The Complete Guide to Autism & Healthcare

Even a routine checkup can be a challenge for people with autism of any age. Building on her years of experience as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist who was diagnosed with autism in mid-life, Anita Lesko provides an invaluable act of two-way translation with this book: translating the world of medicine for autistic people and their families, and translating autistic experience for her fellow health-care professionals. Loaded with practical tips and new ways of thinking about familiar situations, this book is a must-read for parents, teachers, therapists, autistic people, and anyone on the front lines of health care.

— Steve Silberman, New York Times bestselling author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity

Anita Lesko has gifted the autism community with this important, groundbreaking work that will become the essential volume on health care issues and patient-centered care for autistic individuals. There is no one person who is more qualified to write this seminal work than Anita, who is a renowned autistic self-advocate and a nurse anesthetist with decades of experience in medical settings. Health care professionals, educators, parents and autistic individuals all need to have this book as a critical resource, and are so fortunate to have a compassionate professional with Anita’s expertise sharing her personal experiences, professional knowledge and practical advice. Thanks to Anita, autistic children and adults, and their families will now be able to navigate the maze of health care services with greater knowledge and confidence.

— Barry M. Prizant, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Adjunct Professor at Brown University
Director, Childhood Communication Services (Cranston, RI)

A first of its kind, Anita Lesko employs a life time of hard-earned insights as a person with autism on providing medical care for individuals with autism from intake, through examination, to treatment. With nearly 3 decades as a nurse anesthesiologist, Ms. Lesko’s detailed and step by step guide empowers doctors, nurses, others in allied fields, as well as parents and those on with autism to provide the best medical care possible. A must read for anyone who provides health care for individuals on the autism spectrum.

— Stephen M. Shore, EdD. Internationally renowned educator, author, consultant and presenter, person with autism

Anita Lesko combines her professional expertise as a certified registered nurse anesthetist with her personal experience as an autistic adult to offer those on healthcare teams an inside glimpse of strategies and supports to improve healthcare for individuals on the autism spectrum. Readers will benefit from her insights and guiding questions that frame topics such as
communication, adapting environments, and navigating the care pathway from admission to recovery for inpatient admissions. Anita’s easy to read style and approach to the topic make this book accessible for all involved in healthcare!

— Teal Benevides, PhD, MS, OTR/L
Associate Professor at Department of Occupational Therapy at Augusta University College of Allied Health Sciences

“Anita has identified a real need, and come up with real answers.”

— John Donvan and Caren Zucker, authors of In a Different Key: The Story of Autism, the Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times bestseller. Caren and John work for ABC World News and are News and Documentary Emmy Award Winners.