THE BOOK THAT DOCTORS RECOMMEND FIRST TO PARENTS OF AN AUTISTIC CHILD

An estimated 50 million people of all ages worldwide have disorders in the autistic spectrum. About one-third also have varying degrees of learning difficulty. All have impairment of social interaction, communication and imagination - the world appears a bewildering and sometimes frightening place.

Lorna Wing was a psychiatric consultant for and co-founder of the UK's National Autistic Society, and the mother of an autistic daughter. Her acclaimed, authoritative guide explains how people with autism experience the world and why they need an organised, structured environment, presenting a window into the world of those with the disorder. Wing suggests ways of improving communication, developing abilities and widening social interaction, and how to cope with stresses within the family.

A lucid, sensitive, practical guide which has been recommended over and over again for 25 years, The Autistic Spectrum has been widely acknowledged as the definitive book on the subject. This anniversary edition includes a new introduction by Lorna Wing's friend and colleague Dr Judith Gould.

'I highly recommend this book ... it is obvious in each paragraph that she loves her subject. She is with the children, adolescents and adults she writes about' - Theo Peeters, Autism

'Authoritative, compassionate and commonsensical . . . an honest, sensitive and thorough introduction to understanding and living with autism . . . highly recommended' - Psychological Medicine

'Packed with down to earth, practical ideas . . . readable, interesting . . . informative . . . if you buy only one title about autism this year it should be this one' - Collette Dritte, Nursery World