Winner of an iParenting Media Award!

Anne Addison was overwhelmed when she brought Jack home from the hospital. In those first few days, Anne had a vague intuition that something was not right. Two years later, Jack was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, speech and language delays, sensory integration problems, and subsequently, was found to have Asperger’s Syndrome. In this book, Anne shares the easy-to-implement strategies and solutions that she and her family found to the myriad of problems facing parents and those who work with children who are behaviorally challenging, from everyday life skills such as getting dressed and going to bed to crafting a circle of friends, effectively working with the school, encouraging hobbies and interests, and negotiating public situations. Winner of a Benjamin Franklin Award, One Small Starfish is a deep and compassionate story of one mother’s struggle and triumph to raise a child beyond what the world thought he could be.

 

“This personal story about raising one little boy will resonate with every parent of a child with significant attentional, socio-emotional, and sensory issues. The strategies for helping children like Jack are top-notch.”
Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A., author of The Out-of-Sync Child and The Out of Sync Child Video
 

“Anne Addison will make you laugh, cry, gasp, and think. Perhaps her greatest gift, however, is that One Small Starfish will allow you to see how one family worked together to address every hurdle, every setback, and every triumph. The guidance Anne Addison offers will help every family!”
Michael D. Powers, PsyD, Director, Center for Children with Special Needs
 

“One Small Starfish is one large contribution to assist parents and other family members in understanding what they really need to do at the hands-on level, when dealing with the day-to-day challenges of a child with severe developmental, emotional, or behavioral disorders. This is One Small Starfish you won’t throw back.”
Peter S. Jensen, MD, Department of Child Psychiatry, Columbia University

 

Anne Addison’s marketing success in the consumer packaged goods industry, founding of a management consulting firm, and health care background did not prepare her for the enormous challenges that laid ahead for her as a mother, but her courage, spirit, and faith did. Driven by a desire to understand and connect with a child who was in constant motion, Anne determined her way into her son’s world to learn what she must do to change the course of his life.

Anne Addison graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and earned a Masters of Business Arts from Kellogg School of Management. She worked for nearly ten years in marketing management for several Fortune 100 companies before she launched her own management consulting practice. Today, her son is a strong student and has been involved in outside sports, church choir, and music over the years. Anne lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children.