general acceptance from others and his own desire to adapt to the neurotypical world. Paul was informally treated with ABA; he was able to see what constituted acceptable behavior, yet at the same time recognize his autistic tendencies and keep them in check. This is still another valuable book that the world at large needs.The point is, autism is as varied as there are individuals who have it and so the approaches have to be tailored to meet each individual's needs. Instead of dismissing people with autism as their label, Ms. Williams has once again brilliantly demonstrated how important it is to encourage talents and interests. She is married; an artist and author as well as having a plethora of credentials. Her works are valuable and needed; this book deserves a place of honor.At present the count is 1 in every 150 births...autism is on the rise. There is a real need for literature like this and the sensible approaches that Ms. Williams has written about here and in her other works. Autism does effect everybody on Planet Earth - whether or not you have autism, there is a 100% chance that you are related to someone who does or work with someone who does or just know somebody on the spectrum. Autism is an in-your-face condition that is all the more prominent due to the increase in statistics.Institutionalizing people creates a silent underclass. It appears to do no good and is not an effective method in "treating" autism. Autism is not a mental illness; it is a sensory neurobiological condition that affects sensory responses and language. I've beaten on the Different Drum for years to get that message across and Donnna Williams brilliantly accomplishes that in her books.Be sure to read this and buy some extra copies to give to others. We all need it.

I love all the work of Donna Williams. This one has been very helpful in explaining the scope of individuality of people on the autism spectrum. Donna Williams was perhaps the most articulate and insightful [for me] in depicting the sensory experiences of a person with autism. - Antony Morris

great