Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD has more than one pathway in the brain. Early interventions by qualified professionals give the most hope in treating this lifelong disorder. Doctor of Psychology, Karina Poirier, skillfully reaches out to her audience in Unlocking The Social Potential In Autism And Related Disorders. Dr. Poirier demystifies autism by describing it in detail with a human and compassionate approach. Autism affects social interaction and habits. Withdrawal or repetitive actions may be a coping strategy for an autistic person who feels overwhelmed and confused. For most of us, we know basically what to expect at a birthday party, a school assembly, or a family gathering. Our cues and expectations come from our mind and its development.

Karina Poirier takes us on a tour of current medical and behavioral understanding of ASD. But she also presents new and innovative ideas that may be proven in future research. There is still controversy about the root causes of the disorder and the exploding number of new cases. The foreword by a mother of 2 autistic children immediately humanizes the book. Unlocking The Social Potential In Autism And Related Disorders takes on a huge issue and boils it down to help these fascinating individuals. The story of this disorder doesn't get lost in the weeds of medical jargon. The colorful illustrations and practical exercises tell the story of how the mind can connect ideas. Maturing with all the pride of independence is in reach for many with autism.

This interesting book about autism, Unlocking Social Potential in Autism, is a great eye-opener for those who are involved with someone with this problem and for those of us that like to be informed. According to Karina Poirier, Doctor of Psychology, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, autism is a developmental disorder, meaning that it begins in the womb and progresses from there, sometimes not showing up until the child reaches a certain level of physical development.

The book is divided into four sections to make it a well rounded book for any reader:
Section 1 « Autism Demystified
Section 2 « Understanding the importance of cognition, social, emotional, play & story telling skills
Section 3 « Teaching And Learning Approach
Section 4 « Poirier Developmental curriculum

According to parents of autistic children, not all doctors work with all the implications of autism. Some work with the sounds, while others with the social implications, but you need a doctor that will work with all the symptoms for well rounded, better results.

I found this book very interesting and a well-researched subject that was easy to understand. I recommend it to all people, for we know not when this puzzling dilemma might touch our own family to the very heart. It is an excellent source for family, teachers, and friends of those who are affected by this problem. The author has done a great job on a subject that is most puzzling for many people, even those in the medical field. You will really like the great source of help found in this book and the way Poirier teaches you how to do something about it.

Unlocking Social Potential in Autism by Karina Poirier talks about what you will go through when the news comes from the doctors that your child has autism. You will feel so many emotions at once: denial, confusion, depression, even guilt, and all you want to do is fix your child. Karina Poirier offers her insight and expertise as a doctor in this book that will help all parents deal with all of the questions that come up with a diagnosis like autism. How autism affects each area of development and how best to use problem-solving tools to make things better for yourself and your child.

I am always working on learning more about autism and how I can help my very good friend in handling her daughter who has been diagnosed with it. Many of the books I have read are a bit generic and offer the same information you can find by just Googling it. However, Karina Poirier has taken a new approach and given me information I did not know before. For me, the best part of this book was the fact that the language is easy to understand and comes across in a way that any parent will understand; and yet it is very informative so you can see the expertise behind it. This book really does help to handle the fear that parents experience when they are told their child has autism Parents will realize that the child is not 'broken,' just different and there are ways to handle it that help everyone. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a child, or a friend who has a child, with autism.

In Dr. Karina Poirier's Unlocking Social Potential in Autism, many parents will find answers for questions on autism. The book is a helpful guide for those parents and teachers who are dealing with autistic children at the work place and home. There many questions that crowd your mind while handling an autistic child. Dr. Poirier takes the readers on a very simple journey that explains about autism in detail and how it affects the development and growth of a child. The sample lessons for teaching skills, problem solving, and decision making are very useful to the parents of autistic children.

The author has covered the topic extensively. Her experience in dealing with autistic children is evident from the book. The modern understanding of autism and how to treat it is well defined. Each patient will have a different treatment plan, depending on the intensity of the disorder. The author has used plain and simple language so that it is very easy for readers to understand. The book also defines the importance of understanding the social, emotion, and play skills while handling autistic children. A healthy social and emotional development contribute to a child's growth.

I found the sample lessons for teaching very useful and pragmatic. The illustrations used in explaining them make it effective. All the reflection exercises after each plan and the exercises to evaluate and monitor all the plans given at the end of the book are very thoughtful and can be tried out.