The Fog Within Sparknotes

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Author Biography Nick Shamhart is from Sandusky, Ohio and now resides in Cleveland with his wife and two daughters. One of his daughters, Paige, struggles with severe autism. It was this daughter who inspired him to write The Fog Within as an attempt to describe the daily struggles that she faces. Shamhart writes all of his stories based on character rather than genre, drawing from real people and experiences. He describes the stories that he tells as voices, which also impacts the way that he is able to write from the view of such unique characters.
Disorder Description Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes difficulty with emotional expression, communication, and social interaction, as well as preoccupation …show more content…

It begins with Megan as an 11-year old. At this point in her life, she describes her disorder as a “fog” that battles with her emotions and attention through every moment of every day. Between school, home, and therapy, Megan struggles to communicate her emotions and has very little control over her memory and rational thought regarding people and daily activity. Flash forward to 17-year old Megan, who still battles with the “fog”, but has made major developments in communicating with electronic devices, making friends, and even competing on the swim team. Moving forward one more time to the age of 32-year old, Megan is finally able to live in her own apartment with assistance and ride the bus to her job at the zoo. At this point, the fog still threatens with Megan’s emotions and actions, but it is less of a battle and more of an enemy at the back of her mind. Megan’s story does not contain as much plot and action as many fictional stories, but her life and thoughts reveal something more. Megan presents an unrestricted, first-hand vision of …show more content…

Jacintha Cauffield notes that “medication should be considered in the treatment of ASD only if nonpharmacologic interventions fail and the maladaptive behaviors are severe” (2013). There is no specific drug to treat autism, so a variety may be used on the individual to treat specific symptoms including stimulants, SSRIs, antipsychotics, and alpha-2 antagonists (Cauffield, 2013). The book does not designate the particular drugs that Megan takes as an adolescent, however, it is likely that stimulants and antidepressants may have been involved due to her progress in attentiveness and emotional

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