The writing of this book would not have been possible without the parents and children who shared their stories, pain, hopes, and triumphs with me. I have learned far more from them than I have been able to give back. Thank you for letting me be a part of your lives at your bleakest moments and at your times of joy. I have learned so much from my mentors, Bruce Pennington, who taught me the science of autism; Sally Rogers, who taught me the art of autism; and Gary Mesibov, who immersed me in the culture of autism. Kitty Moore and Christine Benton of The Guilford Press helped greatly in the writing of this book and often knew what I wanted to say better than I did. I also thank my father, who instilled in me a love of writing and editing; my mother and my husband, who provide support and encouragement every day; my daughters, Grace and Claire, who have grown up alongside autism spectrum disorder and become experts themselves; and Jesse, who has taught us all about autism in the family and what it is really like.
—S. O.
I wish to gratefully acknowledge all I have learned from the children and adults with autism spectrum disorder and their families. Their experiences, feedback, and creative ideas have greatly influenced my thinking and practice over the years, and their perseverance, passion, and resilience are a constant source of inspiration for me. My colleagues and students at the University of Washington Autism Center were also instrumental in the writing of the first edition of this book, especially Felice Orlich, Kimberly Ryan, and Cathy Brock. I have very much enjoyed working with the staff at The Guilford Press, especially Seymour Weingarten, Kitty Moore, and Christine Benton; this book has very much benefited from their guidance and expertise. Finally, I wish to express heartfelt appreciation for the unwavering love and support I receive from my husband, Joseph, and my children, Chris and Maggie. Without their support, my work would not be possible.
—G. D.
I feel fortunate to have interacted with so many devoted parents and wonderful people with autism spectrum disorder. My contributions to this text represent the synthesis of the lessons I have learned from you, and I thank you for working with me. It has been enjoyable to collaborate with my coauthors on this project, as well as the staff at The Guilford Press. I am grateful to those who have taught me about autism, most notably Geraldine Dawson, Felice Orlich, Julie Osterling, Ami Klin, and Fred Volkmar. The support of the team at the Yale Developmental Disabilities Clinic and the McPartland lab, especially Rachael Tillman and Emily Levy, has been crucial to this book. Thank you to my family, Tara, Norah, and Aggie, for believing in me and my work.
—J. C. M.