Part of the Reading Well scheme. 35 books selected by young people and health professionals to provide 13 to 18 year olds with high-quality support, information and advice about common mental health issues and related conditions. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a potentially life-long debilitating disorder, which often emerges during teenage years and affects as many as 1 in every 50 people. Young people living with OCD experience recurrent obsessions or compulsions that are distressing and interfere with their social lives, relationships, educational functioning and careers. Written by leading experts on OCD, this step-by-step guide is written for adolescents with OCD and their families, to be used in home treatment or as a self-help book. Using the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which is the proven method for helping those with OCD, it offers teenagers a structured plan of treatment which can be read alone, or with a parent, counsellor or mental health worker. The guide provides useful advice and worksheets throughout. This self-help book for young people is an invaluable resource for adolescents who have suffered from, or know someone who has suffered from, OCD, their families, teachers, carers, and mental health professionals.
[A] valuable addition to the literature on chronic paediatric illness… The book provides an in depth understanding of the path through chronic illness, illustrating the obvious effects on the child, but also the parents, siblings and the family as a whole across the spectrum from the psychological and social to the physical… There is much to be learnt from this book and it deserves careful reading.' – from the Foreword by Hilton Davis, Emeritus Professor of Child Health Psychology, King's College London Parents of children with chronic illnesses experience 'extreme parenting'. Parenting under extreme circumstances, like an extreme sport, challenges us to find our true strengths, to push ourselves physically and emotionally. This book is a guide and a source of support for parents of children with long-term illnesses. Sharon Dempsey argues that by helping parents to cope with their child's condition we are ultimately helping the child, and that parents are better able to live a full, enjoyable life if they have an awareness of strategies and knowledge to cope with the difficulties of dealing with their child with a chronic illness. The guide is packed with practical advice, models of exploration and lists of action points, and will empower parents to be good advocates for their children. It will also provide health professionals with invaluable insights into the demands of living with chronic illness.
Aimed at students and practitioners involved in supporting such children, and designed to give them an insight into what it means to raise a child with such multiple needs.' – Current Awareness Service 'This book draws on the experiences of a number of families to provide a valuable and deeply moving insight into what it means to raise a child with complex needs. It highlights both the joys and the challenges that families face. In doing so it raises important issues about how services in the UK are currently responding to children with complex needs and their families as well as pervasive disablist attitudes within society. This book will provide students and practitioners from a range of disciplines with a valuable window into families' lives and challenge them to reflect on how they are supporting them.' – Sue Kirk, University of Manchester, UK. Focusing on the real life experiences of children and their families, this book provides valuable insight into living with complex and continuing health needs. The author highlights the importance of seeing each child as an individual, with the same rights and needs as any other person, rather than defining them by their health condition. The book includes case studies to illustrate the experiences of children, parents, siblings and extended families, as well as professionals in health and social care. These personal accounts discuss both the challenges and the rewards associated with looking after a child with complex needs. The author also provides an overview of the support which is available in healthcare and education systems and makes recommendations for the future. Anyone who is responsible for supporting children with complex and continuing health needs will benefit from reading this book.
This easy-to-read guide offers a complete overview of Nonverbal Learning Disabilities (NLDs) and the wide variety of symptoms that different types of NLD present. Maggie Mamen enables readers to select the most relevant strategies for coping with and managing their particular symptoms. She provides a wealth of practical advice on key skills such as developing written and verbal communication, understanding social clues, managing behaviour, self-regulation and improving organization. She also covers relevant teaching methods for the classroom. This practical and accessible introduction is an essential guide for those families and professionals working with children and adults with NLDs.
Huntington's Disease (HD) is a hereditary illness passed on via a defective gene. There is a fifty per cent chance of inheriting it from a parent and there is yet no cure. Learning to Live with Huntington's Disease is one family's poignant story of coping with the symptoms, the diagnosis and the effects of HD. This book presents the struggles and strengths of the whole family when one member loses their future to a terminal illness. Told by the sufferer and other significant family members, the individuals describe the burden of watching yourself and others for symptoms of HD, including involuntary movements, depression, clumsiness, weight loss, slurred speech and sometimes violent tendencies. The family recounts the challenge to remain united and describes how they approached issues such as whether or not to be tested for HD, how much information to disclose to relatives, whether to have children or not and guilt if one sibling inherits the illness and one does not. Both honest and positive, the author stresses the importance of re-inventing yourself and your present, prioritising relationships and retaining a sense of humour.
Emetophobia, the extreme fear of vomiting, can affect just about every aspect of sufferer's life, from everyday considerations (`what food will be 'safe' for me to eat?') to matters that involve making huge, potentially devastating decisions (`I can't have this baby, I can't face morning sickness'). Nicolette Heaton-Harris has first-hand experience of the phobia and its effects. She suggests strategies for coping with the high levels of anxiety that are intrinsic to the phobia, as well as pre-empting and avoiding anxiety attacks. The experiences of fellow sufferers of all ages, male and female, are shared throughout the book and a list of useful organisations providing further information and support services is also included. Living with Emetophobia is a must-have for anyone suffering from emetophobia, anyone living with an emetophobic as well as professionals treating or supporting people with emetophobia.
Communication is one of the biggest challenges faced by people with Asperger's Syndrome (AS), yet an Asperger marriage requires communication more than any other relationship. Thousands of people live in Asperger marriages without knowing the answers to important questions such as `What behaviours indicate that my spouse has AS?' `Is it worthwhile to get a diagnosis?' `Is there hope for improvement?' Katrin Bentley has been married for 18 years. Since receiving her husband's diagnosis of AS, their marriage has improved substantially. They learnt to accept each other's different approaches to life and found ways to overcome problems and misunderstandings. Today they are happily married and able to communicate effectively. Alone Together shares the struggle of one couple to rescue their marriage. It is uplifting and humorous, and includes plenty of tips to making an Asperger marriage succeed. This book offers couples hope, encouragement and strategies for their own marriages.
Fathers of disabled children can feel overlooked when the focus of much parenting support is aimed at mothers. Different Dads is a collection of inspiring personal testimonies written by fathers of children with a disability who reflect on their own experiences and offer advice to other fathers and families on the challenges of raising a child with a disability. The fathers featured represent a broad spectrum of experience. Their contributions reflect a wide range of cultures; some are single fathers, others are married adoptive fathers. What they all have in common are the challenges that face them and their families in raising a child with a disability. Issues explored include the reactions of family, friends and colleagues, how to deal with the organisations and professionals that support families with a disabled child, and the difficulty of being open about feelings in a culture that doesn't always expect men to have a sensitive or nurturing role. Offering direct and thoughtful perspectives on being a father of a child with a disability, this book will be a valuable source of support and information for families with disabled children, and also for health and social care professionals who work with these families.
Ann Boushéy's teenage son Jon was diagnosed with high-functioning autism in kindergarten. Having mastered the day-to-day challenges that parenting a young child with autism or Asperger's Syndrome pose, Talking Teenagers considers questions surrounding parenting across the spectrum during the teenage years. Written out of her own experience, this inspirational book provides the information that will encourage other parents with teens on the autism spectrum. Covering everyday topics, from what to take on vacation and dealing with anger, to sex education and planning for the parents' own demise, Ann ends each chapter with thoughtful vignettes: «Chicken Nuggets for the Soul». After reading this book, parents will come away with a sense of empowerment and feeling that they are not alone, while professionals will gain a valuable and compassionate insight into the world of parenting a teenager on the autism spectrum.
Spiritual Growth and Care in the Fourth Age of Life explores the spiritual dimension of ageing and investigates the role of pastoral and spiritual care in helping the frail elderly cope with end-of-life issues. Focusing on the experience of nursing home residents and anecdotes gathered in interviews, MacKinlay sensitively presents the struggles facing older people in need of care, such as loss of independence and privacy. Her findings show that despite ill health, loneliness and depression, older people near the end of their lives find meaning and support in (re)discovering their spirituality, and that this is not just the experience of those in care facilities, but of older people more generally. The book includes a useful chapter on spiritual assessment, providing carers with information on how to recognise the need for care. This book will be of interest to nurses, care workers, pastoral support professionals and anyone else working with older people.