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Autism Spectrum Disorder
A Bibliography



By Dawn Scheidel Bish
LS 620









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Scope

There is a saying in the world of Autism that 'if you've met one Autistic person, you have
met one Autistic person'. Autism is a spectrum disorder that affects different children in
different ways from mild symptoms to higher functioning autism. Autism is a
developmental disorder that affects not only the person who receives the diagnosis but
the family and friends of such persons. The diagnosis is based on observation and
interviews with parents and others familiar with the child. The parent who receives the
diagnosis can become very overwhelmed with all the information that is available about
autism, some good, some bad and some just ugly. From applied behavior analysis to
chelation therapy to facilitated communication, there is such a vast amount of
information to be found that it can be confusing for the parent trying to find out what is
best for their child. The scope of this bibliography will hopefully help the parent or
person diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder to navigate the ins and outs of ASD
including causes, diagnosis and treatment.

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism has probably been around since the beginning of time. However, not until Leo
Kanner and Hans Asperger, did the term Autism and Asperger's become part of
psychiatry. Leo Kanner was an American scientist who first identified 11 children with
similar traits that could not be categorized by any other psychiatric disorder. These
children exhibited symptoms such as lack of affect, resistance to change and abnormal
language. He published a paper in 1943, Autistic disturbances of affective contact,
describing these children. At about the same time, Hans Asperger, an Austrian medical
student published a paper, Autistic psychopathology in children, which described similar
qualities in the children he saw. Unfortunately due to the time in history (WW),
Asperger's account went unnoticed until 40 years later and was only published in
English in 1991. Both Kanner and Asperger were describing the same type of children
at the same time, an ocean away.
Autism is a lifelong disability that presents itself prior to age two and has no known cure.
t is one of the most prevalent of the developmental disabilities rivaling the precedence
of Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy. Autism, otherwise known as Autism Spectrum
Disorder (ASD) covers a wide range and ability within the spectrum from the child with
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severe Autism to the person with Asperger's Syndrome to the person diagnosed as
having Pervasive Developmental Disorder, not otherwise specified, (PPD/NOS). . There
is no definitive diagnostic evaluation such as blood test or brain scan that can pinpoint
the presence of ASD; however, there is a list of behavioral criteria that provides the
professional with a diagnostic tool to make the diagnosis of Autism.
National nstitution on Health (NH) estimates that autism rates are 1 in 250 with four
times as many boys as girls affected. As recently as 2006, the CDC reports that the rate
of ASD is 1 in 110. This is a tremendous increase from the preceding years. There have
been many hypotheses about why the increase, including the use of thimerosal,
mercury based preservative in vaccine, to the change in diagnostic criteria. According
to the CDC, the increase in diagnosis of ASD is a combination of differing criteria,
change in criteria, addition of other disorders included in ASD and the increase in
education and training of professionals including physicians and teachers to what ASD
is.
According to the Diagnostic Criteria from the DSM-IV-TR, published by the American
Psychiatric Association, the following is the criteria that need to be met in order to make
a diagnosis of autism:
) A total of six (or more) items from (A), (B), and (C), with at least two from (A), and one
each from (B) and (C)
(A) qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of
the following:
1. marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as
eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, and gestures to regulate
social interaction
2. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
3. a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or
achievements with other people, (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or
pointing out objects of interest to other people)
4. lack of social or emotional reciprocity ( note: in the description, it gives
the following as examples: not actively participating in simple social play
or games, preferring solitary activities, or involving others in activities only
as tools or "mechanical" aids )
(B) qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the
following:
1. delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not
accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of
communication such as gesture or mime)
2. in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to
initiate or sustain a conversation with others
3. stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language
4. lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play
appropriate to developmental level
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(C) restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and
activities, as manifested by at least two of the following:
1. encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and
restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
2. apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or
rituals
3. stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g hand or finger
flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
4. persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
() Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior
to age 3 years:
(A) social interaction
(B) language as used in social communication
(C) symbolic or imaginative play
() The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's Disorder or Childhood
Disintegrative Disorder
The criteria was accessed from the following website: http://www.autreat.com/dsm4-
autism.html on 3/29/10.
So what does that all mean? n layman's terms: ASD is a developmental disorder that
affects the way a person perceives the world including deficits in communication, social
skills and behavioral skills.
ommunication deficits include but are not limited to: no language, no babbling by
age of one, no use of single words by age 18 months, not responding to name, not
asking for things that are wanted, can speak but has trouble with social speech, repeats
words over and over again (echolalia), repeats whatever is said to him and does not
understand jokes, phrases or sarcasm.
SociaI skiIIs deficits include but are not limited to: does not pretend play, does not
parallel play (play alongside a peer), does not establish eye contact, does not draw
attention to himself (look what did), prefers to play by himself and does not
acknowledge others.
BehavioraI deficits include but are not limited to: flapping hands, spinning self or
objects, lack of attention, tantrums, self injurious behaviors, aggression towards others,
persistence in need to follow a routine, lining up toys and is very organized.
Often children with ASD have sensory issues such as heightened awareness to sound,
sight, smell and hearing. ASD is often accompanied by mental retardation and 25 % of
people with ASD also have seizures. Persons with ASD may develop quite normally
however, usually children with ASD will not develop like typically developing children.
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As stated earlier, if you have met one person with autism, you have met one person
with autism. The following chart shows the ranges at which each child with ASD can be
affected.
Example of Range of Symptoms
Following the chart below - a person might have average intelligence, have little interest
in other people, use limited verbal language, experience intense self-stimulatory
behaviors such as hand-flapping, under-react to pain and over-react to sounds, have
very good gross motor skills,
and have weaknesses in fine
motor skills.

Chart demonstrating the

variation of symptoms a child
can have. This chart is from
CDC website














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Diagnosis

f a parent suspects that their child may have ASD or another learning disability the first
stop the parent should make is to the child's pediatrician. Pediatricians are now being
educated to spot the beginning signs of ASD. The pediatrician will then make a referral
to a specialist in diagnosing children with ASD. These specialists include developmental
pediatricians, developmental psychiatrists or childhood neurologists.
There is no definitive test for ASD. No blood tests, no brain scan or MR will tell a
physician that a child has ASD. ASD is diagnosed by a thorough diagnostic screening.
This screening may include hearing and vision screening, Q testing, parent
questionnaires and behavioral observation.
What to expect at a developmental evaluation: First off, this is going to be a time
consuming process. Most clinics will split the evaluation up into two to three sessions to
make it easier on the parent and child. Parents need to be prepared by bringing all
medical information about the child as well as when the child has met his developmental
milestones such as: when started to babble, say first word, sit up, crawl and walk. The
following is a list of the most common diagnostic tools used for diagnosis of ASD.
Diagnostic TooIs:
ARS (Childhood Autism Rating scale): This easy to use questionnaire is effective to
use on children ages 2 and above. t consists of questions for parents and a place for
observations. t can provide a diagnosis from severe to mild.
AB (Autism Behavioral Checklist): This behavior checklist is completed by a parent or
someone who best knows the child. This test is useful as a symptom inventory but not
as a standalone diagnostic tool.
ADI-R (Autism Diagnosis nventory-Revised): This diagnostic tool is a structured
interview given by a clinician. The interview comprises of questions focused on
communication and language, reciprocal social interactions and restricted, repetitive
and stereotyped behaviors. t entails the clinician interviewing the parent for up to two
hours and only a trained clinician can complete the checklist. Therefore, it is time
consuming and may not be appropriate diagnostic tool in all situations. Also, scoring is
only based on parent assessment and not on direct observation by the clinician.
ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule): This test entails the clinician setting
up situations where they can observe the child during play, communication and
socialization.
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'ineIand Adaptive Behavior ScaIe-II: test to determine level of functioning in
personal, daily living and social skills. t is a questionnaire based test, asking questions
of the caretaker or parent. This is not a test to diagnose ASD but determine at what
level the child is functioning.

auses
ASD affects the normal development of the brain. There is no known cause but
research links ASD to biological and neurological differences in the brain. Studies into
the causes of ASD are ongoing. Many of these research studies can be found on the
CDC and NH website. The following is an outline of some of the purported causes.

Genetics
Most scientists agree that genes play a large part in the cause of ASD. Children with a
sibling or parent who has ASD have a greater risk of having ASD themselves. Other
genetic disorders have been linked to ASD such as Fragile X syndrome,
Phenylketonuria (PKU), Down Syndrome and Tuberous Sclerosis.
n some families there is a pattern of behaviors that link themselves to ASD. A family
that has one child with autism has a ten to twenty percent rate of having another child
with autism. t is much more likely to occur in identical twins (60%) as opposed to 5% in
fraternal twins.ASD is four times more likely to occur in boys than it is in girls. Scientists
theorize that it has something to do with the x chromosome. Males have one x
chromosome and one y chromosome and females have two x chromosomes. f the
problem is on the x chromosome, the female has another x chromosome to cancel out
the genetic anomaly on the other x chromosome, whereas males do not have that
capability. For example, a person with Fragile X syndrome has an error on the x
chromosome that is attributed to ASD. Persons with Fragile X are always boys as they
cannot counteract the anomaly in the x chromosome. Girls are carriers of the gene for
Fragile X and can pass this gene onto their child.





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Immune System Disorder

Although there have been some studies that show that people with ASD have
weakened immune systems this is problem not a cause per say but an environmental
issue that may exacerbate the symptoms of autism. t could also point to a genetic
predisposition to immune disorders in persons with ASD. mmune System Disorders
have been linked with vaccines. The current thinking is that a child may have a
predisposition to having an adverse reaction to a vaccine due to an immune system
disorder.

'accines
Thimerosal, a mercury based preservative in vaccines has an anecdotal link between
vaccines and ASD, specifically the MMR vaccines. This notion of vaccines causing ASD
was suggested when the vaccines schedules for children and newborns were changed
in the 1980's and there was a rise of ASD diagnosed since the change. Anecdotal
evidence from parents report that their child was 'typically' developing until they had
their MMR vaccine.
Thimerosal was discontinued from childhood vaccines starting in 1998 and all vaccines
are thimerosal free as of 2002. However, since the discontinuation of thimerosal in
vaccines there has not been a decrease in diagnosed cases of autism.
AIIergies
Again, allergies to gluten and dairy (wheat and milk) have an anecdotal link to ASD.
However, as with vaccines, this could be caused by an mmune Disorder that lowers the
body's ability to break down these chemicals in the body. One such disorder is Leaky
Gut Syndrome where the food is broken down in the digestive track but then leaks into
the blood stream, affecting opiate receptors, causing a 'high' every time the child eats
certain foods. This may lead to the child only eating certain foods to the exclusion of all
others.




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Treatments/Therapies
Unfortunately for parents looking for answers, there is not one treatment that relieves all
the symptoms of ASD. What works for one child may not work for another. Researchers
all agree that the earlier the child is diagnosed and the earlier the treatment starts, the
more improvement in ASD symptoms will occur.
Parents should concentrate on researching all therapies prior to starting any therapy. t
is important that the parent understands and is on board with all therapies. The parent is
going to be the best therapist for their child. There are many supposed 'cures' out there
on the market. Parents please remember that ASD does not have a cure. The best you
can possibly do for your child is to get him services as soon as the diagnosis is made so
that more progress can be made. Again, PARENTS PLEASE BEWARE OF THE
SNAKE OIL SALESMEN! Below is a list of treatments and therapies that are available
to persons with ASD. Parents must weigh the benefits of the treatment as well as the
financial cost it has on the family. Also, one last word of wisdom, most treatments are
not stand alone treatments. t will probably take a variety of treatments to help with the
symptoms of ASD.
Please note: there are many more treatments out there that supposedly 'cures' or
reduces ASD symptoms. These include chelation therapy, facilitated communication
and hyperbolic oxygen chambers. These will not be addressed in this bibliography as
the therapy has either been debunked, as with facilitated communication, or there is no
scientific evidence to show that it is a 'cure'.
ABA (AppIied BehavioraI AnaIysis)
ABA is based on the principle that a behavior that is rewarded is more likely to repeat
itself than a behavior that is ignored. This therapy is performed in a structured setting
where the therapist uses Discrete Trial Training (DTT). The therapist works with the
child intensely from 20 to 40 hours per week. Sessions start off simply, such as having a
child point to a certain color and rewarding the child for the correct answer. Rewards
usually start with tangible reinforcements such
as food or stimulation (tickling, singing, play)
and then will gradually work towards tokens that
can be used for a special treat or outing. ABA is
one of the most effective treatments for autism,
however, this is much easier to accomplish
when the child is very young. ABA techniques
can be used to: decrease behaviors, increase
communication, learn new skills, reduce self
injury or other self stimulatory behaviors and
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generalize what is learned in the therapy session to other parts of the child's life.
var Lovaas published a study in 1987 where trained therapists worked with 19 young
children with autism. These children ranged in age from 35 to 41 months old. After two
years of training half the children developed skills to make them indistinguishable from
any other child that age. Most of the other children made significant improvements.
Scientists have since tried to replicate the study but have not had the success that
Lovaas had. Also, there has been some debate over the efficacy of his study as he did
not test adaptive functioning or intellectual functioning of the children in his study.
This therapy is intensive both in terms of finances as well as time spent with the child.
The parent must hire trained therapists to come in and work with the child. The therapy
has less beneficial outcomes if the therapy is done less than 20 hours per week. Also,
the parent must be trained in ABA techniques in order to provide follow through when
the child is in their care. ABA also requires a team leader that is a trained behavioral
analyst and team meetings are important to the progress of the child. Each therapist
must be doing the same thing in the same way when teaching a skill in order for the
child to learn a skill. t works but it is tough going and consistency is the key to success.
Auditory Integration Therapy
Auditory ntegration Therapy is a therapy that helps the person with auditory integration
problems. n theory, a person with autism has sensitivity to certain sound waves that
interfere with the learning of language and communication. AT provides the person with
an intensive therapy to reduce the sensitivity. Developed by Guy Berard, an
otolaryngologist, AT is thought to increase attention span and ability to follow
directions. The therapy consists of twice-a-day, 30 minute training sessions. The
person listens to unpredictable, modulated music that has been specially processed.
This special music is thought to train the person to filter out unimportant information.
Parents and professionals have reported anecdotally that it has increase attention span
and ability to follow directions but no controlled research to support AT. Parents have
reported that where once their child could not go out in public without earphones on,
they were able to after the therapy.
Sensory Integration Therapy
A person with autism may be over or under stimulated by sound, touch, taste and
hearing. An occupational therapist may use methods such as Sensory ntegration
Therapy (ST) which stimulates the motion/balance/touch and joints via a variety of
techniques such as swinging, brushing, weighted vests, deep compressions and
swaddling. n Temple Grandin's book mergence, Labeled Autistic, she describes in
detail her issues with sensory stimulation and her ongoing search to find something that
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would help her with this issue. She finally developed a 'cattle holding' device that she
could manipulate to provide herself with the stimulation she needed.
TEAH Structured Teaching: Treatment and Education of Autistic and reIated
communication handicapped chiIdren.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill developed in 1971 by Eric Schopler to
provided structured learning environment for children and adults. This type of program
builds on the strengths of the person and helps to develop independence. Using picture
schedules, picture symbols, structured work tasks (matching colors, letters, shapes, etc)
and having work baskets so that the child can work as independently as possible on the
task. t appears that using the TEACCH method along with ABA seems to urge children
towards more progress quickly.
Most ASD classrooms in North Carolina use the TEACCH method of training. Once you
enter a classroom using TEACCH, you can see how and why it
works. Each child has his own schedule with either pictures or
words, in the order that the tasks will be done. A difficult task is
usually followed by a rewarding task. Each child has his own 'work
station' where he sits and learns the skills he needs to learn. The
training material is usually visual, such as matching pictures or
pictures to words. The method is very structured as the child
always works from left to right and then when the task is finished it
is put in the finished box. When all the work on the left side of the
table is gone, the child knows to move on to the next activity on the schedule.
FIoortime
Stanley Greenspan, M.D. developed a treatment where the child is the leader in the
training and the parent or therapist starts off doing what the child is doing and then
shaping these activities into learning activities. Parent or therapist sits down with child
on floor and does what the child is doing, interacting face to face letting the child be the
leader. The parent or therapist uses play to teach skills that the child needs to learn.
This technique is called Difference Relationship based Model (DR)
Medication
Before going into the medication section of this bibliography, one thing must be made
clear. Medication is not the be all and end all in decreasing behaviors in the person with
ASD. There are numerous side effects and many of the medications used today have
not been proven safe to use on children. Medication is a big deal and must be
approached with caution.
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Selective Serotonin Reuptake nhibitors or SSR's are used to decrease repetitive
movements, tantrums, irritability and obsessive behaviors in persons with autism.
However, only one SSR has been approved by the FDA for use in children. There are
side effects to these medications one being increased agitation and irritability which
would preclude someone from using this as a treatment options. Usually, the side
effects are seen soon after beginning therapy and a lower dose or discontinuation of the
medication will eliminate side effects. Side effects that indicate too high of a dosage are
agitation and insomnia.
Medication that has been used to treat high blood pressure has also been used to
reduce aggressiveness in persons with ASD. These include Clonidine, nderal and
Visken.
ADHD medications have been used to increase attention and decrease hyperactivity.
Anti-epileptic medication such as Valproic Acid has been shown to decrease explosive
behavior and aggression. This is often prescribed to children with seizure disorders and
ASD as this will decrease seizures.
Anti-psychotics such as Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel and Clozaril have been approved
to be used for persons with ASD., These medications are used to decrease aggression,
irritability, hyperactivity, repetitive behaviors and explosive behaviors, have been used
to treat ASD however, the side effects are many and can be irreversible such as tardive
dyskenisia.
Diet
t has been believed that an allergy to gluten or dairy may be the cause of autism.
Researchers do not see a correlation between autism and diet, however, some
anecdotal evidence leads to the belief that eliminating dairy and gluten to the diet of an
individual with autism may reduce symptoms of the disorder such as agitation and
decreased attention. t is a very difficult diet to follow and if the child has aversions to
certain foods or a limited food repertoire than this will make it even more difficult to
follow the diet. t is worth trying but if symptoms are not reduced soon after starting the
diet, it should be discontinued.
Augmentative ommunication
Augmentative Communication runs the gamut from a simple picture exchange system,
simple voice output devices that say one word or phrase to complicated voice output
devices designed on computer devices such as laptops and PDAs. Children with ASD
have language deficits from not talking at all to being quite verbal but not able to
communicate wants and needs so that it is understood by others. This is where the
augmentative communication device or system comes in handy.
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PECS is a system of pictures where the person exchanges a picture
for what he wants or what he wants to say. Pictures include nouns,
verbs, pronouns, adjectives etc. You can also teach sentence
structure. The picture to the right is an example of a simple picture
system.
Voice output devices come in many shapes, sizes
and prices. The least expensive and the simplest
device is a button that the child presses to
express a need. The parent or speech therapist
would program his/her voice into the device. This
can be used for simple speech such as enough,
outside or am hungry. This is a great starting
device for someone who is just starting to use a
voice output device and does not require much
coordination or reading ability to use.
A more sophisticated device would be something like this shown here where the user
would either type in what he wants to say or use pictures to
type in what he wants to say. These devices are expensive and
it is recommended that the parent rent the device for the child
before purchasing to get an idea if this is the right device for
the child.



IEP: IndividuaI Education PIan. This is a treatment plan for a child that meets the
requirement for special education in the school system. This is the best method to get
what a child needs from the school system as if it is on the EP the school is legally
responsible for providing the treatment, equipment, school environment etc. This would
include: inclusion, special education classes, therapies, behavioral plan. Long term and
short term goals are outlined along with how the objective is going to be met.

IFSP is an IndividuaI FamiIy Service PIan written for a child and the family of the child
from birth to age three. This is the early intervention program and is the equivalent to
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the EP once a child becomes school aged. School aged for a special needs child is age
three.
EarIy Intervention Program: to identify and provide services to those children who are
at risk for a developmental disability or who have been diagnosed with a developmental
disability. This is probably the most important step in getting services started for your
child. The earlier you start with services the better outcome the child will have.

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L Subject Headings Search

Autism was pretty straight forward to search for information. The problem had was
disseminating what books were recent, appropriate and had the most current research
and trends.

Autism (May Subd Geog)
Autism--Diagnosis (May Subd Geog)
Autism in adolescence (May Subd Geog)
Autism in children (May Subd Geog)
Autism in children--Diagnosis (May Subd Geog)
Autism in literature (Not Subd Geog)
Autism spectrum disorders (May Subd Geog)
Autistic artists (May Subd Geog)
Autistic children (May Subd Geog)
Autistic children--Behavior modification (May Subd Geog)
Autistic children--Education (May Subd Geog)
Autistic children--Education--Law and legislation (May Subd Geog)

Autistic children--Means of communication (May Subd Geog)
Asperger's syndrome (May Subd Geog)
Asperger's syndrome in adolescence (May Subd Geog
Asperger's syndrome in children (May Subd Geog)
Asperger's syndrome in children--Diagnosis

Asperger's syndrome in literature



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Iassification Statement

Library of ongress Subject Headings

Most of the information pertaining to autism and ASD could be found in one of these
areas.

RC553.A88: Autism, infantile autism, asperger's syndrome
RJ506.A9: Autism in Children
RJ506.A88: Asperger's Syndrome
RJ506.A9: Asperger's Syndrome in children/adolescence


Dewey DecimaI System

600: Technology
610: Medical Sciences
616: Diseases
616.9 Disease of nervous system and mental disorders
616.85 Miscellaneous diseases of nervous system and mental disorders
618: Gynecology, obstetrics, pediatrics & geriatrics
618.92: Pediatrics











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BibIiography

Pruitt, D. B. Ed. (1998). The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
Your Child: motional, Behavioral and Cognitive Development from Birth through
Adolescence. New York: HarperCollins Publisher.
Okay, so you are a first time parent and don't know what normal development is and
what is abnormal. This is the book for you. This book outlines milestones at each stage
in a child's life and alerts the parent to what is typical. For example, in the first chapter,
the book goes through each milestone that is reached during the first year as well as
bonding, stranger anxiety and separation anxiety. Later chapters discuss emotional
disorders, behavior disorders and when and where to seek help. This is an excellent
source of information written in clear, understandable terms.

The two books every parent shouId receive once their chiId has been diagnosed
are the foIIowing:
Stillman, W. (2007). The Autism Answer Book: More than 300 of the top questions
parents ask. Naperville, L: Sourcebooks, nc.
This is a reference guide for parents with children with ASD. Written by a person with
Asperger's Syndrome, this book is direct and to the point. No nonsense answers to a
variety of questions from what is autism to self help skills to social skills issues. This
book concentrates on several issues that other books may not such as the presumption
that the person with ASD does have intelligence, prevention versus intervention and
self-advocacy.
A great first book primer that introduces the parent to what autism is and provides
access to additional resources. Especially helpful and relevant is the Social Stories
Narratives that address specific social skills that a child will need. This section explores
the necessity of setting up specific social settings to address what a typical child has no
problems addressing such as making mistakes, wearing my pants and sleeping in my
own bed. Simple instructions and reinforcing techniques help the parent understand
how to use Social Stories.

Phelan, T. (1995). 1-2-3 Magic: ffective Discipline for Children 2-12. Glen Ellyn, L:
Child Management, nc.
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This book is does not specifically deal with children on the ASD spectrum but all
children between the ages of two and twelve. This simply written book helps a parent to
deal with inappropriate behavior in a straight forward, matter of fact way. Teaches
parents how to stop behaviors they do not want to continue, reinforce behaviors that
they want to foster and build self esteem of the child. This book is at times humorous,
poignant but overall provides parents with time tested strategies to help with behaviors.
The behaviors include going to bed alone, listening to directions, decreasing tantrums,
whining and yelling. This is an invaluable book for any parent's repertoire but especially
useful to the parent of a child with ASD.

GeneraI ASD books:
Turklington, C., & Anan, R. (2007). The ncyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
New York: Facts on File.
An alphabetical listing of facts about autism and autism spectrum disorders, this
encyclopedia is written in clear, concise terms meant for the layperson and not the
professional. t covers such topics as diagnosis, topics of legal relevance and school
related topics such as ndividual Education Plan (EP) and transition plans. Although the
topics are not exhaustive, it is a great basic text for parents and professionals to
develop an understanding of autism.
Judd, S. J. Ed. (2007). Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders Sourcebook.
Detroit: Omnigraphics
The scope of this book is a vast resource for parents and professionals. This book
covers everything from diagnosis, causes and treatments to how to transition a person
with ASD during varying times of their lives such as going to school, moving out on their
own and going to college. Chapters include: Understanding ASD, Causes of ASD,
Diagnosing and Evaluating ASD, Therapies and Treatments, along with Family and
Lifestyle ssues for People with Autism. This book is probably the most comprehensive
and understandable of all the 'technical' books on ASD.
Schreibman, L. (2005). The Science and Fiction of Autism. London: Harvard University
Press.
The Science and Fiction of Autism seeks to chronicle what works and what doesn't work
in treating children with ASD. The chapter on Miracle Cures or Bogus Treatments is
worth the price of the book. Schreibman analyzes treatment options using scientific
based modalities and answers the question: Does this really work?
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Zager, D. Ed.(2005). Autism Spectrum Disorder Identification, ducation, and
Treatment. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, nc.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Identification provides the reader with comprehensible,
readable, up to date overview of ASD and the links to research, theory and practice. A
substantial amount of this book emphasizes early diagnosis and early intervention.
Another section of the book deals extensively with psychopharmacological interventions
and ASD. This book can be a bit overwhelming to parents due to the vernacular used.
Coplan, J. (2010). Making Sense of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Create the Brightest
Future for Your Child with the Best Treatment Options. New York: Bantam Books.
Coplan makes science looks easy. This understandable, comprehensible book defines
ASD and its treatment in words that both parents and professionals will have no trouble
following. This book encompasses both the scientific basis of ASD, including a viable
reason for the increase in ASD over the years to treatment options. The chapter on
Sense and Nonsense in treatment of ASD is a must read for parents searching for the
elusive 'cure'.
Advocacy
Martin, A. (2010). The veryday Advocate: Standing up for Your Child with Autism. New
York: New American Library.
Once a parent gets the diagnosis of ASD, their world changes and one of the changes
is the challenge of fighting to receive the best services for their child. Martin writes with
candor and knowledge (she is a parent of a child with ASD), about how advocating for
the child is the best thing a parent can do for themselves, the child and family. Martin
addresses issues such as early diagnosis, how to get the doctor to listen to your
concerns, how to meet the financial needs of caring for your child as well as how to
work with the school system to develop the best plan possible for your child. Martin
empowers the parent to deal with purported professionals that may be under the belief
that they know what is best for your child. The book emphasizes keeping thorough
records of milestones, school records and other data that will be of help when dealing
with a professional. The book emphasizes that the parent knows the child best and the
best way to advocate for your child is to become an expert yourself.
Siegal, L. M. (2000). The Complete IP Guide: How to Advocate for Your Special
Needs Child. Berkeley, CA: Nolo.
Navigating the ins and outs of the ndividual Education Plan is daunting for most
professionals, let alone downright intimidating to a parent of a special needs child. The
best defense for this is to come prepared. This book covers the entire process of the
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EP so that the parent is prepared with information needed to advocate and protect the
needs of their child. Sections include: who qualifies for an EP, what is an EP, who are
the players involved in the child's EP and how to develop goals and objectives. The
extensive Appendices are an invaluable source of information including a sample EP to
Special Education Law and Regulations. This is a must have book for anyone with a
special needs child of school age.
Books addressing ABA therapy
Maurice, C. Ed. (1996). Behavioral Interventions for Young Children with Autism: A
Manual for Parents and Professionals. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
The first mainstreamed book on Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and considered the
ABA bible. There are chapters on what autism is, what treatment options are, what ABA
is and where to start. Maurice provides information on how to determine where your
child needs to start in the program, what programs should be started first, how to
determine when an objective has been met. This book also provides information on how
to find a professional to help begin the program, how to fund the program and working
with professionals.
Sturmey, P., & Fitzer, A. Eds. (2007). Autism Spectrum Disorders Applied Behavior
Analysis, vidence and Practice. Austin: Pro-Ed.
Autism Spectrum Disorders is an easily relatable book for professionals working with
children with ASD. The book is written concisely and with practitioner recommendations
at the end of each chapter. Each chapter is written by a current practitioner or
researcher in the field of ASD and therefore contains the most up to date information.
This book goes into detail on what ABA is and why it works so well. Social skills training,
communication training, self help skills training and behavioral intervention training are
all addressed in the book.
Books addressing seIf heIp skiII attainment
Anderson, S. (2007). Self-Help Skills for People with Autism: A Systematic Teaching
Approach. Betheseda, MD: Woodbine House.
Anderson and company have developed a how-to book on how to teach essential life
skills to persons with ASD. This book provides detailed teaching strategies on how to
teach skills such as dressing, personal hygiene and toileting. The basis of the book is
ABA and provides the reader with task analyses of skills, data collection and how to
determine if a skill is met. The book is also helpful in determining what skills to start off
with, where in the skill acquisition a child is and how to generalize the skill to daily life.
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Wrobel, M. (2003). Taking Care of Myself: A Healthy Hygeine, Puberty and Personal
Curriculum for Young People with Autism. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons.
Due to the social and communication issues apparent in children with ASD, it can be
difficult to teach self help skills that a typical child learns easily. Wrobel addresses some
of the most important issues with a style that is both creative and functional. magine
having to teach a child what is dirty and what is clean? How to use a urinal appropriately
(without pulling your pants down to the floor)? t's difficult enough to teach a child about
their maturing body, but think about how much more difficult that is made when one has
social deficits? This book takes the parent or professional step by step concisely and
clearly how to train these skills. This is one of the only books that address privacy
issues and appropriate touching to protect the child from exploitation.
Coucouvanis, Judith. (2005). Super Skills: A Social Skills Group Program for Children
with Asperger Syndrome, High-Functioning Autism and Related Challenges. Shawnee
Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing Co.
One of the major problems a person with ASD faces is difficulties with social skills. What
comes naturally to most children, playing with others, carrying on a conversation does
not come easily for a person with ASD. Super Skills addresses four areas of social skills
necessary to be successful in life. Those skills are fundamental skills, social initiation
skills, getting along with others and social response skills. The book is divides into small
steps that a child needs to learn in each category. A book that is understandable as well
as in depth in its scope. This is a friendly book for parents to read and comprehend.
Espeland, P., & Verdick, E. (2007). Dude, That's Rude!: Get Some Manners.
Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing Co.
Dude That's Rude is a humorous way to teach children with or without ASD what good
manners entail and how to accomplish those skills. This book was not written
specifically for children with ASD, however, it is really helpful for a child that is high
functioning as they can read the book with or without the parent and gain some
understanding as to what is appropriate in public. ssues include picking your nose,
making introductions, dining out and the correct way to eat a meal. This book is
hilarious from beginning to end but is so helpful.

First Person Accounts
These books that are listed below are invaluable to the parent of a child with ASD. They
demonstrate the progress that can be made with training and intervention.

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Grandin, T. (1986). mergence: Labeled Autistic. New York: Grand Central Publishing.
Grandin, T. (1995). Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism. New York: Vintage Books.
Temple Grandin is probably the most successful and influential person with ASD. She is
an animal behaviorist and has designed one third of the live stock handling facilities in
America. n mergence: Labeled Autistic, Grandin describes in detail growing up with
ASD and her search for acceptance and control over her life. This is the quintessential
book written by a person on the spectrum. She pulls no punches and writes with a
sense of self that one might not realize a person with ASD has. She describes her
struggles in school, panic attacks and getting through college.
n Thinking in Pictures, Grandin takes it one step further and discusses in depth how a
person with ASD thinks. From visual thinking to sensory problems to relationships, she
writes with wry wit that she may not even be aware of. She likens herself to the Star
Trek character, Mr. Spock, because she relates to his logical way of thinking. Even
though the book was written in 1995, Grandin published the book again in 2006 with
additional updated information.
Robison, J. E. (2007). Look Me In the ye: My Life with Asperger's. New York: Crown
Publishing.
Robison was not diagnosed with Asperger's until he was 40 years old. His memoir,
recounts the story of his dysfunctional life from dropping out of school in 9
th
grade,
feeling more for machines than for people, getting beat up all the time at school and
going on tour with a rock band due to his genius for pyrotechnics, mechanics and math.
Although at times tragic, this memoir is humorous and intelligently written. Robison's
brother, Augustin Burroughs (Running with Scissors) wrote the foreword to the book.
Robison wrote the book for several reasons one being that he was not diagnosed until
he was 40 but that he knows what it is like to have ASD and wants to dispel some
myths that professionals have about ASD such as 'Aspergians' only want to be alone.

And one more book for fun
Hoopman, K. (2007). All Cats Have Assperger's Syndrome. London: Jessica Kingsley
Publishers.
Hoopman was not being disrespectful when she compares people with ASD with cats.
This book is a humorous adventure into the life of a person with ASD and the
comparison to cats. With excerpts like: 'An Asperger child often has exceptionally good
hearing, and loud sounds and sudden movements may scare him', 'When things get too
much for him, he may tantrum' and 'Yet when he talks, he goes on and on about the
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same topic.' are just some of the reasons this book is invaluable especially for
classmates of the child with ASD or siblings of children with ASD.

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Websites

Autism Speaks
www.autismspeaks.org
Autism Speaks is dedicated to funding global biomedical research into the causes,
prevention, treatment and cure for autism. Autism speaks is also determined to raising
public awareness about Autism and the effects on individuals, families and society,

Autism Research Institute (ARI)
www.autismwebsite.com/AR/index.htm
AR was created by Bernie Rimland as a non-profit agency to conduct and disseminate
research on the causes of autism and on methods of preventing ASD. AR is the world
headquarters for research and information on autism and related disorders and a prime
source of information on the growing movement that maintains that autism can be
treated effectively though intensive behavior modification and biomedical treatment. AR
provides information to parents free or a little charge.

Autism Society of America (ASA)
www.autism-society.org
ASA is a non-profit organization that through advocacy, public awareness education
and research seeks to promote opportunities for persons with the ASD and their
families. ASA has a strong vounteer network of 240 chapters in 50 states. One of the
most informative sites for parents


Autism Society of North aroIina
www.autismsociety-nc.org/
With one of the biggest bookstore dedicated to ASD and related disorders, Autism
Society of North Carolina is worth checking out. They have a list of parent support
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groups in each area of the state. Parents will find useful information and support from
this site.

TEAH
www.teacch.com
TEACCH, (Treatment and Education of Autistic and other communication Handicapped
Children) is an evidence-based service, training, and research program for individuals of
all ages and skill levels with autism spectrum disorders. They are dedicated to ensure
that each individual with ASD is able to function to the best of his ability and to be as
independent as possible. Most ASD classrooms in North Carolina run on the TEACCH
method of training.

ure Autism Now (AN)
www.cureautismnow.org
CAN is an organization consisting of parents, clinicians and scientists who are trying to
accelerate the pace of biomedical research in autism by raising funds for research
projects, education and outreach. This foundation was founded by parents of children
with autism.
Doug FIutie Jr. Foundation for Autism
www.dougflutiejrfoundation.org
A non-profit organization designed to help financially disadvantaged families with an
autistic member to fund education and research and to serve as a communication
center for new programs and services developed for individuals with Autism. Founded
by NFL quarterback Doug Flutie and his wife started this foundation after their son was
diagnosed with autism at the age of three.
The foundation awards grants to nonprofit organizations that conduct research on the
causes and effects of autism.


enter for Disease ontroI (D)
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.html
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Surprisingly, the CDC has a plethora of information on ASD causes, treatments and
therapies. The site is easy to navigate and as of 4/10 Autism and early diagnosis is one
their main features. Parents will find information on early detection, appropriate
treatment options and the truth about what causes autism (we don't know). The CDC
website also has free information and posters for parents, professionals and physicians.
NationaI Institute of HeaIth (NIH)
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-pervasive-
developmental-disorders/index.shtml
The NH website is the place to go for up to the minute access to research, treatments
and studies being conducted in the area of ASD. With concise coverage of recent and
ongoing research, this is the most up to date website at this time.

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PubIishers
Pro-Ed
8700 Shoal Creek Boulevard
Austin, TX 78757-6897
www.proedinc.com

Autism Asperger PubIishing ompany
PO Box 23173
Shawnee Mission, KS 66283-0173
www.asperger.net

Future Horizons
721 West Abram Street
Arlington, TX 76013
www.futurehorizon-autism.com