Ido in Autismland opens a window into
non-verbal autism through dozens of short,
autobiographical essays each offering new insights into
autism symptoms, effective and ineffective treatments
and the inner emotional life of a severely autistic boy.
In his pithy essays, author Ido Kedar, a brilliant
sixteen year old with autism, challenges what he
believes are misconceptions in many theories that
dominate autism treatment today while he simultaneously
chronicles his personal growth in his struggles to
overcome his limitations.
Ido spent the first half
of his life locked internally, in silence, trapped in a
remedial educational system that presumed he lacked the
most basic comprehension, and unable to show the world
that he understood everything. But at the age of seven,
Ido was finally able to show that he had an intact mind
and could understand. This led to the quest to find a
system of communication that he could use despite his
impaired motor control. Through the use of a letter
board, and now an iPad, Ido has triumphed
communicatively, enabling him to flourish in a regular
high school in all general education classes.
But
Ido has a larger goal. He does not want to be seen as an
isolated autistic exception with miraculously advanced
cognitive and communication abilities. He wants people
to see that thousands of other severely autistic
individuals have the same capacity, but remain trapped
and locked-in, as he was, unable to show their true
capacities. These individuals desperately need new
theories and new methods to help them break free too. Of
importance to neuro-researchers, educators,
psychologists, doctors, parents, friends, family and
people with autism,
Ido in Autismland will change
our collective understanding of severe autism.
PRAISE FOR Ido in
Autismland
"There are
doubtless many Idos in this world, unable to speak, yet
possessing good intellectual ability and, most
certainly, a rich emotional life. And yet, precisely
because they cannot communicate, nonverbal individuals
with autism are nearly always consigned to the junk heap
of mental deficiency, branded as incapable of
understanding language or even having feelings… We need
to help change things for this terribly neglected group…
Reading Ido's book is a good beginning." -
Portia Iversen, Co-founder, Cure Autism Now and the
Autism Genetic Resource Exchange Gene Bank. Author of
Strange Son "Ido is a brilliant
communicator. His words bring us inside the world of
autism. His gift of writing enlightens, inspires,
educates. Every person who loves or works with someone
with autism - educator, therapist, karent, grandparent,
neighbor - should read Ido in Autismland." -
Elaine Hall, Author of Now I See the Moon, co-author of
Seven Keys to Unlock Autism. Featured in
Autism: The Musical "Ido's book touches any heart,
not only because it is well written, but because it
reveals a mind that has learned how to speak to the
world through spelling every word on a letter board and
keyboard. His book is indeed a great gift to the world.
Thank you, Ido." - Soma Mukhopadhyay,
Executive Director of Education, HALO, Author of
Understanding Autism through Rapid Prompting
Method