Social and Communication Development in Autism Spectrum Disorders - Early Identification, Diagnosis, and Intervention (Relié)

Early identification and intervention can lead to significantly better outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Moreover, much has been learned in the past decade about early warning signs that previously might have gone unnoticed by professionals and parents. This volume brings together leading experts to present new advances in understanding and treating ASD in the first five years of life.
Throughout, attention to both real-world practice and scientific research enhances the book's utiliry as a clinical reference and text. Grounded in cutting-edge frindings on the social-communication behavior of typically and atypically developing children, the volume first addresses assessment and diagnosis. Authors describe innovative measurement strategies and instruments that show promise in identifying ASD at a very young age.
Mindful of the complexities of preschool diagnosis, the book also discusses the limitations of current diagnostic models. Following a review of screening approaches for community and clinical practice settings, evidence-based intervention models are examined in depth. Chapters focus on cote social-communication deficits, including problems with joint attention, communication and language, play, and imitation.
Valuable advice is provided on matching treatment to individual children's needs, and salient directions for future research are identified. Concluding chapters explore some of the developmental and neurobiological processes that underlie social-communication impairments in ASD, further elucidating why and how early intervention can make a difference.