{"product_id":"9780757054020","title":"Finding Robert: What the Doctors Never Told Us About Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Hard Lessons We Learned","description":"\u003cp\u003eDiagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiance disorder,\u003cbr\u003eand pervasive developmental disorder in the early 1990s, Robert Stevens was an\u003cbr\u003eexceptionally intelligent child who could not function in a mainstream environment.\u003cbr\u003eBeing the “problem child” of every play group, sports league, and extracurricular activity\u003cbr\u003ehe joined, Robert had no friends, no internal means of self-control, no “off switch,”\u003cbr\u003eand—as his parents, Robert and Catherine Stevens, were warned—perhaps no real\u003cbr\u003efuture. Thinking it for the best, Robert’s parents did what the experts told them to do.\u003cbr\u003eDespite having a remarkably high IQ, Robert was placed in a special education program,\u003cbr\u003eunder a psychiatrist’s care, and on several powerful medications, including Ritalin and\u003cbr\u003eProzac. Unfortunately, nothing worked quite as intended, and Robert suffered from nearly\u003cbr\u003eevery side effect these drugs had to offer.\u003cbr\u003eRobert’s parents saw they were losing him. Witnesses to Robert’s drastic mood swings\u003cbr\u003eand anxious displays, they did not know whether they were seeing their son or the\u003cbr\u003eresults of the medications he was taking. While initially helpful, the special education\u003cbr\u003eclass began to create its own world of problems, with Robert taking a step backwards for\u003cbr\u003eeach step forward. Desperate, the Stevens family turned to holistic therapies. Amazingly,\u003cbr\u003eRobert began to show improvement. Wondering why their son’s doctors had discouraged\u003cbr\u003esuch strategies, Robert and Catherine started researching new approaches on their own.\u003cbr\u003eUsing nontraditional approaches, Robert was found. By third grade, he was off all\u003cbr\u003emedications, attending a mainstream school, making friends, and simply being himself.\u003cbr\u003eFinding Robert chronicles one family’s journey through the world of developmental\u003cbr\u003edisorders. It depicts the struggles faced, examines the decisions made, and offers a\u003cbr\u003ethorough analysis of the therapies utilized. Amid sadness and confusion, with strength\u003cbr\u003eand resolve, Robert and Catherine regained their son and undertook a mission to change\u003cbr\u003ethe way we look at these conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Square One Publishers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47107125739760,"sku":"9780757054020","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780757054020_p0.jpg?v=1769902672","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780757054020","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}