In Right from the Start: A Practical Guide for Helping Young Children with Autism, Karin Donahue and Kate Crassons assert that autistic children can be successful when parents and teachers understand key principles of autism and have the tools to help these children expand their social and emotional skills. Emphasizing the importance of self-regulation—the ability to moderate our feelings and reactions—the authors describe practical strategies to help children manage their emotions and behavior, learn social and play skills, and cope with challenging sensory experiences. Right from the Start is a needed and indispensable resource for parents, professionals, and educators. With these techniques, we can lay a positive foundation that enables autistic children to be confident and successful in any environment.

"Parents and caregivers of autistic children and teens will find this work offers sensible and realistic ideas that apply to all areas of a child's life." - Library Journal

"One in 59 children has autism, and Honahue, a psychology teacher who works with families, and Crassons, whose son, Henry, is on the spectrum, want to help preschoolers and their parents live with this neurological condition . . . THe authors want to empower parents to help their kids learn “self-regulation” so they can calm themselves and avoid sensory overload. They cite many examples and provide simple solutions . . . Parents with kids on the spectrum, especially at the higher-functioning end, will find this useful and inspiring." - Booklist

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'Right From The Start’ is filled with useful tips and information to make parenting a child on the spectrum a bit easier to manage. It is by no means a miracle cure (which does not exist) but it was never trying to be. The book is aware that what might work for one child might not work for another, and even has a section on how to handle meltdowns when they arise . . . If you’re anyone struggling to manage or connect with a young child on the spectrum, then I highly recommend picking up ‘Right From The Start.’