Understanding the Nature of Autism and Asperger's Disorder: Forty Years of Clinical Practice and Pioneering Research

Edward R. Ritvo md is an internationally recognized medical expert, researcher and pioneer in the field of autism and Asperger's disorder and co-author of the official diagnostic criteria in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Much of what is known about these disorders today is based on his painstaking research and groundbreaking discoveries. In this book he shares his forty years' experience and opens his extensive UCLA casebook to the reader. Understanding the Nature of Autism and Asperger's Disorder is 'a consultation with Prof. Ritvo' - a thoroughly accessible introduction for professionals, families, spouses and individuals with autism and Asperger's Disorder. Prof. Ritvo traces the historical development of understanding about autism and Asperger's Disorder, from the centuries of misdiagnoses and the first recognition of the characteristics of the disorders to his own highly-regarded methods for making a diagnosis. Drawing on case histories from forty years' of clinical practice, he explains their basic nature, what the causes are, what is different in the brain, treatments that work (and those that don't), what a child with a diagnosis might be like when he or she grows up, and what future research may hold. This book will be an absolute must-read for anyone with an interest in autism and Asperger's Disorder, whether a practitioner, a parent, a student, or an affected individual.

Table of Contents:
Foreword by Tony Attwood. Introduction. 1. Understanding How to Understand a Disease. 2. The Clinical Picture: From Severe to Mild Autism, to Asperger's Disorder. 3. The Life Course of Autism and Asperger's Disorders. 4. Searching the Brain for Clues. 5. Searching for Causes. 6. Treatments: Which Ones, For Whom, and When? 7. My Casebook. 8. Some Concluding Wisdoms. 9. The "Official" Diagnostic Criteria. Epilogue. Suggestions for Gathering Further Information. Index.

About the Author :
Edward R. Ritvo MD is Professor Emeritus at the UCLA School of Medicine in California, USA. He began his 'quest for understanding' of autism and Asperger's disorder in 1963, and has been on the research trail ever since.

Review :
Dr. Edward Ritvo, emeritus professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine, has devoted much of his working life to understanding and researching autism. This book, which is also a personal account of his own work, aims to provide an understanding of the basic nature of autism and Asperger disorder, offering an historical perspective as well as the behavioral and functional implications... I came to consider this book interesting and worth reading because he sets out a straightforward, realistic and upbeat view of autism and Asperger's disorder. Edward R Ritvo MD is an internationally recognized medical expert, researcher and pioneer in the field of autism and Asperger's Disorder and co-author of the official diagnostic criteria in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Much of what is known about these disorders today is based on his painstaking research and groundbreaking discovers. In this book he shares his forty years' experience and opens his extensive UCLA casebook to the reader. Whether you already have a wealth of knowledge on autism, or are new to the topic, Ritvo's recently published book (2006) will certainly throw more light on the subject. His engaging style of writing , combining personal (sometimes amusing) experience, takes the reader through a potted history of autism research, from his student days to present day. With the knowledge and warmth throughout Edward Ritvo's writing this informative book is a pleasure to read. Edward R. Ritvo is an internationally-recognised researcher with many years' experience of working with children with autism and Asperger's disorder. In this book he shares his forty years of experience in the field. Much of what is now understood about these conditions is based on the work of Ritvo and his colleagues. Ritvo's descriptions of the features of autism and Asperger's syndrome are coherent and insightful and give a helpful overview of the developmental approach to understanding ASDs. This book does what it says on the cover, it provides its reader with a journey through forty years of the professional life of the author using a witty and readable style. I think this book would be an interesting read for a wide audience who would benefit from understanding how recently our knowledge about ASD has been developed. This is easy to read with useful information for those with little prior knowledge. Ritvo provides much wise counsel for parents. While warning against "unproven theories" and indicating "treatments to avoid", he recommends behavioral therapies and emphasizes that most children improve with time.