Autism Uncensored
Pulling Back the Curtain
by Whitney Ellenby
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date Apr 15 2018 | Archive Date Apr 05 2018
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Description
"And when in the grips of a public tantrum, amidst the horror and humiliation of him shrieking and splayed out on the floor while strangers recoiled in shock, my mind lurched towards an inescapable truth--that I want out from this nightmare. I want out from this child."
So begins the turbulent ride of one parent's decision, crafted in despair and desperation, to abandon traditional interventions for her autistic son in favor of a "hands on" approach of repeatedly exposing her son to real-world settings. Autism Uncensored is an unrestricted portal into the mind of someone who had no intention of sacrificing her career or life for Autism, unaware of the many ways it would irreversibly redefine both. As she clarifies at the outset, "this is not the story of a miraculous breakthrough or recovery," Zack is still very much autistic and always will be. It is instead the true, real-time account of her decision to allow Zack to indulge in the very behaviors that formal therapies sought to extinguish, to disclose Zack's diagnosis in public settings, and to repeatedly expose him to real-world situations and override his tantrums regardless of public ridicule or scorn.
Autism Uncensored goes where no other book dares--revealing the private disgrace and self-blame about having a "defective" child; the near disintegration of marriage; the failure of the traditional behavioral interventions; and the mercenary way in which service providers prey on parents' desperation for a cure. It is a personal manifesto about how a socially integrated life is attainable regardless of whether a child overcomes the major limitations of Autism, sparking a new conversation which goes beyond simply accepting persons with Autism for who they are, but considers pushing them beyond their comfort zones to learn who they are capable of becoming. An unstoppable ride with jolting twists and turns, Autism Uncensored will leave you exhilarated, informed and still gasping for air.
A Note From the Publisher
Author is available for interviews, blog tours, autographed tours, autographed book giveaways, contests, and book club discussions.
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About the Author:
Whitney Ellenby is a former U.S. Department of Justice attorney whose writings have been published in The Washington Post, a law review periodical, and on the U.S. DOJ website. She is the proud parent of a son with Autism and founder of “Autism Ambassadors,” a venture through which she runs exclusive recreational events for over 700 families impacted by Autism in the DC/MD area. She is an expert on Autism and has testified before the Maryland Senate, is a member of the Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council for Montgomery County, MD and serves on the University of Maryland Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Board.
Ellenby’s expertise is steeped in her extensive disability law background, her personal experience with her own son, and over 10 years of serving children, teens and adults with Autism of all ages through her Ambassador events, which have been featured on local television, in The Washington Post and Bethesda Magazine. She has been honored with an "Autism Awareness Proclamation" and "Community Leader" award for her advocacy and dedication to the disability community of Maryland. She has what she describes as a "healthy obsession" with all things Autism.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781633934139 |
| PRICE | $19.95 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Kimberly B, Reviewer
This book gives an uncensored look into the life of a mother's dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of her son with autism.
First, let me say THANK YOU WHITNEY ELLENBY for writing this book. I work as a therapist providing play-based therapy to children on the autism spectrum. There are no tables in my work, no 40 hour a week minimums. Only floors and toys and the majority of the time, fun. Stimming is akin to breathing for those on the spectrum, so usually it is worked around, not stopped. I am so thankful that this book allows for a glimpse into the life of a parent dealing with a diagnosis and treatment.. I get an uncensored peek into lives similar on a daily basis, but I feel as though this book gives me a better perspective on how the families could be feeling and what they could be thinking, but do not feel comfortable divulging. I feel like this insight will allow me to better serve my families, but most importantly, my kiddos. This mother decided to take a real-world approach to helping her son function in his world, and I must applaud her.
Thank you for this uncensored glimpse into your life, as well as your sons. I loved this book! Thank you to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
Charles P, Bookseller
As a father of a daughter with autism, I found this title particularly refreshing in that there is no sugar coating the situation. These are the feelings we as parents all go through. Tremendous guilt and fear, but in the end acceptance and full of hope for the future. Excellent book.
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