Understanding The Nature Of Autism And Asperger S Disorder

Edward R. Ritvo md is an internationally recognized medical expert, researcher and pioneer in the field of autism and Asperger's disorder and co-author of the official diagnostic criteria in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Much of what is known about these disorders today is based on his painstaking research and groundbreaking discoveries. In this book he shares his forty years' experience and opens his extensive UCLA casebook to the reader. Understanding the Nature of Autism and Asperger's Disorder is 'a consultation with Prof. Ritvo' - a thoroughly accessible introduction for professionals, families, spouses and individuals with autism and Asperger's Disorder. Prof. Ritvo traces the historical development of understanding about autism and Asperger's Disorder, from the centuries of misdiagnoses and the first recognition of the characteristics of the disorders to his own highly-regarded methods for making a diagnosis. Drawing on case histories from forty years' of clinical practice, he explains their basic nature, what the causes are, what is different in the brain, treatments that work (and those that don't), what a child with a diagnosis might be like when he or she grows up, and what future research may hold. This book will be an absolute must-read for anyone with an interest in autism and Asperger's Disorder, whether a practitioner, a parent, a student, or an affected individual.

The purpose of this manual is to develop a better understanding of autism and its treatment. Visual aids and anecdotes illustrate key concepts: case studies and actual situations for applying concepts and principles; guidelines for evaluating the volume of information about autism; reproducible forms; and parent stories. Chapters explain: the learning style common among those with autism; the effects of autism on language, communication and social development; and the effects of autism on behaviour.

Finding out that you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can be so hard on a family. Everyone is left to worry about what this diagnosis will mean for the family, and how the symptoms will affect you. What if it didn't need to be this way, though? The moment of diagnosis is a critical point at which you and your loved ones can do something about it. Finding out that you or a loved one has this disease is no longer the hopeless sentence that it once was. Due to my experience in charity organizations and quest for reaching out to those in greatest need, every disease which does not have a human cure attracts my attention and this time Autism Spectrum Disorder falls into this category. This book can be of great help to those having symptoms or diagnosed with this disease as well as those caring for them. As humans we are called to be each other's keeper and this book gives us an insight on how to recognize and take care of either our loved ones or any other fellow humans suffering from autism spectrum disorder including Asperger's Syndrome.

Appropriate for use with any age and ability level, this resource is a valuable tool for therapists, teachers, and parents. This new edition presents an integrated approach to teaching and intervention. It incorporates strategies from recognized models such as SCERTSr, Structured Teaching, and Applied Behavioral Analysis that match the specific needs of each individual. The third edition includes strategies for conducting a comprehensive functional behavioral assessment and developing a positive behavior support system. A CD-ROM with reproducible versions of all forms, some figures, and a collection of sample stories is also new for the third edition of this popular text.

Autism spectrum disorders are developmental disorders. Individuals with autism spectrum disorders develop differently. These differences are usually present in social interaction, communication, and sensory processing, and become visible through a wide variety of behavioral responses that differ from individuals without autism spectrum disorders. Despite significant research efforts, the exact causes of autism spectrum disorders remain poorly understood; however, researchers have gained extensive insights into possible pathomechanisms, even at the molecular level of cells. Many diagnostic criteria have been developed, adapted, and improved. The eight chapters in this book highlight the current state-of-the-art in many areas of autism spectrum disorders. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the epidemiology of autism spectrum disorders and the current knowledge of the underlying pathogenic mechanisms. Chapter 2 summarizes the diagnostic criteria and procedures and highlights present and upcoming therapeutic strategies. Chapter 3 reviews the adverse events and trauma in people with autism spectrum disorders. Chapters 4 and 5 focus on atypical sensory processing, and Chapter 6 discusses the genetic overlap of autism spectrum disorders with other neuropsychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and schizophrenia. Chapter 7 focuses on the contribution of abnormalities in mitochondria, and chapter 8 discusses gut-brain interactions and a potential role for microbiota in autism spectrum disorders. This book is aimed primarily at clinicians and scientists, but many areas will also be of interest to the layperson.

In this volume several of the major experts in the field discuss the diagnostic criteria of Asperger syndrome.

'The author of this excellent new book states in the preface that she intended to "provide an account of autism that people with little or no specialist knowledge will find comprehensible and digestible, but which at the same time offers more advanced readers a clear summary of existing knowledge". In my opinion, she has achieved her stated goal, in a most impressive volume which does justice to the complexity of the subject covered, without being over-long or alienating the less knowledgeable reader. This is no mean feat, as the book covers topics as disparate as the potential genetic cause of autism and the principle of inclusive care as applied to people with autism. The result is a handbook which I would have no hesitation in recommending to an intelligent parent of a child with autism, a teacher, and undergraduate student or a clinical trainee. In fact, I feel that this book has something to offer even a supposed "expert" in the study of autism since it so neatly synthesises historic and current understanding of the condition... a thoughtfully written book, which makes a modern, through and readable account of a complex and intriguing condition' - Autism 'This is an authoritative, accessible and original approach to our current understanding of autistic spectrum disorders' - Rita Jordan PhD, Emeritus Professor in Autism Studies, University of Birmingham 'Jill Boucher is a leading academic and clinician who brings an individual and authoritative perspective to the autism field. In this book she does an excellent job of communicating a broad range of practical as well as theoretical issues to a general audience, making up-to-date information about this puzzling condition accessible to a wide readership. Boucher's book is a welcome and unique addition to the literature' - Tony Charman, Professor of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University College of London What are the historical foundations of autism and what precisely is meant by the 'autistic spectrum'? How can we explain behavioural patterns of people with autism, young or old, and what are the major theoretical bases for understanding these? What is the latest thinking regarding diagnosis, and what are the most effective strategies for assessment, education and care for people with this condition? This provocative new text sets out to answer these questions. It charts developments in understanding the nature and causes of autistic spectrum disorders, guiding students through theories at the psychological, neurobiological and 'first cause' levels to methods of assessment, intervention, education and support. Written as an introductory text for those with little prior knowledge of autism but also as a source of basic information and references for those already familiar with the field, this book will be invaluable for a broad range of vocational and academic students and for parents and professionals who want an account of current facts and theories. Jill Boucher is Professor in the Autism Research Unit at City University and Honorary Professor of Psychology at Warwick University.