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Children, Youth and Adults with Asperger Syndrome Integrating Multiple Perspectives

Edited by Kevin P. Stoddart, Jessica Kingsley
ISBN 1843103192
£19.95

STAR RATING: 2/5

Margaret Nelles recalls discovering that her son had Asperger's syndrome as "the gift of diagnosis". Given that she had previously grappled with labels such as "gender association disorder", "oppositional defiant disorder", and "attachment disorder", her relief is understandable, writes Michael Fitzpatrick.

Yet her account - and those of other parents and individuals with Asperger's - indicate that this diagnostic label does not open the way towards effective interventions.

The product of Canadian clinicians and researchers, this book provides a useful survey.

Peter Szatmari, Canada's leading authority on autism, suggests resolving the long-running boundary between Asperger's syndrome and high-functioning autism by postponing the diagnosis until the age of six, when the language impairment charateristic of the more severe form of autism can be identified.

The book's chapters provide many perspectives, but there is little sign of the intergration needed by families affected by this condition.

Michael Fitzpatrick is the author of MMR and Autism: What Parents Need to Know