Publisher Description

Cutting-edge research reveals that parents can play a huge role in helping toddlers and preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) connect with others and live up to their potential. This encouraging guide from the developers of a groundbreaking early intervention program provides doable, practical strategies you can use every day. Nearly all young kids-including those with ASD-have an amazing capacity to learn. Drs. Sally Rogers, Geraldine Dawson, and Laurie Vismara make it surprisingly simple to turn daily routines like breakfast or bath time into fun and rewarding learning experiences that target crucial developmental skills. Vivid examples illustrate proven techniques for promoting play, language, and engagement. Get an early start-and give your child the tools to explore and enjoy the world.


Winner--American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award

Mental health professionals, see also the authors' related intervention manual, Early Start Denver Model for Young Children with Autism, as well as the Early Start Denver Model Curriculum Checklist for Young Children with Autism (sold in sets of 15).

Author Biography

Sally J. Rogers, PhD, is Professor of Psychiatry at the MIND Institute at the University of California, Davis. She is a pioneering autism researcher known for her work on early intervention for preschoolers, imitation deficits, family interventions, and autism in infancy. With Geraldine Dawson and colleagues, Dr. Rogers developed the Early Start Denver Model, the treatment approach that is the basis for this book.

Geraldine Dawson, PhD, is Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development at Duke University. She served as Founding Director of the University of Washington Autism Center. An internationally recognized autism expert with a focus on early detection, intervention, and brain plasticity in autism, Dr. Dawson is a passionate advocate for families. She is coauthor of An Early Start for Your Child with Autism and A Parent's Guide to Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism. Laurie A. Vismara, PhD, is a clinical research scientist at the MIND Institute at the University of California, Davis, and a board-certified behavior analyst. Dr. Vismara's interests include developing innovative ways to teach early intervention techniques to professionals and parents.

Table of Contents

IntroductionI. Getting Started1. Setting Up Your Child's Early Intervention Program2. Taking Care of Yourself and Your Family3. How Your Early Efforts Can Help Your Child Engage with Others and Boost Your Child's LearningII. Everyday Strategies to Help Your Child Engage, Communicate, and Learn4. Step into the Spotlight: Capturing Your Child's Attention5. Find the Smile!: Having Fun with Sensory Social Routines6. It Takes Two to Tango: Building Back-and-Forth Interactions7. Talking Bodies: The Importance of Nonverbal Communication8. "Do What I Do!": Helping Your Child Learn by Imitating9. Let's Get Technical: How Children Learn10. The Joint Attention Triangle: Sharing Interests with Others11. It's Playtime!12. Let's Pretend!13. Moving into Speech14. Putting It All TogetherAppendix. Toys and Books for Your Young Child with AutismResources

Review

"Easy to read, highly informative, and packed with useful strategies, this is a wonderful resource for parents."--Fred R. Volkmar, MD, coauthor of A Practical Guide to Autism

"A remarkable achievement. Drs. Rogers, Dawson, and Vismara have succeeded in translating the latest and best scientific evidence into practical suggestions for improving your child's social and communication skills. They write with clarity, insight, and even humor. This is a book you will prize highly."--Peter Szatmari, MD, author of A Mind Apart: Understanding Children with Autism and Asperger Syndrome

"I was so overwhelmed when my child was diagnosed. This book is the road map I needed, written by experts I trust."--Laura Shumaker, author, San Francisco Chronicle autism blog

"Parents are going to love this book! It translates the important work of the Early Start Denver Model into strategies that can be implemented at home. The book shows how parents everywhere can give their children with autism spectrum disorders the support they need to learn to communicate and play."--Ilene Schwartz, PhD, Director, Haring Center for Applied Research and Training in Education, University of Washington, and coauthor of Building Blocks for Teaching Preschoolers with Special Needs

Long Description

Cutting-edge research reveals that parents can play a huge role in helping toddlers and preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) connect with others and live up to their potential. This encouraging guide from the developers of a groundbreaking early intervention program provides doable, practical strategies you can use every day. Nearly all young kids-including those with ASD-have an amazing capacity to learn. Drs. Sally Rogers, Geraldine Dawson, and Laurie Vismara make it surprisingly simple to turn daily routines like breakfast or bath time into fun and rewarding learning experiences that target crucial developmental skills. Vivid examples illustrate proven techniques for promoting play, language, and engagement. Get an early start-and give your child the tools to explore and enjoy the world. Winner--American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award Mental health professionals, see also the authors related intervention manual, Early Start Denver Model for Young Children with Autism, as well as the Early Start Denver Model Curriculum Checklist for Young Children with Autism (sold in sets of 15).

Review Quote

"[The authors] present a program that can help parents of children with autism begin therapy at home, even without a professional therapist. Techniques are presented clearly, along with examples of activities that can be incorporated into everyday home life with the aim of achieving goals like improving communication skills or promoting play with other children....This is a valuable tool for parents of children with ASD who want to maximize learning in the home."-- Library Journal

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