A Practical Guide to Mental Health Problems in Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: It's not just their autism!

Exploring the relationship between ASD and mental health difficulties, this book offers practical guidance to help parents and professionals recognise and handle co-morbid conditions, and dispels the myth that they are just a part of autism. The authors cover a wide range of common mental health problems experienced by children with ASD, including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), anxiety, ADHD, eating disorders, psychosis, stress, tics and depression, and illustrate these issues with case studies. They also provide vital advice in an accessible format and suggest strategies to ease the difficulties which arise from these co-morbid conditions. This book is essential reading for professionals working with children on the autism spectrum and is an accessible and practical resource for parents and carers.

Table of Contents:
Abbreviations. Preface. Introduction. 1. Autistic Spectrum Disorder: An Introduction. 2. Mental Health: An Introduction. 3. Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Comorbid ADHD. 4. ASD and Comorbid Anxiety Disorders. 5. ASD and Comorbid Depression. 6. ASD and Tics or Tourette's Syndrome. 7. ASD and Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD). 8. ASD and Comorbid Eating Disorders. 9. ASD and Other Less Common Psychiatric Conditions. 10. Reducing Stress and Strategies that Help. 11. ASD and Sleep Problems. 12. Sensory Processing Problems and Executive Functioning Difficulties. 13. ASD and Self-Harm. 14. The Use of Therapies. 15. The Role of Different Professionals. Glossary of Terms. References.

About the Author :
Khalid Karim is a senior teaching fellow at the University of Leicester and a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist. As both the lead on ASD at Leicestershire Partnership Trust CAMHS (Child and Adult Mental Health Services) and the father of a child with autism and ADHD, Khalid understands the concerns and interests of professionals in this area and of parents and carers of autistic children. Alvina Ali is a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist with specialities including children with neuro-developmental difficulties. As the mother of a deaf son with autism, Alvina has a particular interest in mental health problems in deaf children and an understanding of the services available. Michelle O'Reilly is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Leicester where her research covers many areas of child mental health, including ASD. Having a brother with ASD and his significant mental health problems have given her personal insight into this area.

Review :
This book aims to help parents and professionals recognise and handle co-morbid conditions, dispelling the myth that they are just part of autism... It provides advice in an accessible format and suggests strategies to ease the difficulties that arise from co-morbid conditions. This is a timely book, as there are few books that address the complex topic of mental health disorders and children with autism labels. At once, the authors provide the reader with practical examples, personalized stories, and clear descriptions of how to recognize and offer support to children with autism labels who experience mental health challenges. The authors take great care when describing the meanings of autism, normality, and mental health 'disorders', and offer parents and practitioners tangible ways to address daily challenges. Although our initial ideas about ASD in the 1940s through 1960s was to think of it as a Mental Health problem, empirical research has unequivocally determined that it is a Neurodevelopmental Disorder, caused by differences in the ways the brains of those with ASD understand and process information compared with their typical peers. Although this is well established and generally accepted, recent studies have pointed to Mental Health difficulties frequently accompanying this Neurodevelopmental Disorder. Because this is a relatively new development and many professionals in the field of ASD are not as well trained in Mental Health disturbances as they are in Developmental Disabilities, this book is a significant addition to the literature. Written by three professionals in the field who recognize a gap developing between understanding those with ASD and seeing how Mental Health problems can alter their needs and suggest appropriate strategies that would be useful to assist them, the book meets an important need. The authors show a thorough understanding of ASD and Mental Health problems and explain both in a straightforward and comprehensive way. The clear writing, penetrating insights, and wonderful case examples combine for a very clear and comprehensive presentation. These exhaustive discussions and descriptions help capture the unique characteristics of those with ASD and show how understanding and working with them changes when their differences are compounded by Mental Health difficulties. Parents and professionals wanting to help those with ASD will welcome this splendid addition to the field. What is particularly valuable about this book is its sustained acknowledgement that children with ASD have emotional and social needs beyond what might be assumed from their primary diagnosis. The authors present the complexities that surround this simple and powerful message in a commendably clear and accessible manner. Children and young people on the autism spectrum are more vulnerable to developing mental health problems for a variety of reasons, but we can do much to reduce the likelihood of some of these (e.g. anxiety and depression). This book gives a very comprehensive account of the difficulties which can co-occur with autism and summarises current strategies to address these. As such, it is a very important and accessible addition to the relatively sparse literature on the subject for parents, carers and practitioners.