But there was more to come when Nick hit third grade. A wave of fire alarm-pulling along with other serious and dangerous behaviors signaled that this was something more than just Down syndrome.
At last, a book that takes a deep dive into the complexities that families face raising a child with a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism (DS-ASD) and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.
A New Course is a hybrid of a memoir combined with valuable lessons following each chapter and in the appendix. It’s a must read for families, school faculty, therapists, physicians, and support groups wanting to understand a parent’s perspective and looking for answers about:
- Early intervention,
- Individual education plans (IEPs) and transition meetings,
- Speech, physical, and occupational therapies,
- Behavior support and applied behavior analysis (ABA),
- Toilet training and puberty issues,
- Wandering and elopement,
- Meltdowns, and
- Augmentative and alternative communication.
Author Teresa Unnerstall provides guidance and hope steeped in more than 25 years of experience. She is a parent turned educational speaker, writer, advocate, and consultant. Her determination to find resources, support, and specialists helped her son to reach his full potential.