Magnificent Minds

Description

An essential primer based on a renowned new model of care that is comprehensive and research based, while honoring the uniqueness of every child

An estimated one in thirty-six children in the United States is diagnosed with autism. New research has shed light on the many factors that determine a child’s trajectory—but many parents are still navigating this complex terrain without a road map. Pediatric neurologist Dr. Suzanne Goh has spent decades working with autistic children, and in this practical and research-based guide she shares her renowned and revolutionary model of care: an innovative, whole-child approach that combines optimal medical treatment with the most effective strategies for advancing cognition, communication, and behavior.
    Demystifying a wide range of diagnostics and therapies and offering new insights into the neurological, biochemical, behavioral, and social factors that play a role in successful outcomes, the book is an essential resource for understanding all of autism—a strengths-based approach that helps parents design a comprehensive treatment plan. It is also a celebration of what each autistic person brings to the world—and how parents can best nurture the remarkable uniqueness of their child while setting them up for the future they envision.“Dr. Suzanne Goh is an extraordinary scientist, researcher, and clinician whose pioneering work in autism is changing our thinking about how to best support a child, not only focusing on behavior but also on neurobiology, biochemistry, and physiology. Whether your child is newly diagnosed with autism or you’re simply looking for fresh insights and a new way forward, this book is a treasure.”
–Dr. Mark Hyman, MD, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Young Forever
 
“Dr. Goh’s approach to the care of a child with autism is extraordinarily wise. It considers the whole child—the genetics, biology, family context, interpersonal relationships, cognitive abilities, and emotional life that interact with one another throughout development. This is a much-needed guide for parents and professionals on how best to intervene in ways that will help the child reach his or her greatest potential and experience inner fulfillment.”
– Dr. Bradley S. Peterson, MD, Director of the Institute for the Developing Mind and Chief of Child Psychiatry at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
 
“In Magnificent Minds, Dr. Suzanne Goh presents a refreshing brain-body wholesome biological perspective of autism with timely, practical information for parents and caregivers seeking the best care for autism. It’s an essential resource. And I personally love the drawings throughout the book!”  
–Dr. Elizabeth Torres, PhD, Professor, Rutgers University Department of Psychology, and Director of the Sensory Motor Integration Lab
 
“Wow! This is just the approach the world needs to better understand and support every child with autism.”
–Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD, host of The Psychology Podcast and author of Transcend
 
“As an autistic adult with multiple co-occurring features including cerebral palsy, GI issues, and mitochondrial dysfunction, I often struggle with understanding doctors and interacting with the medical system. Magnificent Mindspresents information clearly and concisely across its well-organized chapters. I found it approachable and learned new things from it as a result, and I expect many others will as well in a shared journey to better understand and care for the unique autistic people in their lives.”
–Jory Fleming, author of How to Be Human: An Autistic Man’s Guide to Life
 
“Dr Goh wisely describes a holistic approach to Autism that respects that some of the defining characteristics are variations of the human traits that make us uniquely talented.  She wants readers to see the whole child for the best results.” 
–Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD, Professor Emeritus, Columbia University
 
“Finally! A well-resourced book that puts it all together for parents and professionals. When a child is diagnosed with autism, parents are bombarded with much information on many levels. The connection between neurobiology, biochemistry, physiology, and the behavioral component is not always clear. Connecting all this to education, community, the importance of family relationships, and possible therapies and what is best for our unique child is difficult for a parent to do. Dr. Goh has explained these complex connections simply, providing hope and fostering the understanding and acceptance of neurodivergence. Certainly, I wish this book had been available when my child was still an infant!”   
–Chantal Sicile-Kira, parent, advocate, and author of What Is Autism? Understanding Life with Autism or Asperger’s and A Full Life with Autism Suzanne Goh, MD, BCBA, is cofounder and chief medical officer of Cortica, the largest provider of comprehensive health services for autism in the United States. Cortica began in Goh’s one-room medical office in San Diego ten years ago and has grown to a staff of more than a thousand doctors and therapists who serve tens of thousands of autistic children and their families in the United States and abroad. A graduate of Harvard University, Oxford University, and Harvard Medical School, she is former codirector of Columbia University’s Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, where she conducted research on the biological causes of autism and used brain imaging to identify patterns of neural circuitry and brain chemistry. Goh is currently a faculty member of the Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs and is a frequent speaker for parent advocacy organizations. She lives in San Diego, California, with her husband and two children.US

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