What is Autism Spectrum Disorder? What does a diagnosis of ASD mean for the child and for you? How can you learn to fully understand behaviours common to ASD and help the child grow and prosper? This short introduction is an ideal starting point for anyone encountering ASD for the first time. The book covers all of the essential information needed to ground an understanding of the condition and offers effective practical strategies for assisting children who are living with ASD. It advocates putting aside conventional thinking and considering things from a different perspective – the way that the child with ASD sees the world. This concise and straight-talking guide to ASD will ensure parents, carers, teachers and other professionals feel confident, informed and able to cope with the road ahead.

Createan appropriate learning environment to help children with ASD develop...

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.

"Packed with real-life stories and everyday problem-solving ideas, this book has given many tens of thousands of parents the facts they need about high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including Asperger syndrome. The authors are leading experts who describe ways to work with these kids' unique impairments and capabilities so they can grow into happy, self-sufficient adults. Parents learn practical strategies for helping their son or daughter relate more comfortably to peers, learn the rules of appropriate behavior, and succeed in school. The book also discusses what scientists currently know about ASD and how it is diagnosed, as well as what treatments and educational supports have been shown to work. Updated with the latest research, resources, and clinical strategies, the second edition clearly explains the diagnostic changes in DSM-5"--

Autism is in the public spotlight now more than ever as new research and information appears almost daily. Although in many ways this is a positive development it also presents challenges to families and practitioners who want to keep up with the latest developments and are left to sift through new information by themselves to see what is credible and relevant for them.Each of us needs a personal research assistant who can determine which information we need to pay attention to and let us know how it might affect our daily work and the children we are living with or serve. Since we each don’t have our own research assistants on staff, I am delighted to recommend this wonderful book by Fred Volkmar and Lisa Wiesner. Both of these talented professional leaders have combined their scientific skills and understanding of the field with great practical experience and ideas about how research can be translated into clinical practice. The result is a book that provides the best and most comprehensive information about recent scientific developments and a splendid practical guide for how they are being implemented and what we are learning in the process. The issues are presented in all of their complexity but translated into language that is clear, direct, and easy to follow. The format also lends itself to understanding the complex issues and their implications through excellent charts, question and answer sections, and chapters that vary from describing diagnostic issues to stating very specifically how to expand and evaluate the services one is receiving. The comprehensive references and lists of additional resources also add greatly to the overall package. As a professional dedicated to understanding scientific advances and helping families and teachers to utilize them most effectively, I am very pleased to have an ally like this book available. I am very grateful to the authors for providing a very credible, practical, and relevant addition to our field to help the many advocates and family practitioners to better understand the exciting new developments and how they can be implemented in our day to day work. Those taking the time to read through this superb volume will find it time well spent that pays back dividends in many different ways. —FOREWORD by Gary B. Mesibov, Ph.D., Professor and Director of TEACCH, Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

A practical, hands-on guide for working with children diagnosed with high functioning autism spectrum disorders. Therapists play a crucial role in helping children and their families as they navigate the often stormy course of living with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). As cases of autism are increasingly diagnosed, the number of therapists with specialized training cannot keep pace. What is the clinician without prior experience with this disability to do when considering working with a child on the autism spectrum? This “start here” book—a practical beginner’s guide to ASD for therapists—provides the answer. Without getting bogged down in the complexity of the disorder or attempting to turn practitioners into autism specialists, it points therapists—novices and seasoned alike—in the right direction so they’re better equipped to provide support. Because autism can manifest in so many different ways, no cookie-cutter treatment exists and therapists need to be conversant with the basics, from assessment and treatment approaches to common therapeutic issues that can arise. This book serves as an invaluable road map. Viewing ASD as a social communicative disorder, the authors provide a sound background of its manifestations and therapeutic interventions, helping therapists to define treatment issues and prepare for potentially difficult client encounters. Filled with practical insights and guidance, the book explains how to ask the right questions of parents and how to assess their answers. It presents a philosophy to guide parents and others in changing their perceptions of the child’s disability so as to pave the way for effective approaches to be used within the child’s environment. Concrete tools are provided to help determine “goodness of fit” between the therapist and client, in addition to several helpful reproducible intake and assessment forms available for download on an accompanying CD. Charting the Course is an important therapist’s guide representing an all-encompassing approach to working not only with children and their parents, but also with their siblings, family members, and those in the community who are involved in their lives. Ultimately, this book provides a reassuring anchor for any clinician new to treating this disability as well as for those who are seeking alternative approaches to their ongoing work with children diagnosed with ASD.