The Journey with Joshua

Minimal cerebral dysfunction." The doctor's words confirmed the Meyers' fears. Their two-year-old Joshua's problems of relating to others, physical coordination and disturbed behavior were, indeed, the outward signs of brain damage. But Joshua didn't fit the mold of braindamaged children, and his parents were finally forced to confront the reality of autism. Amidst all the uncertainty and ignorance about autism which prevailed at that time, Naomi Meyer, an experienced teacher of young children, made her decision: she would educate Joshua on her own. "The Journey with Joshua" is the story of one couple's search, first in New York, then in Israel, for a supportive environment for their handicapped child. It is the story of Joshua's fierce struggle to function as a productive member of his own family. Still more, it is the story of Joshua's mother, who persistently pushed back the boundaries of the possible and discovered within herself unexpected vistas. Naomi Meyer dared enter the seemingly impenetrable world of the autistic child, as mother and as teacher. Engaged in constant, painful soul-searching, she tried to balance Joshua's myriad needs with those of everyone else in the family. Ultimately, it was Joshua himself who showed her the way.