Autism Spectrum Disorder in the First Years of Life: Research, Assessment, and Treatment

Synthesizing an explosion of recent research, this book presents dramatic advances in understanding and treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in very young children. Leading authorities describe the innovative tools and methods that are enabling clinicians to more effectively identify 0- to 5-year-olds with the disorder and those at risk for related problems. Chapters discuss the early core symptoms and co-occurring characteristics of ASD, the best diagnostic instruments, and lessons learned from large-scale screening and surveillance, including sibling studies. The book reviews evidence-based interventions and explores practical issues in treatment of young children and their families.

Katarzyna Chawarska, PhD, is Emily Fraser Beede Professor of Child Psychiatry in the Child Study Center at Yale University School of Medicine. She is Director of the Social and Affective Neuroscience of Autism Program and the Infant and Toddler Developmental Disabilities Clinic. Dr. Chawarska is a leading expert on identifying early prognostic markers and novel treatment targets in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Her recent work is focused on improving understanding of attentional and affective processes involved in development of core and comorbid features in ASD, as well as investigating the links between development of brain connectivity during prenatal and early neonatal periods and later outcomes in infants at risk for ASD.

Fred R. Volkmar, MD, is Goodwin Endowed chair of Special Education (part time) at Southern Connecticut State University and Irving B. Harris Professor of Child Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Psychology (part time) in the Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine. He has served as Director of the Child Study Center as well as Chief of Child Psychiatry at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Dr. Volkmar was the primary author of the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-IV autism and pervasive developmental disorders section. He is the author of several hundred scientific papers and chapters, and author or editor of a number of books. He serves as Editor of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.