Autism And Pervasive Developmental Disorders

Featuring contributions from leading authorities in the clinical and social sciences, this thoroughly revised and updated new edition reflects the most recent progress in the understanding of autism and related conditions, and offers an international perspective on the present state of the discipline. Chapters cover current approaches to definition and diagnosis; prevalence and planning for service delivery; cognitive, genetic, and neurobiological features; and pathophysiological mechanisms. There is a new chapter covering communication issues. Interventions reviewed include the pharmacological, behavioral, and educational, and a thoughtful final chapter addresses the nature of the fundamental social disturbance that characterizes autism.

Since the early 1940s, when first identified as childhood psychosis and autistic psychopathy, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has continued to burgeon into a major focus of inquiry and interest among researchers, practitioners, and the public alike. With each passing decade, the number of scholarly articles addressing ASD and related disabilities continues to soar. Today, thousands of papers on autism are published annually across various disciplines and journals, making it challenging – if not impossible – to keep pace with, let alone synthesize, all the latest developments. Based on a solid historical foundation of autism theory and research, the International Handbook of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders integrates the broad scholarly base of literature with a trenchant analysis of the state of the field in nosology, etiology, assessment, and treatment. Its expert contributors examine recent findings and controversies (e.g., how prevalent autism actually is), along with longstanding topics of interest as well as emerging issues. Coverage includes: A survey of diagnostic criteria and assessment strategies. Genetic, behavioral, biopsychosocial, and cognitive models. Psychiatric disorders in persons with ASD. Theory of mind and facial recognition. Diagnostic instruments for assessing core features and challenging behaviors. Evidence-based psychosocial, pharmacological, and integrative treatments. Interventions specifically for adults with ASD. Training issues for professionals and parents. A review of findings of successful and promising therapies, coupled with guidance on how to distinguish between dubious and effective treatments. The International Handbook of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders is an indispensable resource for researchers, professors, graduate students, and allied practitioners in clinical child and school psychology, child and adolescent psychiatry, education, social work, rehabilitation, pediatric medicine, and developmental psychology.

Now expanded to two volumes, this invaluable reference work provides a comprehensive review of all information presently available about these disorders, drawing on findings and clinical experience from a number of related disciplines such as psychiatry, psychology, neurobiology, pediatrics, etc. The Handbook covers descriptive and diagnostic characteristics, biological contributions, intervention techniques, legal and social issues. The Third Edition is updated to include the newest work in animal models, genetics, neuropsychological processes, screening and assessment methods.

Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Development Disorder is an essential guide for parents with autistic children who hope to better understand and intervene with the disorder. When their nineteen-month-old son, Miles, was diagnosed with autism, Karyn Seroussi, a writer, and her husband, a scientist, fought back with the only weapons at their disposal: love and research. Consulting medical papers, surfing the Web, and networking with other parents, they traced the onset of their child's problems to an immune system breakdown that coincided with his vaccinations. As a result, his digestive system was unable to break down certain proteins, which in turn led to abnormal brain development. So Karyn and her husband got to work -- Karyn implementing their program at home while her husband tested his theories at the scientific lab where he worked. Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder is an inspiring and suspenseful chronicle of how one couple empowered themselves to challenge the medical establishment that promised no hope -- and found a cure for their child. Here are the explanations and treatments they so carefully researched and discovered, a wealth of crucial tools and hands-on information that can help other parents reverse the effects of autism and PDD, including step-by-step instructions for the removal of dairy and gluten from the diet, special recipes, and an explanation of the roles of the key players in autism research.

The second edition of the benchmark reference Since its first edition, this handbook has become the most influential reference work in the field of autism and related conditions. Now expanded to two volumes, this comprehensive work provides a thorough review of these disorders, drawing on findings and clinical experience from a number of related disciplines. The Second Edition covers all current treatment models, and is updated to include new methods for screening and assessment, genetic components, and school-based interventions. All chapters have been thoroughly updated; two-thirds of chapters are entirely new to this edition. VolumeTwo includes the newest, most authoritative information available on assessment, interventions, and policy ramifications surrounding pervasive developmental disorders.

Includes the newest work on motor functioning, social cognition, brain imaging, attentional mechanisms, emotional development, language functions and new genetic findings.

Fully updated with significant advances in autism research, this new edition offers an essential and practical overview of the field.

This book is a resource for therapists, teachers, and parents who are interested in learning more about the spectrum of autism and appropriate intervention strategies. It provides a holistic view of autistic spectrum disorders and the children who experience them.