A Child’s Journey Out of Autism: One Family’s Story of Living in Hope and Finding a Cure by Leeann Whiffen
Life couldn’t have been better for the Whiffen family when they welcomed newborn Clay into their lives. Mother Leeann was thrilled that he would grow up closely with his older brother. As any mother does, she has big hopes and dreams for her children and her family. But when Clay is two, he begins to regress, no longer speaks, and develops behavioral problems.
Autism.
It’s a word that Leeann refuses to even say. While she still has big hopes and dreams, they have suddenly shifted to something much more immediate. Each day Clay slips farther into his shell. This is something that she can not ignore or wait out. Through immediate and exhaustive treatment, Leeann fights as only a mother can fight. A fight to reclaim her son before it’s too late. The title of her moving memoir, A Child’s Journey Out of Autism: One Family’s Story of Living in Hope and Finding a Cure by Leeann Whiffen, is aptly named. For it is a fight that she wins. Clays diagnosis is completely removed.
This family’s story however is not as simple as the above description makes it seem. The research that Leeann conducts is overwhelming. The intensive, in-home therapy treatments are not covered by insurance and the $40,000 price tag is a financial strain. Add on top of that the added strain of relationships, friendships and simply on oneself, and the years of treatment are exhausting
In A Child’s Journey Out of Autism, Leeann shares her darkest moments, the lowest of lows, her guilt, worry, sadness, unbelief, and her highest of highs, her determination, strength, energy, and the happiness in reclaiming her son. She writes with such honesty and beauty. Such an important book to read regardless if you know somebody with autism or not. Every child is different and this is just one family’s journey of customized treatment and recovery but it’s a testament to a mother’s love for her child. It is a testament to empowered parents. It is a testament to the joy of a child. To reclaiming that which was once lost.
Watch this short trailer for the book featuring Clay himself and then watch for my author interview with Leeann Whiffen immediately following this post. Leeann lives locally to me and I’ve been fortunate to meet her on several occasions. Reading her book is like discovering a friend that you wish you always had and if it’s not to bold of myself to say, I feel fortunate to now call her one myself.
Links of interest: Leeann Whiffen website, blog and Twitter. More book blogger reviews. Did you know April is National Autism Awareness Month? Check out all my book reviews that address autism.
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Publisher: Sourcebooks. March 1, 2009
Paperback, 336 pages. ISBN 1402218389
Source copy: Review copy
A Child’s Journey Out of Autism is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.
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Category: Book Reviews, Memoir/Biography, Nonfiction
Tags: A-D Title, autism, book trailers, female author, LDS author, Non-Fiction, published 2009, Publisher: Sourcebooks, review copy, U-Z Author, Utah author, videos
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” Reading her book is like discovering a friend that you wish you always had and if it’s not to bold of myself to say, I feel fortunate to now call her one myself.”
What a great thing to say about an author!
on April 28th, 2010 at 9:51 am[...] Out of Autism: One Family’s Story of Living in Hope and Finding a Cure I just reviewed Leeann Whiffen’s fantastic memoir A Child’s Journey Out of Autism. A book which drew me completely into Leeann’s life as she battled to reverse Clay’s [...]
on April 28th, 2010 at 10:16 amI agree this is a great book. I reviewed it back in 2009. I will add a link to your review and interview from mine.
on April 29th, 2010 at 9:08 amI read this back when it first came out and I really appreciated her honest in telling her tale and was so thrilled at the good results that she got.
on April 30th, 2010 at 6:33 amAutism can be such a scary word. It seems so important that people who can and will share their experiences are helping so many others. Leeann has always seemed so truly nice when she’s come to our get togethers. Maybe, regardless of the fact that I don’t have any children, I could still read this book to gain some understanding of autism from her. Great review! Thanks for sharing this.
on April 30th, 2010 at 7:53 am