FEAT of Oregon-Parent Stories

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Why Stories of FEAT-of-Oregon Families' Experiences with Autism?

In our opinion, the best story of a family's triumph over autism is Catherine Maurice's "Let Me Hear Your Voice". If you have a child with autism, and you have not read this book, stop surfing the Internet immediately and get a copy of "Let Me Hear Your Voice". It is published by Fawcett Columbine, ISBN 0-449-90664-7.

So, given that Catherine Maurice has already written this wonderful book, why are we bothering you with these stories? Wonderful though this book is, and I speak as the parent who drew much comfort and strength from it, it nonetheless has a few small problems:

Catherine Maurice is, by almost any measure, an exceptional human being. She has a doctorate, recovered not one, but two, children with autism, wrote an excellent book on her experiences, and is in constant demand as a speaker. Parents of children with autism need to know that a fighting chance for recovery is possible for the rest of us.
You do not need to read too far into Catherine Maurice's book to begin to understand that the Maurices' do not lack for money. Parents of children with autism need to know that a fighting chance for recovery is within reach of those of us who are less affluent.
Catherine Maurice lives in an area of the East Coast that has many very strong schools for children with autism. Parents of children with autism need to know that there are resources right here in the Pacific Northwest that can help them to give their child a fighting chance for recovery.
Catherine Maurice's head therapist was Bridget Taylor, who is herself an exceptional person and professional. Dr. Taylor went on to found her own school for children with autism. Parents of children with autism need to know that there are therapists right here in the Pacific Northwest who have helped recover several children with autism. There are nowhere near enough of them, but that seems to be true the world over.

So you still need to read "Let Me Hear Your Voice". Catherine Maurice is a very talented and gripping writer. Her book helped me to get through some difficult periods of my own son's treatment program, and I firmly believe that it will help you, too.

However, we also provide these stories of local families' experiences with autism. Some, like Catherine Maurice's story, are tales of total triumph over autism. Others have less happy endings. But even the stories with less happy endings have endings that are much more happy than their beginnings. And all these stories show that autism can be treated.