Life at the Edge and Beyond: Living with ADHD and Asperger Syndrome *review*

Life at the Edge and Beyond

Living with ADHD and Asperger Syndrome

Jan Greenman

-information taken from the Jessica Kingsley Publishers website

Parenting a child with Asperger's syndrome is never easy, and adding ADHD to the psychological mix makes life even more difficult. In this searingly honest account of bringing up her son, Luke, Jan Greenman challenges common perceptions of a 'life with labels', and recalls her family's 18 year journey to the edge and back.
Writing frankly about the medical issues of Luke's early years, including the impact of MMR and Ritalin, Jan recalls how Luke's diagnoses came about, and how life at The Edge, their aptly named family home, changed as a result. She describes the causes and effects of the behaviours associated with Luke's conditions, and the impact they had on each family member, including his younger sister, Abbi. The only predictable thing about Luke is his unpredictability, and Jan also takes a light-hearted look at some of his more unusual habits and obsessions. The book includes tips and advice from Jan, Abbi, and Luke himself, and the final chapters go beyond Luke's early years to look at his life as a teenager - his solo trip to Dubai, and subsequent encounter with customs, his expulsion from school, and the inspirational Headteacher who helped him to turn his life around.
Life at the Edge and Beyond is a must for anyone involved in bringing up a child with Asperger's syndrome, ADHD - or both. Parents will take from the family's successes, learn from their mistakes, and realize that, no matter how close to the edge they may feel, they are never alone.


MY REVIEW

My son Aiden has Asperger's syndrome and ADHD so this book was pretty much written for me! I found it fascinating to read about Luke and his family. I found the insights from Luke himself especially helpful. The book is very easy to read. It is almost like you are sitting in a room with the author and she is telling you about her life. It is always encouraging to know you are not alone. The author's honesty was incredibly refreshing.

If you have a child on the spectrum- or you want to know how to support someone who does- than this is an excellent book to read. I am happy to recommend Life at the Edge and Beyond.


 Thanks so much to Jessica Kingsley Publishers for sending me a review copy of this book.