Parents of children with autism face many challenges that arise from the practical, day-to-day issues of living with autism. The specific goals of this guide are to help parents: (1) find information about autism; (2) distinguish between research-based and non-research-based information; (3) become savvy consumers of information by giving them the…

"Intellectual disability" is a term used when a person has certain limitations in mental functioning and in skills such as communicating, taking care of him or herself, and social skills. These limitations will cause a child to learn and develop more slowly than a typical child. Following a brief story about a child with an intellectual…

When a baby is born with Down syndrome, his or her parents should know that there's a lot of help available--and immediately. Shortly after the diagnosis of Down syndrome is confirmed, parents will want to get in touch with the early intervention system in their community. Early intervention is a system of services designed to help infants and…

Cerebral palsy--also known as CP--is a condition caused by injury to the parts of the brain that control the body's ability to use muscles effectively. Often the injury happens before birth, sometimes during delivery or soon after birth. The symptoms will differ from person to person and change as children and their nervous systems mature. This…

Filled with current, practical, and useful information for professionals and individuals, this second edition summarizes the literature concerning ADHD across the lifespan. It offers a better understanding of the disorder by addressing the potential causes of ADHD, the developmental course, and numerous treatment approaches. The author delivers…

This fact sheet offers broad information about autism and answers some of the more common questions that parents and families often have about the disorder. The following questions are answered in this document: (1) What is autism?; (2) What causes autism?; (3) How many people have autism?; (4) Is autism more common in certain groups of people?;…

The six issues of Handi Helps presented here focus on specific issues of concern to the disabled, parents, and those working with the disabled. The two-page handi help fact sheets focus on the following topics: child sexual abuse prevention, asthma, scoliosis, the role of the occupational therapist, kidnapping, and muscular dystrophy. Each handi…

This booklet describes characteristics of hyperactive children and discusses identification procedures, causes, treatment, and future developments in this area. Actual diagnosis of hyperkinetic behavior syndrome, commonly referred to as hyperactivity, is complex and should include a thorough examination by a pediatrician, and sometimes a child…

This self-instructional module is intended to provide basic information on autism and can be used alone or with supplementary videos. The module is divided into short sections, with each section including review questions and with a self-test (and answer key) on the whole module. After introductory material on the module's purpose and use and an…

This monograph presents a brief guide to definitions, diagnosis, and treatment of attention deficit disorders (ADD) in children. Attention deficit disorder is defined and its relationship to hyperactivity explained. A chart summarizes four types of ADD (hyperactive/impulsive/aggressive, mixed, inattentive/passive, and pseudo ADD) in terms of…

The booklet, written by a parent and psychiatrist, provides basic information on autistic children and their families. Introductory sections touch on the history of the condition, its incidence, and its associated learning problems. Subsequent sections address the following topics: signs and symptoms, basic handicaps, behavior problems (such as…

This book reviews the current state of research and practice in intervention for children with autism. The 10 chapters are organized into three parts, on the nature of autism, treatment of autism, and possibilities for a cure and recovery from autism. Chapter 1 introduces definitions and characteristics of autism. Chapter 2 considers what it is…

This booklet provides an overview of autism and discusses strategies for living and working with children with autism. The first section of the guide, "Understanding the Problem," addresses the characteristics of autism, including social symptoms, language difficulties, repetitive behaviors and obsessions, sensory symptoms, and unusual…

This booklet provides an overview of the characteristics and needs of young children with autism spectrum disorders or pervasive developmental disorders. It addresses: (1) different disabilities under the classification of autism spectrum disorders or pervasive developmental disorders; (2) characteristics of autism; (3) characteristics of children…

This briefing paper uses a question-and-answer format to provide basic information about children and adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). It is intended to help parents, teachers, and others interested in AD/HD know what to look for, what to do, and how to get help. Questions address the following concerns: nature…