Eating an Artichoke: A Mother’s Perspective on Asperger Syndrome

In November 1991, Echo Fling was told by her son’s teacher, at the schools’ parents’ evening, that his behaviour in class was not normal . After two years at school, Jimmy had failed to make any friends, and recently had started to act aggressively towards his classmates and react violently to any changes in his routine. Echo was not taken completely by surprise: she had suspected for some time that her son was different to other children. For the next five years, she and her husband accompanied Jimmy to more than a dozen doctors, medical specialists, learning consultants and psychologists. finally, at the age of ten years old, Jimmy was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. Written in the first person, this volume tells Jimmy’s story from his mother’s viewpoint. as well as charting Jimmy’s development from infancy to pre-adolescence, Echo provides practical advice for parents of children with Asperger’s syndrome evolved from her own experience and gleaned from conferences she attended. She describes the diagnostic criteria and provides information on resources and support groups. This is the book that she needed when she first set out to have Jimmy diagnosed, and it will enable parents and teachers to understand and help other children with Asperger’s syndrome.