The Cutting Edge
There is a long-standing, rich research literature regarding typically developing infants that documents their ability to socially engage with others from the earliest months, and more recently, from the earliest days of life. Moreover, there is widespread recognition that typically developing infants are “social beings” whose social-communicative development is dependent upon a special kind of “social fit” between infant and caregiver that enables certain patterns of interaction to occur.
It is also widely known that children with autism have distinct difficulty with both social engagement and patterns of interaction. . .While many studies have documented these core features in older toddlers and chil-dren, little was known about the possible roots of these deficits because, until recently, the diagnosis of autism occurred at later stages of development. Increasing knowledge of the critical role of early intervention in autism brought with it a push for earlier diagnosis. Hence, today, children are increasingly being diagnosed at younger and younger age levels. This has enabled researchers to obtain valuable data on the crucial period of infancy, where heretofore information on early brain development in infants with autism was mostly speculative. To read this entire article more Subscribe »
Feature Articles
By V. Mark Durand, Meme Hieneman, Ph. D.
Drs. V. Mark Durand and Meme Hieneman describe a brand new approach to behavioral parent training that helps parents to become more optimistic about both their own parenting skills and their child's ability to make positive changes.
Click here to sample this article »
By Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D.
Dr. Geraldine Dawson addresses the progress made over the past decade in early intervention and insurance coverage; genetics and autism-specific drug research; initiatives in GI and immune system research; and the recently increased autism prevalence rates.
Click here to sample this article »
By Pat Crissey
You'll not only find easy-to-implement strategies that directly address the often elusive generalization of communication skills, but also ways to increase your child's or student's desire to communicate.
Click here to sample this article »
By Donna Richards
In this first article in our brand new series, Autism and Everyday Life, a mom who really gets it brings child-proofing your home to a whole new level.
Click here to sample this article »
Great Resources for Families and Professionals
The editors of ASQ highlight some outstanding resources that are appropriate for school, home, and clinic. To see the list, Subscribe »
Meet the "Kids on the Cover" Contest Finalists
To meet the kids, Subscribe »
