Book Review: Saving Ben

I recently was sent Saving Ben by it's author, Dan E. Burns, to review.

Saving Ben chronicles his son's diagnosis of Autism at age 3 and subsequent treatment for it. His son Ben is now 21 years old and per the author, still a "work in progress".

When Ben was diagnosed Autism was still a scary term. The general public did not understand it, doctors did not test early for it, nor where they capable of offering real advice to parents. Dan was told to " Take him home, love him and save your money for his institutionalization when he turns 21".

Dan's struggle to understand himself, his failed marriage, his wife's psychological issues was compounded by the constant obstacles he came upon when trying to find treatment and help for his son. He was met with bureacracy and lack of hope at every turn. Hhe was failed by the school system that was supposed to help him, by doctors who didnt understand Autism and for a time by his own family.

Then it all begain to turn around with he "let go and let Abba (God)". Progress began and Dan found school teachers who could/would use his system and saw his son learn. When he sought doctors who were studying Autism, he found therapies that worked. After his ex-wife let go and began her way back to her son, new therapies from Defeat Autism Now helped solve many of Ben's health issues and unlocked the lovely teenager inside.

Today Autism strikes 1 in 150 children and 1 in 94 boys. There are websites devoted only to Autism. When Dan started his struggle to deal with Ben's condition, there were few sites and few orginizations to help parents who children have just been diagnosed. Yet, Dan's book is IMPORTANT- it gives us a face for Autism and shows us how Autism can affect a family.

It is a quick read and important for anyone who has a family member with autism