Rethinking Autism With Dolto

Rethinking Autism with Dolto takes up a principal legacy of Françoise Dolto’s immense project—her conviction that autism is a regression to the archaic. Dolto theorizes that the infant in utero, deep in dreams, is receptive to the audition of “phonemes” during the pre-conscious “archaic stage” of psychosexual maturation. That dream-work on words—an idiosyncratic prehistory at the onset of mental and emotional life—secures the unconscious circulation of affect and the ontogeny of thought long prior to speech, seeding associative thinking and facilitating self-regulation. Kathleen Saint-Onge uses the written work of four nonverbal autistic authors in seeking corroboration for Dolto’s formulations, finding thoughtful self-reflections that relate the experience of living in silence with relentless anxiety while relying on regression as a defence. Dolto’s unprecedented insights into the infant’s earliest learning carry formidable implications for autism interventions, and for primary language and literacy. At issue is an enduring susceptibility to archaic echoes—the haphazard, securing return of pre-invested phonemes—in communicative exchanges, including reading and writing. Rethinking Autism with Dolto considers unconscious processes as inherently reparative, heralding the responsibility education holds for human health, and supports a rethinking of autism that presumes competence. Readers are invited to new conversations in psychoanalysis, child development, education and linguistics through an exploration of the unconscious concomitants of first language acquisition.

The media, scientific researchers, and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual all refer to "autism" as if it were a single disorder or a single disorder over a spectrum. However, autism is unlike any single disorder in a variety of ways. No single brain deficit is found to cause it, no single drug is found to affect it, and no single cause or cure has been found despite tremendous research efforts to find same. Rethinking Autism reviews the scientific research on causes, symptomology, course, and treatment done to date...and draws the potentially shocking conclusion that "autism" does not exist as a single disorder. The conglomeration of symptoms exists, but like fever, those symptoms aren’t a disease in themselves, but rather a result of some other cause(s). Only by ceasing to think of autism as a single disorder can we ever advance research to more accurately parse why these symptoms occur and what the different and varied causes may be. Autism is a massive worldwide problem with increasing prevalence rates, now thought to be as high as 1 in 38 children (Korea) and 1 in 100 children (CDC- US) Autism is the 3rd most common developmental disability; 400,000 people in the United States alone have autism Autism affects the entire brain, including communication, social behavior, and reasoning and is lifelong There is no known cause and no cure Funding for autism research quadrupled from 1995 to 2000 up to $45 million, and the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee has recommended $1 billion funding from 2010-2015

To help clients with autism think differently about their future, practitioners need to think differently about autism... Solution-focused practice is founded on a firm belief that the full potential of every human being can be realized. This concise, pragmatic guide explains how the practice can be effectively adapted to help clients on the autism spectrum find solutions to their problems, by addressing autism not as a disability but as a different way of thinking. The first section is a helpful introduction to how solution-focused practitioners can gain an understanding of autism by viewing it from a 'different culture' perspective; the second part offers handy rules and tips for applying knowledge respectfully and creating successful conversations with clients. People with autism often feel let down by social support services. This forward-thinking book is a vital resource for helping clients feel welcome and empowered in helping settings and beyond.

This psychobiographical study of the renowned French pediatrician and psychoanalyst Françoise Dolto introduces both her theories of child development and her unique insights into language and identity. A friend of Jacques Lacan’s, Dolto believed that we are all humanized through language, and that the words we use carry unconscious traces of our early histories of love, suffering and desire. Suggesting that infants unconsciously symbolize and that a continuous circulation of unconscious affects—the transference—prevails in all language-based relations, her findings challenge assumptions about autism, autobiography, linguistics, literacy, pedagogy and therapy. Dolto’s own corpus—a rich archive blending the personal and professional—demonstrates this, with echoes between Dolto’s constructs about the child and her own challenging childhood. This fascinating book will not only introduce the work of Françoise Dolto to many readers, but will be a valuable resource for all psychoanalytic researchers and theorists interested in childhood, language and identity.

This book provides an innovative, easy-to-follow curriculum for teaching children with autism spectrum disorders to relate to and interact with others successfully by developing basic Theory of Mind skills. Containing twelve lesson plans and 220 cut-out-and-keep cards, it is an essential resource for teachers and other education professionals.

Exploring the relationship between ASD and mental health difficulties, this book offers practical guidance to help parents and professionals recognise and handle co-morbid conditions, and dispels the myth that they are just a part of autism. The authors cover a wide range of common mental health problems experienced by children with ASD, including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), anxiety, ADHD, eating disorders, psychosis, stress, tics and depression, and illustrate these issues with case studies. They also provide vital advice in an accessible format and suggest strategies to ease the difficulties which arise from these co-morbid conditions. This book is essential reading for professionals working with children on the autism spectrum and is an accessible and practical resource for parents and carers.

Life with Asperger's Syndrome can be a challenge at the best of times, and trials and tribulations that neurotypicals take in their stride can leave Aspies perplexed and unsure of how best to solve problems and keep themselves safe, both physically and emotionally. This book explores difficulties that those with AS may face, and suggests practical and helpful ways of overcoming them. Liane Holliday Willey's positive and encouraging advice teaches people with Asperger Syndrome how to appreciate their differences and work from their strengths, by being honest about and coping with challenges. By setting realistic expectations, she shows how it can be possible to live on your own and take care of yourself, touching upon everything from banking and housing to roommates, friendships, and relationships. Jobs and the workplace are explored as advice is given on interviewing, performance, and getting along with colleagues, and the importance of setting boundaries is explained. The focus throughout is on keeping yourself safe, and this extends to travel, cultural awareness, and generally organising yourself. Personal hygiene and the body are also covered, along with nutrition and illness. The advice all adds up to show that people with AS can safeguard themselves from emotional and physical harm and live happy and independent lives, as long as the right guidance is available. This book will be of interest to people with Asperger Syndrome, their friends and families, and professionals working alongside ASDs.

Based on academic research, experiences as a counselor specializing in this area and personal relationship experiences, the author uses quotations and real-life examples to illustrate her points with a compassionate understanding. Practical everyday topics include living and coping with AS, anger and AS, getting the message across, sex and AS, parenting, staying together, and "AS cannot be blamed for everything."