The most valuable insights into human behavior and thought come from individuals brave enough to tell their own tale. In Diagnosis Asparagus, we are fortunate to hear two voices sharing their reaction to finding out young Eva Penrose has Asperger's syndrome (AS)... The first voice is Cathie O'Halloran, who shares both her objective perceptions as a speech and language therapist and her subjective feelings as the mother of her co-author, young Eva…Eva's very insightful thoughts follow her mother's prose at the end of each chapter, with smart and well-articulated observations that are incredibly perceptive and wholly honest…Cathie and Eva have shared their world beautifully, and in so doing, they have paved the way and padded the comfort zone for Asparagus people everywhere.
Liane Holliday Willey, author of Pretending to be Normal: Living with Asperger's Syndrome, Safety Skills for Asperger Women, Asperger Syndrome in the Family, and Asperger Syndrome in Adolescence (ed) Diagnosis Asparagus is a window into the life of one family, their path to seeking an ASD diagnosis for daughter Eva, and the bearing that has on her teenage years. I am asked often whether I think a child should be told about their diagnosis, and know many parents are concerned about seeking a diagnosis. This friendly, informal book is a great place for them to start. Young people on the spectrum will also get a lot out of reading a book about another young person. Cathie, as a speech and language therapist, has knowledge and skills which are incredibly well put to use in this book for explaining the diagnostic criteria (both old and new) and what they look like in everyday life.
Robyn Steward, consultant, trainer and author of The Independent Woman's Handbook for Super Safe Living on the Autistic Spectrum Written by a mother reflecting on her daughter, Eva's, diagnosis of ASD, it is a narrative interspersed with psychological information and anecdotal insights by both Eva and her mother Cathie, a speech & language therapist. It is a short and relatively easy read but does impart important messages especially from Eva's point of view. It aims to explain the nuances of engaging successfully in school and home life from a non-neurotypical point of view... I enjoyed this book immensely and will be recommending it to parents of children with a recent 'Diagnosis Asparagus' and would suggest that teachers with an interest in understanding school from a non-neurotypical point of view would benefit from reading it.
Emma Paramor, Executive Headteacher
SEBDA