This article provides practitioners with a guide to (1) understand the developmental emergence of play skills in young children to inform developmentally appropriate instructional decisions (e.g., toy choices); (2) set up the play space to support social play; and (3) use key strategies from an evidence-based intervention for young children with…

The aim of the book is to serve for clinical, practical, basic and scholarly practices. In twentyfive chapters it covers the most important topics related to Autism Spectrum Disorders in the efficient way and aims to be useful for health professionals in training or clinicians seeking an update. Different people with autism can have very different…

Designed for parents or teachers of young children with autism, this guide outlines the development stages in nonverbal or visual thinking, communication, imitation, and play in children with and without autism. In the section on nonverbal or visual thinking skills, the paper addresses simple sorting and matching, the purpose of sorting, and more…

This study of the drawings produced by 34 autistic and 33 normal children (age 68-211 months) at the same developmental level found no intergroup differences on fragmentation of geometric design drawings, but significant differences in geometric design overlap and human figure overlap and fragmentation. (JDD)

Twenty-three autistic children (age 4-19) and 23 mental age-matched controls completed a task of sustained attention. Results suggest that autistic children's difficulties in sustaining attention may be attributable to developmental delay and motivational contingencies of task rather than to a primary impairment in ability to sustain attention.…

The booklet provides background information on the diagnosis and characteristics of autism. A chart portrays the signs and symptoms, followed by the definition of the syndrome by the National Society For Children and Adults with Autism. Associated features are noted along with information on age of onset, etiology, incidence and sex ratio,…

This paper offers a model for planning services for children who are both mentally retarded and autistic. The model and recommendations for the residential therapeutic environment are organized according to the main axes of child development (biological, physical, cognitive, and socioemotional). (Author/DB)

Designed for use in adult education courses for parents of developmentally disabled children, this manual provides basic information about major categories of disabilities and a glossary of commonly encountered terms. After an introductory overview, the manual provides information about the characteristics and etiology of five disabling…

From earliest infancy, a typically developing child imitates or mirrors the facial expressions, postures and gestures, and emotional behavior of others. Where does this capacity come from, and what function does it serve? What happens when imitation is impaired? Synthesizing cutting-edge research emerging from a range of disciplines, this…

Home movies of eight normal children and eight children later diagnosed as autistic were analyzed based on: (1) Piagetian criteria of sensorimotor development and semiotic functioning, and (2) developmental levels of action competencies. The age range covered was 4 to 42 months of age. The analysis showed that, from the second year of life, timing…

A search of requests for permission to photocopy articles from past issues of "Zero to Three" identified the seven articles of this collection, all published between 1985 and 1989. They deal with the care of typically developing infants and toddlers as well as with clinical practice with very young children with special health or…

The manual is intended to provide preschool educators who work with exceptional children with both theoretical background and practical guidance in teaching children with attentional deficit disorders, oppositional disorders, conduct disorders, autism, developmental learning disorders, childhood depression, borderline personality disorders, and…

This book reviews the current state of research and practice in intervention for children with autism. The 10 chapters are organized into three parts, on the nature of autism, treatment of autism, and possibilities for a cure and recovery from autism. Chapter 1 introduces definitions and characteristics of autism. Chapter 2 considers what it is…

This guide presents methods for promoting integrated development in autistic children, through the use of attachment-based activities. The first section reviews the literature on autism, including its etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and attachment research. The second section describes the Minneapolis Children's Medical Center program, called…

Five bulletins of the National Center for Clinical Infant Programs include articles with the following titles and authors: "Infant Day Care: A Cause for Concern?" (Jay Belsky); "Model versus Modal Child Care for Children from Low-Income Families (Donna Wittmer); "Therapeutic Childcare at Merrywood School" (Maxine Siegel); "Individual Differences…