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zette
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23 Sep 2012, 8:48 am

I've seen the book All cats have Aspergers recommended several times. Can someone tell me if it discusses any of the negative aspects like meltdowns and not fitting in, or is it just all positive? For my son, I feel we need something that acknowledges the negatives.



lostonearth35
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23 Sep 2012, 10:46 am

I've never even heard of the book until now. I don't know if it is anti- or pro-cat, but maybe it explains why I like cats so much. :)
I have a cat, however, who does not fit the " cold aloofness" stereotype of cats and the "hates physical contact" of aspie humans, he LOVES attention and being petted and cuddled. He's the sweetest, friendliest cat I have ever known. :heart: And that's a really good thing considering he was cruelly abandoned in a parking lot in the dead of winter when he was still a kitten. Cats have different personalities, just like people do. :cat:



SpiritBlooms
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23 Sep 2012, 11:00 am

Oh, it's a children's book.

I was also drawn to the thread title out of a love of cats. All cats may have Aspergers, but I have one out of my current four who seems especially Aspie to me - out of all the cats I've had in my life. She has never liked laps or to be touched very much, even as a kitten, and won't let me comb her at all. She has relationship problems with the other cats too.



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23 Sep 2012, 11:15 am

I ordered and got the book......
It has pictures of a cat or kitten on every page....explaining to a youngster the different caracteristics of AS....like they dont like being touched.....they like being alone some time....they like to eat the same food every day, ect.
Beautiful pics.....it explains the typical stereo type diagnostic behaviour traids that cats and Aspies might have in comman.
Nothing on meltdowns...
Dont think my son really made the connection between him, AS and the cat! He loved the pics!
I think its a good book to use to help friends and family understand AS better, without letting the Aspie feel as if there is "something wrong " with him.....
You can look inside the book on amazon.com


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daydreamer84
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23 Sep 2012, 11:29 am

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrBbjEGEfW0[/youtube]

Here...you can preview the whole book for free....read by a kid with Asperger's. :)



BuyerBeware
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25 Sep 2012, 10:26 am

My husband bought it for me because I was really, really, really down on myself and our son.

It's just cute, not really informational.

It's something you give to your mother-in-law to get her used to the idea that there is something "off" about her grandbaby but it's OK. That's what I'm doing with my copy.

It's something you give a special ed teacher or medical professional or relative or something that's completely flipping out about this tragic, debilitatiing condition. :roll: 8O

Look into Jennifer Myer's stuff if you want something actually informational. She doesn't have any kids. But she is an Aspie with a really terriffic attitude.


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13 Dec 2012, 2:02 pm

I´ve read some parts of the book and if I had kids with AS, I would not hesitate to buy it for them.


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ASDMommyASDKid
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13 Dec 2012, 4:20 pm

I have seen it at the library. It is something I would have considered except not all of it applies to my son (He is very affectionate) and I would be afraid it would confuse him. He does not do well with inconsistencies.

It is really cute, though, especially if you like cats.



Eureka-C
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13 Dec 2012, 8:55 pm

My son, age 11, read it again the other day and said "except for that one page that's not really like me, it does a really good job explaining me."

He was referring to the page about not liking being held.


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momsparky
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17 Dec 2012, 7:21 pm

There's a newer one "Asperger's from the Inside Out" by the same author - it doesn't really go into the negatives persay, but there is some discussion of why certain behaviors happen and that they might be challenging.



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19 Dec 2012, 6:22 pm

Quote:
I have seen it at the library. It is something I would have considered except not all of it applies to my son (He is very affectionate) and I would be afraid it would confuse him. He does not do well with inconsistencies.


I have problems myself. I do not believe that inconsistencies or contradictions exist in nature. An entity can't be a cat or a non-cat at the same time in the same instance.

If I see an inconsistency I check the assumptions that they're based upon. Some of them may be fallacious or erroneous. It could be that I'm missing an assumption or I'm interpreting an assumption wrong. It could be the other person is inaccurate. One thing that could help your son is critical thinking especially learning how to construct and dissect arguments.



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27 Dec 2012, 5:46 pm

I have seen it recommended, so I bought it, waited weeks for it to be delivered, just got it and read it in less than five minutes. It is not informative, not a text book, not a true story..... its just cutesy quotes and pictures of cats, nice but not of any help whatsoever! My daughter is not old enough to appreciate it yet but it will be nice for her to look at one day.

Im assuming that goes for "All dogs have ADHD" too. More of a pretty accessory for the coffee table than an informative book, but nice for my collection I spose :)



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27 Dec 2012, 6:27 pm

The book isn't intended to be a self-help or parenting book; it is merely a discussion of what some Asperger's symptoms look like in real life with a metaphor that frames the discussion in a positive way. You are right, it is by no means in depth; I think it is intended to be a brief introduction and a broad overview.

It's helpful to people who don't know anything about Asperger's and autism and who may have ideas based on TV shows and movies. I found it a valuable tool to introduce my son to his diagnosis, and he used it in turn to explain to his classroom.

If you are looking for something more comprehensive, I found the Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome to be very helpful. I also found Look Me In The Eye and Be Different to be helpful, comprehensive books written from the perspective of a person with Asperger's syndrome (although my son is very, very different from John Elder Robeson.)