ASD: Autism Spectrum Disorders: Home

NFL star Peete was retreating from his family to the I had to get away from them . . . to imagine a happy life. His son RJ's autism, diagnosed when the boy was three and possibly triggered by childhood vaccinations, severely affected the child on whom Peete had egoistically placed his dreams. Peete's response at hearing RJ would never look him in the eye was, "Not my boy!" Angry, in pain and denial, Peete was forced to understand. Booklist

....A groundbreaking book that upends conventional thinking about autism and suggests a broader model for acceptance, understanding, and full participation in society for people who think differently. What is autism? A lifelong disability, or a naturally occurring form of cognitive difference akin to certain forms of genius? In truth, it is all of these things and more--and the future of our society depends on our understanding it. WIRED reporter Steve Silberman unearths the secret history of autism, long suppressed by the same clinicians who became famous for discovering it, and finds surprising answers to the crucial question of why the number of diagnoses has soared in recent years. Going back to the earliest days of autism research and chronicling the brave and lonely journey of autistic people and their families through the decades, Silberman provides long-sought solutions to the autism puzzle, while mapping out a path for our society toward a more humane world in which people with learning differences and those who love them have access to the resources they need to live happier, healthier, more secure, and more meaningful lives. Along the way, he reveals the untold story of Hans Asperger....