Ms. McQuillan shared this book with me with a fabulous review so I thought I'd give it a read. Most of you know that I used to teach adult-aged students with autism and/or cognitive impairments, so I've long been passionate about long-term results (read: consequences) of behaviors that are common to our students. I think it is really critical to think "long-term" when addressing behavior, communication, problem solving, etc. This book gives insight into thinking "long-term" in regards to addressing human sexuality in individuals with ASD. The Autism Spectrum, Sexuality and the Law: What every parent and professional needs to know is written by an individual on the autism spectrum (from Detroit actually) and addresses many important issues. The first is the development of sexuality in individuals with ASD. The second issue is how the social-emotional delays that are part of ASDs impact expression of sexuality. The third issue, and probably most terrifying to parents and professionals, is how the social and emotional delays of ASDs and the expression of sexuality can have significant implications, not only socially, but LEGALLY. This book, with chapters written by both of Nick Dubin's parents and input from experts in Autism Spectrum Disorders, human sexuality and psychology, is a must read for any parent of a child on the autism spectrum. Although it's a difficult topic, neglecting issues of human sexuality in individuals with ASD can have significant, life-long consequences, as Nick Dubin shares in this book.
--Ann Reece
--Ann Reece