Luton doctor's book helps parents of autistic children

A consultant paediatrican with a special interest in the neurological development of autistic children has written a definitive guide for parents.

Dr Sophia Mooncey – who works at Luton’s Edwin Lobo Child Development Centre – wrote A Parent’s Guide to Autism Diagnosis during lockdown.

The Malawi-born medic says: “The book is given to families once we have carried out a multi-disciplinary assessment and confirmed a diagnosis of autism.

"We hope it will increase awareness of the condition and support them as they go through that journey.”

The guide is endorsed by international autism authority Dr Tony Attwood and Evelina London Children’s Hospital Professor Paul Gringas, a specialist in sleep problems which are common in children with autism.

Other experts who contributed are autism teacher Adele Devine, paediatric speech and language therapist Neha Makwana, paediatric clinical psychologist Dr Helen Davies and paediatric occupational therapist Rachael Gartland.