Autism and Girls

Dr. Tony Attwood is a practicing clinical psychologist with more than twenty-five years of experience. He has worked with over 2000 individuals of all ages with Asperger's syndrome. He presents workshops and runs training courses for parents, professionals, and individuals with AS all over the world, and is a prolific author of articles and books on the subject.Temple Grandin is an international lecturer on autism, a best-selling and award-winning author, an autism activist, a consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior, and an engineer. She also created the "hug box," a device designed to calm those on the autism spectrum. The subject of an award-winning, 2010 biographical film, Temple Grandin was also listed in the TIME 100 List of the one hundred most influential people in the world. Dr. Grandin is one of the most respected individuals with high-functioning autism in the world. She presents at conferences nationwide, helping thousands of parents and professionals understand how to help individuals with autism, Asperger's syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). She is the author of Emergence: Labeled Autistic, Thinking in Pictures, Animals in Translation, The Autistic Brain, and The Loving Push. One of the most celebrated -- and effective -- animal advocates on the planet, Dr. Grandin revolutionized animal movement systems and spearheaded reform of the quality of life for the world's agricultural animals. She earned her Ph.D. in animal science from the University of Illinois, and is a professor at Colorado State University. She lives in Colorado. Catherine Faherty works with children and adults with autism through the well-renowned TEACCH program in North Carolina. She is also a parent consultant and child therapist; consults to school programs; trains teachers and other professionals locally, nationally, and internationally; and runs social groups for children and adults with autism. She has written manuals used in TEACCH trainings, developed training models, and has written a workbook for children with autism and their parents and teachers, titled Asperger’s: What Does It Mean To Me? Catherine Faherty resides in Asheville, North Carolina. Sheila Wagner, M.Ed., received her undergraduate degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, and her graduate degree in Special Education from Georgia State University. Past experience in autism began at the Indiana Resource Center for Autism at Indiana University where she was an associate teacher, then demonstration teacher in the autism demonstration program and, later, an educational consultant to teachers and schools across the State of Indiana under the tutelage of Nancy Dalrymple, the first of many mentors. Currently, Ms. Wagner is an autism consultant, school consultant, teacher trainer, guest lecturer, and published author of numerous articles and books. Her books include Inclusive Programming for Elementary Students with Autism (1999), Inclusive Programming for Middle School Students with Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome (2001), Inclusive Programming for High School Students with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome, and Understanding Asperger’s: Fast Facts (2004). She also contributed a chapter to Asperger’s and Girls (2006). She received the Autism Society of America’s Literary Award for the book on inclusion in elementary schools, and was named the ASA’s (Greater Georgia Chapter) Professional of the Year in 2002. Ms. Wagner lives in the Atlanta, Georgia area with her husband and son. Lisa Iland is a presenter and consultant in the autism community, and a student of speech and language pathology. She is a contributing author of the award-winning book Asperger's and Girls, and is a regular contributor to the Autism Asperger Digest magazine as columnist of the Sib Talk newsbite. Lisa specializes in teen social skills, Asperger's Syndrome, and sibling issues. Mary Wrobel is a speech-language pathologist with more than twenty years of experience working with students who have autism and other disabilities. She wrote Taking Care of Myself to help teach students with disabilities the necessary information and skills they need to live safe, healthy lives as independently as they are physically and mentally capable of. Mary believes that by teaching these special young people self-care skills, we can instill personal safety and reduce confusion, fear, and the incidence of abuse. Teresa Bolick is a licensed psychologist with a special interest in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and other developmental disorders. Dr. Bolick graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in Psychology and now holds MA and Ph.D. degrees in psychology from Emory University. Dr. Bolick provides evaluation and treatment to children, adolescents, and their families. She consults frequently to schools in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. She is an enthusiastic speaker, presenting workshops for parents, paraprofessionals, and professionals across the nation. Jennifer McIlwee Myers, A woman with Asperger’s Syndrome, Jennifer is a terrific writer and presenter—funny, eloquent, and to the point. Growing up, her brother had autism, so ASD was a part of life in her household. But as she grew into an adult, she noticed more and more ASD characteristics in herself and was finally diagnosed with Asperger’s in 2002. She has taught herself many unique, innovative ways to navigate the world of “normal” people over her lifetime. In her intriguing and very entertaining presentation, she provides parents, educators, and others on the spectrum countless tips and ideas that can make their lives better immediately. An author and contributor to Asperger’s and Girls, Jennifer has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and currently lives in California with her husband Gary. Ruth Snyder is a self-advocate for autism. She has dedicated her life to public awareness and frequently lobbies for political freedom on behalf of people living with autism. She works hard to be a positive role model, speaking often at conferences and contributing to several publications. She lives in Illinois with her four great kids. Ruth wasn’t diagnosed with autism until her children came along, two of whom are on the spectrum as well. Ruth is currently an RN and is working on her Bachelor’s degree. She plans to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologist is interested in pursuing neuroscience.

Foreword: Jennifer McIlwee Myers
Chapter 1: The Pattern of Abilities and Development of Girls with Asperger’s Syndrome [Tony Attwood, Ph.D.]
Chapter 2: Asperger’s Syndrome in Women: A Different Set of Challenges? [Catherine Faherty]
Chapter 3: Educating the Female Student with Asperger’s [Sheila Wagner, M.Ed.]
Chapter 4: Girl to Girl: Advice on Friendship, Bullying, and Fitting In [Lisa Iland]
Chapter 5: Preparing for Puberty and Beyond [Mary Wrobel, MA, CSS/SLP]
Chapter 6: The Launch: Negotiating the Transition from High School to the Great Beyond [Teresa Bolick, Ph.D.]
Chapter 7: Aspie Do’s and Don’t’s: Dating, Relationships, and Marriage [Jennifer McIlwee Myers]
Chapter 8: Maternal Instincts in Asperger’s Syndrom [Ruth Snyder]
Chapter 9: For Me, a Good Career Gave Life Meaning [Temple Grandin, Ph.D.]