Book Review - Saving Ben A Father's Story of Autism

I received a complimentary review copy of Saving Ben A Father's Story of Autism, written by Dan E. Burns.

"Take him home, love him, and save your money for his institutionalization when he turns twenty-one" - that's the advice given by doctors when three year old Ben, the third child of Dan and Sue Burns, is finally diagnosed with autism. Two years later, Dan and Sue's marriage comes to an end. Though they still worked together to raise Ben, Dan became the primary caregiver. Fighting the school system, the medical providers, and even his own family at times, Dan was determined to do everything possible to "recover" Ben. He dove in head first, searching and learning all that he could about autism treatments and therapies.

Other aspects of this story are Dan's struggle with his own sexual orientation and Sue's realization that she was abused by her father as a child. This is a touching, at times difficult, story of a family raising an autistic son.

(from the inside book jacket):
Ben, now 21 years old, is a work in progress. The full force and fury of the autism storm have passed. Using new biomedical treaments, repair work is underway. Saving Ben is a story of Ben's journey toward recovery, and a family's story of loss, grief, and healing. "Keep the faith, never give up." These are the lessons of the author's miraculous journey, saving Ben.