Author Michele Gianetti of Canfield will be discussing her book, ''I Believe in You: A Mother and Daughter's Special Journey,'' at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 17 at the Hubbard Public Library. To reserve a seat, call 330-534-3512, Ext. 3.
Gianetti's book describes her life and the life of her daughter, Elizabeth, now 14, who works diligently to overcome the obstacles of dyspraxia and sensory processing disorder.
Dyspraxia is a neurological disorder affecting motor skill development. Sensory processing disorder, also a neurological disorder, causes difficulties with taking in, processing and responding to sensory information.
''When you learn to cut with scissors, you learn to do it, but with Elizabeth, everything has to be broken down step by step,'' Gianetti said.
The sensory processing disorder affects the way Elizabeth deals with her surroundings.
''When she was younger, we had trouble with putting her in the bathtub or putting her shoes on,'' Gianetti said. ''The whole world scared her.''
Before becoming a stay-at-home mom to her three children, Emily, 17, Elizabeth and Michael, 5, Michele worked as a school and community health nurse. Gianetti decided to become a stay-at-home mom after the birth of her first child, but it was the after the birth of Elizabeth that their lives changed.
''We first noticed a problem around her first Christmas, when she was six months old,'' Gianetti said. ''She should have been doing more things. I thought there was something wrong, but wasn't sure. I didn't want to think there was something wrong.''
After many phone calls, a lot of talking and the search for a therapist who could give them a diagnosis, Elizabeth began therapy by the time she was 2 1/2, Gianetti said.
Now at age 14, Elizabeth currently is mainstreamed about 50 percent of her day and is in the 7th grade.
''She is very smart and does very well,'' Gianetti said.
Gianetti said she wrote the book as a tribute to her daughter to show others how hard she has worked and what an amazing child she is. Gianetti said she also wanted to reach out and educate others about Elizabeth's two disorders and to help others who may be facing the same issues with their own children.
''I want to reach out to those parents who may be back where we were at the beginning and give them places to look and call,'' Gianetti said.
In addition to her book signing at the Hubbard Library, Gianetti also will be speaking, answering questions and signing books at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Columbiana Library in Columbiana and at 2 p.m. March 24 at the main branch of the Warren Trumbull County Public Library in Warren.
For more information, visit Gianetti's website at www.michelegianetti.com.
The book was recently released by Tate Publishing and is available on their website, www.tatepublishing.com.