The Boy Who Loved Windows

Book excerpt: Discover the uplifting true story of a family's journey to better understand their son with autism—and learn how a combination of science and loving persistence changed all of their lives. In 1997, writer Patricia Stacey and her husband Cliff learned that their six-month-old son Walker might never walk or talk, or even hear or see. Unwilling to accept this grim prediction, they embarked on a five-year odyssey that took them into alternative medicine, the newest brain research, and toward a new and innovative understanding of autism. Finally their search led them to pioneering developmental psychiatrist Stanley Greenspan who helped them communicate with their son and bring him into full contact with the world. This enthralling memoir, at once heart-wrenching and hopeful, takes the reader into the life of one remarkable family. We stand witness as they struggle to elicit the first sign that Walker is connecting with them, and share in their fears, struggles, tiny victories, and eventual triumphs. The Boy Who Loved Windows is compelling and thoughtful reading for parents and professionals who care for children with autism and other developmental disorders. The book is also a stunning literary debut, of interest to anyone who cares about the lives of children and the passion of families who put their children first.