This cross-disciplinary reference offers a thorough overview of the communication, language, social, and behavioral issues characteristic of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Based on meticulous research of the core areas of ASD - communication, socialization, emotional regulation, and symbolic development - the authors offer practical guidelines for intervention designed for children with autism and their families. In this comprehensive book, speech-language pathologists, clinicians, early interventionists, psychologists, and educators learn how to: understand and address the social and communication challenges experienced by children with autism; enhance assessment and intervention methods; and support families in their efforts to facilitate their children's development. Chapters in this volume, written by leading clinical and research authorities in ASD, will allow readers to understand the principles and philosophies behind clinical and educational practices implemented with children with autism. Readers will also encounter guidelines to use when making critical assessment and intervention decisions to create more natural, child-centered supports. All professionals will learn how to improve their educational and developmental supports for young children with autism.
Series Preface; Editorial Advisory Board; Contributors; Acknowledgments; 1. Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders; Amy M. Wetherby and Barry Prizant; PART I: THEORETICAL AND RESEARCH FOUNDATIONS: UNDERSTANDING THE DEVELOPMENTAL CONTEXT OF AUTISM; 2. Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Young Children; Catherine Lord and Susan Risi; 3. Joint Attention, Cultural Learning, and Language Acquisition: Implications for Children with Autism; Malinda Carpenter and Michael Tomasello; 4. Joint Attention, Social Orienting, and Communication in Autism; Peter Mundy and Jennifer Stella; 5. Intersubjectivity in Autism: The Roles of Imitation and Executive Function; Sally J. Rogers and Loisa Bonnetto; 6. Understanding the Nature of the Communication and Language Impairments; Amy M. Wetherby, Barry M. Prizant, and Adriana L. Schuler; 7. Sensory Processing and Motor Performance in Autism Spectrum Disorders; Marie E. Anzalone and G. Gordon Williamson; 8. Neurological Underpinnings of Autism; Natacha Akshoomoff; PART II: ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION ISSUES; 9. Communication Intervention Issues for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders; Barry M. Prizant, Amy M. Wetherby, and Patrick J. Rydell; 10. More Able Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Social-communicative Challenges and Guidelines for Enhancing Abilities; Diane Twachtman-Cullen; 11. Promoting Peer Play and Socialization: The Art of Scaffolding; Adriana L. Schuler and Pamela J. Wolfberg. 12. A Developmental Approach to Problems in Relating and Communicating in Autistic Spectrum Disorders and Related Syndromes; Stanley I. Greenspan; 13. Understanding and Intervening with Young Children's Problem Behavior: A Comprehensive Approach; Lise Fox, Glen Dunlap, and Pamelazita Buschbacher; 14. Augmentative Communication and Literacy; Pat Mirenda and Karen Erickson; 15. The Experience of Autism in the Lives of Families; Barbara Domingue, Barbara Cutler, and Janet McTarnaghan; Author Index; Subject Index.
