A groundbreaking exploration of the ways in which the intelligence and abilities of children and young adults with autism are often overlooked and misjudged, with tried-and-true interventions that can be used to help them reach their full potential. In Hidden Strengths, Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel and Claire LaZebnik explore how the strengths of children and young adults diagnosed with ASD are commonly overlooked or misjudged, even by trained professionals. The authors examine how outdated attitudes, a lack of sufficient training and an overreliance on standardised testing works against efforts to see the capabilities of autistic children. Focusing on the importance of motivation strategies, Hidden Strengths dives into ways to use a child´s interests and strengths when teaching them. The book also aims to educate the larger community in how to support, accept and embrace the gifts autistic individuals offer. Hidden Strengths works to combat established negative and untrue stereotypes about autistic children by using real-life stories of individuals with ASD who were capable of far more than the adults around them realised, and whose innate abilities blossomed once they were acknowledged and encouraged.