Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Reference Handbook

This handbook provides an overview of the current scientific understanding of autism spectrum disorders, as well as a cultural and historical perspective on the controversies that plague the field.

"Autism" describes a complex developmental disability that interferes with social interaction and communication. Symptoms of autism are generally recognizable when children are under the age of three. Until the 1990s, rates for autism were generally estimated at 1 in 2500. In 2010, however, the es...