Growing in to Autism

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There are some bits I couldn't relate to as I also have ADHD, however this book was a good read and a great resource for other late diagnosed autistic women, and those around them. It is also packed full of useful information including facts and suggestions to help make the lives of Autistic people easier. I think there will be a lot of people who feel way more confident seeking assessment as a result of reading it.

Amaze spoke to Sandra about the themes that inspired the book, what she learnt about herself whilst writing the book, her relationship with masking and more. I think I would have been much kinder to myself if I had understood that many of my differences and challenges were due to my neurotype and not due to some fundamental character flaw or to not trying hard enough or being good enough.As such, the book is easy to read, while being packed with facts, and footnotes for more information. After much encouragement from my family, I decided to broach the subject of my own autism with my younger son’s psychologist – the practice principal, with whom we had spent a great many hours. It celebrates the uniqueness of the person and provides for us a vehicle for understanding the other.

was a beautifully written, heartfelt and unprejudiced autobiography as well as exposition full of sincere and unembellished analysis and personal chronicling about Professor Sandra's late Autism diagnosis. What if autism wasn’t the explanation for my difference and challenges, and I was just a flawed neurotypical? The things about me that I was ashamed of and tried to hide from the world were just normal parts of being autistic, not character flaws unique to me. I loved this book - intriguing, informative, entertaining, poignant, deeply romantic - I couldn’t put it down.

There were so many moments that I wished I had bought this book instead of borrowing it from the library as the author articulated my experience in ways I have been struggling to, from experiences at school to early days of parenting.