Summary

Autism is a baffling brain disorder that profoundly affects children’s communication and social skills. It is also a spectrum disorder, which means it can occur in a variety of forms and intensity. Most cases of autism appear before a child’s third birthday. Recent years have marked a stunning rise in the number of children diagnosed as autistic, with the U.S. Department of Education reporting a 173-percent rise in the number of autistic students served under the Individuals with Disabilities Act between the 1992-93 and 1997-98 school years. Yet much remains unknown about autism, and controversy surrounds everything from defining the disease to diagnosing it to treating it—with theories about its cause ranging from vaccines to faulty genes to maternal personality.

The Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders provides a much-needed reference guide to this disease. More than 300 entries address the different types of autism, causes and treatments, institutions, associations, leading scientists, research, social impact, and much more. The book tackles a complex and daunting subject in clear language suitable for the general reader. Appendixes include major relevant organizations, sources for further reading and research, a glossary, and a bibliography.

Entries include:

• Atypical autism
• Asperger's syndrome
• Causes of autism
• Developmental disability
• Early intervention program
• Genes and autism
• High-functioning autistic disorders
• Individualized education program
• Language delay
• Mainstreaming
• Nonfluent aphasia
• Patterning
• Safety issues
• Tactile defensiveness
• Vitamins and autism.

Specifications

Index. Appendixes. Bibliography. Glossary. Cross-references.

About the Author(s)

Carol Turkington is a medical writer with a degree in journalism and 25 years of professional experience, including three years as medical writer/editor at Duke University Medical Center/Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is also a former educational consultant to the national office of the American Red Cross. Her many books for Facts On File include The Encyclopedia of the Brain and Brain Disorders, Second Edition; The Encyclopedia of Deafness and Hearing Disorders, Second Edition, Updated; The Encyclopedia of Memory and Memory Disorders, Second Edition; The Encyclopedia of Infectious Diseases, Second Edition; and The Encyclopedia of Children's Health and Wellness.

Ruth Anan, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist who specializes in the early diagnosis and treatment of autism. She is the director of the early childhood program and on the medical staff in the Department of Developmental Pediatrics at William Beaumont Hospital in the Detroit area.