Saving Ben: A Father's Story of Autism

Acknowledgments

xi Acknowledgments I am indebted to the many professionals and family members who walked beside me on this healing journey: To Dr. Bernard Rimland, who established Defeat Autism Now! and pioneered the behavioral and the biomedical treatments that are helping so many children. His personal response to my queries nudged me in the right direction . To Dr. Constantine Kotsanis, who helped pioneer the new biomedical protocols. He gave Ben’s mom and me valuable professional advice when most conventionally trained doctors offered no treatment and no hope. To Sharon Hawkins, Ben’s aide and “momat -school,” who took him into her heart and home during the darkest days. To the Reverend Shelley A. Hamilton, for her prayers these many years. To Mom, who was always there when Ben and I needed her, who still speaks in the spirit of love whispering through these pages. To Ben’s mom, Susan, who with courage and persistence overcame her crippling psychological disorder to help revive Ben’s biomedical program. To Ben, my courageous, wonderful son. I am also indebted to the writers, critics, and editors who helped me construct a coherent, well-paced narrative: To Sandra Williams, Ph.D., whose quick and cogent feedback helped shape every scene, whoseencouragementandadmonishmentskeptmewritingthrough long months when the task seemed endless. To Mark Noble and the gang at The Writer’s Garret peer workshop, Stone Soup, who provided useful technical feedback and cheered me on. To my senior editor, Ronald Chrisman, whose steady hand guided the manuscript xii ❧ saving ben: a father's story of autism through many drafts. To George Getschow, writer-in-residence of the Mayborn Conference, whose reading, editing, and invigorating questions prompted a cover-to-cover rewrite, and to the farsighted folks at the Mayborn Graduate School of Journalism, whose award made this book possible. Thank you. ...