Running with Walker: A MemoirBy the time he was three, Walker's parents were concerned enough about his delayed development to consult a paediatric neurologist. Doctors diagnosed autism and issued a grim prognosis: 'I hold out no hope for this child'. But they hadn't accounted for Walker's intelligence, affection, and sense of humour - or for the remarkable bonds that grew within his family. Walker's father, Robert Hughes, tells a touching and inspiring story of discovering that their 'perfect little boy had a problem'. With disarming honesty and humour, the book tells how a family copes and keeps hope alive despite the staggering difficulties autism presents. |
Contents
Prologue Christmas Party 1997 | 9 |
A New Cult | 21 |
Denial | 31 |
Brothers | 44 |
Yes and No | 54 |
Child Development to the Rescue | 65 |
Cemetery School | 83 |
Running With Walker | 96 |
Maureen | 134 |
Yearning | 148 |
The Apocalypse | 163 |
Davy Crashes | 179 |
Liftoff? | 192 |
Apocalypse Again | 208 |
Hope | 223 |
Epilogue June 2001 | 233 |
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Common terms and phrases
asked autistic ball bedroom bluegrass music bouncing child Christmas Cinderella couch Davy Davy's dining room doctor door Dumbo ears Ellen eyes face feeling feet fingers floor Fred Astaire friends front grin hand happy head homeschooling Hot Wheels Jack Benny Joan Lunden jumping in place keep knew laughing Lincoln Park Zoo listen living room looked Maureen minutes morning mother movie Muppet Christmas Carol never night normal Oak Street Beach parents park picked play pulled rewinding running scene screaming Sesame Street shouting sidewalk sitting sleep smile spaghetti Special Ed speech stairs staring started stop story street talk tape teacher tell therapists thing thought took trampoline tried trying turned walked Walker seemed watching window words Wrigley Field yelling