Product Description

The updated edition of this classic account of autism includes a new chapter outlining recent developments in neuropsychological research, and overviews one of the most important theoretical and practical consequences of Frith′s original insights into this puzzling condition.

• Updated edition of this classic account of autism.
  
• Includes new sections covering practical and theoretical developments, and a chapter on recent investigations of the neurological basis of psychological impairments in autism.
  
• Accessible to a broad general readership.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #54438 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 264 pages

Review
"Uta Frith′s Autism has been an indispensable reference, an instant classic, since it was first published, and in this new edition it has been radically revised, with striking enrichments and enlargements in almost every chapter, most especially with dramatic new brain imaging studies which clarify the fundamental nature of autism. But it remains a deeply personal book, as moving and delightful as it is authoritative." Oliver Sacks, MD

"One of the most recognised names in autism research ... Her [Frith′s] book is valuable for educated parents interested in learning about autism in a larger historical context ... enlightening." Library Journal, July 2003

"provides a valuable introduction to contemporary cognitive theories." Sally Bigham, Brunel University, British Journal of Developmental Psychology, Vol.21, Part 3, September 2003

"Uta Frith has long been regarded as one of the leading experts in current autism research and psychological theory in this country ... this second edition presents an easy–to–read and logical journey through autism, from what it is and how it is and has been perceived, through current psychological theory to neurological explanation and practical implications. It is an extremely worthwhile book for anyone who wants a research–led understanding of the psychology of autism, particularly students interested in the topic or parents and professionals who may wish to understand the theories feeding future interventions and current understanding of this complex spectrum of conditions." Fiona J. Scott, Psychological Medicine, Vol. 34, 2004

Library Journal, July 2003
Valuable for educated parents interested in learning about autism in a larger historical context.

Sally Bigham, Brunel University, British Journal of Developmental Psychology, Vol.21, Part 3, September 2003
Provides a valuable introduction to contemporary cognitive theories.

Customer Reviews

Autism
Since my son was diagnosed with autism, I have sought to learn all that I could about the disorder. There are many excellent books that provide essential guidance and explanations for parents and carers confronting autism for the first time, such as Chantal Sicile-Kira's Autism Spectrum Disorders The Complete Guide. These books generally enhance one's knowledge without necessarily developing one's understanding and so enabling better empathy with the subject. This book achieves that. Uta Frith builds each aspect through historical notes and clear descriptions of experiments that illustrate clearly the point being put across. The book can become quite absorbing at stages and I could see my son described so clearly and so accurately that that particular section could have been written about him. It has certainly enhanced my understanding of how my son perceives the world and subtly effected how I now communicate with him. I think for the better. I recommend this book to anyone who seeks to better understand how an autistic person perceives the world. Quite superb.

The prospect of understanding
Mysterious, traumatic, fascinating ... autism is all of these things. Uta Frith sheds welcome light upon a phenomenon which keeps getting bigger year on year but which remains elusive and enigmatic. Many of the questions we might want to ask are dealt with as fully as current understanding allows: What is autism? Why does it affect boys disproportionately? Why does it show in the second year of infancy and not the first? What are the classic indicators of autism? etc.

Frith briefly considers the (short) history of autism as a recognised and well-defined condition. She notes that it has core features (minimal social interaction, communication problems and limited interests coupled with repetitive behaviour). An individual's condition might be anything from slight to severe, which is why it is appropriate to talk of an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), along which continuum sits the rather trendy, genius-inducing Asperger's Syndrome, familiar to millions via Rainman and The Curious Incident of the Dog.

The book is forthright. It runs the risk of offending some sensibilities by preferring to be more honest than p.c. Frith uses the frank language of mental 'deficits', behavioural 'impairment' and autism 'sufferers'. Although there are triumphs, she argues, there are more usually difficulties. Although many autistic individuals can achieve acceptance and find happiness, 'this is not the norm': social impairment is. Carers, meanwhile, face anxiety, frustration and upset. Frith is clear that autism amounts to more than just 'differences' in behaviour and mental make-up.

Although this book is bang up to date, at times speculating about some of the most fruitful current research and intriguing theories, it is being written at too early a date for many of the more vexing questions to be resolved, certainly in terms of the 'hard' science of autistic brains and genes. But we sense that if further experiments confirm promising theories, a true understanding may not be that far away.

Like so many others in this VSI series, Autism manages to be concise, profound and accessible - even to the non-specialist.

Full of Very Informative and Easy to Understand Explanations!
Quite embarrassingly, I didn't know so much about autism itself before I dealt with this tremendous guide. Although it doesn't have so many pages, I found it very informative and useful. Especially, I'm intrigued by Dr. Frith's explanations on the follows:
1. What neurotypical means
2. Weak central coherence
I wasn't quite sure what the prefix, neuro- means though neurotypical (NT) is one of the key words on autism/Asperger's. Sure thing, I couldn't find the word even in my dictionary. I mean, I could manage to guess it might mean the opposite to people with developmental impairments. However, I didn't quite catch why. I felt like I could clear up my haze when I found out Dr. Frith says neuro- definitely means the brain. "I guessed right! Neurotypical shows the brain works normally or typically." - That's what I exactly thought!

I realized central coherence is crucial for neurodevelopment. People with strong central coherence can see the whole point, while those with weak one tend to dwell on parts. So I suppose some autistic people have such weak central coherence that they tend to be perfectionists, which makes life more stressful. Positively, they seem to know the details pretty well. In my case, I was incredibly good at kanji (Chinese characters) in my childhood. But the trouble was that I was horrible at comprehending the whole sentence. And I suspected that slowed communication skills. The thing is people with weak central coherence find it so hard to catch the whole content they often tend to miss what matters most.

Overall, this autism guide is suitable if you would like to know the difference between NT's and people with autism/Asperger's with regard to neurodevelopmental psychology.