Understanding the Nature of Autism And Asperger's Disorder: Forty Years Of Clinical Practice And Pioneering Research [Paperback]

Edward R. (Author), M.D. Ritvo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2005

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There are many reasons I'm putting pen to paper, or should I say, typing on my laptop. But far and away the most important is my wish to explain to everyone with autism and Asperger's disorder the basic nature of their condition."

About the Author

Edward R. Ritvo 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.

Product Details

• Paperback: 174 pages
• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Pub (November 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843108143
• ISBN-13: 978-1843108146
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,148,888 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars autism:book review, January 25, 2006

By 

Carey Zuckerman "Carey Zuckerman" (New York N.Y.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding the Nature of Autism And Asperger's Disorder: Forty Years Of Clinical Practice And Pioneering Research (Paperback)

This book,ritten by a pioneer in autism genetics, is a must for anyone involved in the field of autism. Particularly valuable for parents of newly diagnosed children. Carey Zuckerman, Preident of the Manhattan Autism Society

1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Finally Got It!, September 30, 2008

By 

edrm - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding the Nature of Autism And Asperger's Disorder: Forty Years Of Clinical Practice And Pioneering Research (Paperback)

I think I found the gist of the book at last, although nothing came to my mind just after reading all through. Dr. Ritvo set an inspiring example of mild/high functioning autism(M/HFA) i.e., the famous movie, Rain Man, which really cracked me up! Raymond with M/HFA stopped in the middle of the intersection when he saw the sign, "DON'T WALK". The point is he took the sign literally, but didn't understand the meaning. Of course, for typical people, this WAS a real disaster which caused road rage. I have seen Rain Man once, but I felt as if it had nothing to do with me. However, I realized people with developmental impairments are likely to make the similar mistakes after being diagnosed with ADHD and Asperger syndrome(AS). In other words, I'd say people with developmental challenges often find it difficult to catch social languages and cues like Raymond.

I know Rain Man is quite an extreme example of M/HFA. To be quite honest, I got pretty upset first time I found the sentence, "Congratulations you have Asperger's syndrome" in Prof. Tony Attwood's book, An Complete Guide to AS. As it turned out, I just jumped the gun. I thought, "You call this Congratulations!? Get out of here, this disorder will last forever and I have to deal with my AS for the rest of my life!" On second thought, I recognized Prof. Attwood implied people with AS have different brain wiring and way of thinking, which nobody else could have. They aren't had, defective, and crazy at all. Jumping the gun like this can slow a reciprocal communication to work smoothly , that's for sure!

I'm not sure about the details of this book, but I'm going to reread it to deepen my understanding!