Family Room
A blog about a mother’s story of autism.
Refrigerator Mother 2.0
Only a few generations ago, some doctors blamed mothers for their children’s autism. Psychologists wrote long theoretical papers based on their observations of mothers and their children. They concluded that…
Vaccinating and the truth
Our extended family has been checking in with one another as we get vaccinated. We are scattered across several states, each with differing priorities and abilities to deliver the vaccine….
Power outages and the power of plain language
Save the warnings by the National Weather Service, our household would not have been prepared for the freezing weather and massive power and water losses Texas suffered last week. From…
Overheard in the Wolfe House #325
Peggy (after listening to an automated message lifting the boil water notice): Sam! The tap water is safe again! We can do whatever we want with it. Sam: Except waste…
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See Sam Run: A Mother’s Story of Autism
"This is a book written from the heart by a mother nearly driven to madness by her son's maniacal behavior. But she slowly learns how to pay attention to what makes Sam tick, what makes Sam run. And as her journey of discovering what ails Sam unfolds, many parents will find themselves hooked."
-- George Getschow, Writer-in-Residence, Mayborn Graduate
Institute of Journalism at the University of North Texas
"See Sam Run is well written and poignant as well as emotionally satisfying for the reader. The author's narrative voice is strong, intelligent and authentic. Her story is one that is important to get out."
-- Dianne Aprile, Spalding University
Thousands of children are diagnosed with autism each year, with a rate of occurrence of 1 in 150 births, compared to 5 per 10,000 just two decades ago. This astounding escalation has professionals scrambling to explain why the devastating neurological disorder, which profoundly affects a person’s language and social development, is on the rise. Are we simply getting better at diagnosing autism, or is a modern health crisis unfolding before us?
Purchase See Sam Run
Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe
Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe received a master’s degree in journalism from the University of North Texas. She was among the first members of Families for Early Autism Treatment (FEAT) in California. Following the death of an autistic teenager shot by a police officer, Heinkel-Wolfe helped researchers at the University of North Texas find funding for autism research, including a grant for a police training program now used by police departments across the nation. She lives in Denton, Texas, with her son, Sam, and her two other children, Michael and Paige.
