A Practical Guide to Autism : What Every Parent, Family Member, and Teacher Needs to Know By: Fred R. Volkmar, Lisa A. Weisner

A complete and practical guide covering the preschool through adult years

Written by two experts in the field and reviewed by parents of children with autism, this is a compassionate guide filled with useful advice for parents, teachers, and caregivers. Providing current and reliable information, the book covers everything from how to get the right diagnosis, choose the right doctors, and handle behavioral issues to how to find the best educational programs and deal with day-to-day living issues within the family, school, and community. This well-organized book also looks at questions and concerns that parents and caregivers frequently encounter. Thorough and insightful, it includes a comprehensive list of resources.

Fred R. Volkmar, MD (Branford, CT), is the director of autism research at the Yale Child Study Center and coauthor of the Handbook of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Third Edition (978-0-471-71698-3), the most influential reference in the field.
Lisa A. Weisner, MD (Branford, CT), is a pediatrician in private practice in Orange, Connecticut. She is an assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at Yale.

Contents
Dedication.
Foreword.
Preface.
1. What is Autism?
2. What Causes Autism?
3. Getting a Diagnosis.
4. Getting Services.
5. An Overview of Educational Programs.
6. Teaching Specific Skills.
7. Working with Young Children.
8. Working with School Age Children.
9. Working with Adolescents and Adults.
10. Managing Medical Issues and Problems.
11. Ensuring Safety.
12. Dealing with Seizures.
13. Dealing with Regression.
14. Dealing with Behavior Problems.
15. Considering Medications for Behavior Problems.
16. Managing Sensory Issues.
17. Managing Sleep and Sleep Problems.
18. Considering Complementary and Alternative Treatments.
19. Managing Sibling and Family Issues.
20. Planning for the Future.Reading/ Resource List/ Web Sites.
Appendix 1: Criteria for Autism.
Appendix 2: Glossary.