An exciting new book is ‘lifting the veil’ on autism for parents in India, as the first book to talk about the topic in an Indian context.
Beyond the Blue: Love, Life & Autism, is the latest book from bestselling author, Gopika Kapoor, providing an indispensable guide for parents of children with autism, sharing the author’s own personal experience as an Indian mother of a child with autism.
Autism affects around 1 in 54 children worldwide, with the number of autistic people in India estimated to be more than 2 million people (Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in Indian children: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Anil Chauhan, Jitendra K Sahu, et al, Neurology India Journal 67, January 2019).
However, in a country where the subject of mental health is still shrouded in taboo, there is little written on the subject in an Indian context.
After her son was diagnosed with autism in 2008, Kapoor began work as a junior therapist for the autism intervention team at Ummeed Child Development Center in Mumbai, a non-government organization working with children with developmental disabilities.
Spending the next 10 years rising to role of lead therapist and Master trainer, Kapoor decided to write Beyond the Blue to help Indian families with autistic children learn about living what it is like to live with the condition and feel hope about the future.
Launching as a run up to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which takes place worldwide on December 3, 2020, Kapoor’s new book provides a roadmap for Indian parents with autistic children, from diagnosis, moving through the stages of grief to reach a state of acceptance.
Drawing from her own experience, she addresses the stigma attached to the condition, and the emotional and mental strain on parents and family, while also discussing practical ways to enhance an autistic child’s participation in society, and caring for one’s own mental health.
Commenting on the book, Kapoor said, “When a child is diagnosed with autism, for many years, this is all that parents see. But beyond the autism, beyond the blue, is a child who is so much more. Beyondthe Blue is a factual, informative guide for parents, whether they are starting out on this journey or have been traveling this path for several years, and I hope that sharing my experience will make their journey a little easier.”
Published by Notion Press, Beyond the Blue is Gopika Kapoor’s fifth book. She is the author of the bestselling Spiritual Parenting, Spiritual Pregnancy, Spiritual Relationships and Spiritual Success published by Hay House India, and has written for a number of leading publications, while also consulting on various communications initiatives with national and international NGOs.
Beyond the Blue is available on the Notion Press website, Amazon and Flipkart in India, and on Amazon in the USA and UK. E-books are available on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Google Play Books and iBooks.
