Understanding Autism

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This is the essential reference for parents and carers of children with autism. Written by two leading experts in the field, it covers everything from the causes of autism to how it manifests at the various ages and stages of a childs life, as well as diet and nutrition, the importance of self-care for parents, how to cope with common problematic behaviours, conditions that can often appear in conjunction with autism (such as anxiety and depression), and how best to manage the childs transition to adulthood. The authors warm, supportive voice reassures parents throughout, sorting fact from myth as they provide all the key information in a clear, easily understood format.

Reviews

"The use of this book goes far beyond parents - family members and anyone working in an educational setting which has students with autism will find this accessible and empathetic book a valuable resource, which dispels many of the myths and gives practical and supportive advice." - Parents in Touch

Williams (APEX Australia Chair of Developmental Medicine, Univ. of Melbourne, Australia) and Roberts (chair of autism, Autism Ctr. of Excellence, Griffith Univ., Australia) aim to answer common questions they have encountered in their years of working with children with autism and their families. In a straightforward manner, and with kindness, they introduce autism and the four case studies, which are followed throughout the book. Chapters then discuss various ages and the difficulties and challenges that people with autism may encounter as they move from diagnosis through school and into adulthood, with examples from research. The authors further address the importance of parents and caregivers taking care of their own physical, emotional, and mental well-being as well as how to evaluate new information on diets, treatments, and education programs to make the best decision for their child. VERDICT The compassionate yet direct tone of this book makes it engaging and easy to read. Its division into stages allows for exploring a single age or phase a child may be in or looking ahead to what may be coming. An exceptional acquisition for any library with a developmental disabilities/autism collection. - Library Journal

Author Bio

Professor Katrina Williams is a paediatrician, public health physician and an internationally recognised clinical epidemiologist. She is the APEX Australia Chair of Developmental Medicine at the University of Melbourne and the Director of the Department of Developmental Medicine at the Royal Childrens Hospital, Melbourne. Her current research focus is on autism, and she is a founding member and executive committee member of the Australasian Society for Autism Research. Professor Jacqueline Roberts is the chair of autism in the Autism Centre of Excellence, an initiative of Griffith University. Prior to this, Jacqui worked as a consultant on a variety of national projects in autism. She has a background in teaching and in speech pathology and previously worked in schools for children with autism as a teacher and principal.