Chrissy is Jane Gregory’s oldest child, an attractive girl with a tremendous sense of fun. She also exhibits behaviour which other people find challenging – screaming fits, stripping off her clothes, violent outbursts and self-mutilation. It was apparent from an early age that Chrissy had a learning disability, and subsequently as an adult she was diagnosed with a rare chromosome disorder and autism.
In Bringing Up a Challenging Child at Home, Jane Gregory describes her life with Chrissy candidly and pragmatically. She relates her struggles to cope with Chrissy’s difficult behaviour, the effects on the rest of the family, and her attempts to understand the reasons behind it. Offering practical advice for other parents, she explains how she got the right support and effective treatment. Her story provides professionals as well as parents with a unique insight into what it is like to bring up a complex and challenging child.
Table of Content
Acknowledgements. Introduction. Part One: Early Years. 1. Chrissy’s birth and early development. 2. Why won’t anyone tell us what’s wrong? 3. Trying to cope. 4. Making contacts. 5. Beginnings and endings. 6. Struggling alone. 7. Sinking into depression. Part Two: Coming Through: Help and Recognition of Difficulties. 8. More support. 9. Outings and holidays. 10. Chrissy’s uniqueness. 11. Changes for Chrissy, changes for me. 12. Two steps forward, three steps back. 13. Behaviour versus epilepsy. 14. Ups and downs. 15. In-patient assessment. 16. Making progress. 17. Adolescence and the importance of a diagnosis. 18. Deciding to let go. 19. Residential school – making a difference. 20. Making sense of the past and looking to the future. Part Three: Practical Help, Therapy and Support. 21. Treatment approaches. 22. How to help your challenging child. Further Reading. References.About the author
Jane Gregory was 23 when she had Chrissy. Her interest in the issues surrounding Chrissy’s needs led Jane to write features about her, and about other complex disabilities. Researchers at Great Ormond Street found the cause of Chrissy’s condition to be genetic and she was later diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Jane lives in Hampshire and is a busy freelance journalist. Her website can be visited at www.sharingstories.co.uk.More ebooks from the same author(s) / Editor
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