Practical Guide to Mental Health Problems in Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Khalid Karim is a senior teaching fellow at the University of Leicester and a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist. As both the lead on ASD at Leicestershire Partnership Trust CAMHS (Child and Adult Mental Health Services) and the father of a child with autism and ADHD, Khalid understands the concerns and interests of professionals in this area and of parents and carers of autistic children. Alvina Ali is a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist with specialities including children with neuro-developmental difficulties. As the mother of a deaf son with autism, Alvina has a particular interest in mental health problems in deaf children and an understanding of the services available. Michelle O'Reilly is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Leicester where her research covers many areas of child mental health, including ASD. Having a brother with ASD and his significant mental health problems have given her personal insight into this area.

This book aims to help parents and professionals recognise and handle co-morbid conditions, dispelling the myth that they are just part of autism... It provides advice in an accessible format and suggests strategies to ease the difficulties that arise from co-morbid conditions.

• Abbreviations. Preface. Introduction. 1. Autistic Spectrum Disorder: An Introduction. 2. Mental Health: An Introduction. 3. Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Comorbid ADHD. 4. ASD and Comorbid Anxiety Disorders. 5. ASD and Comorbid Depression. 6. ASD and Tics or Tourette's Syndrome. 7. ASD and Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD). 8. ASD and Comorbid Eating Disorders. 9. ASD and Other Less Common Psychiatric Conditions. 10. Reducing Stress and Strategies that Help. 11. ASD and Sleep Problems. 12. Sensory Processing Problems and Executive Functioning Difficulties. 13. ASD and Self-Harm. 14. The Use of Therapies. 15. The Role of Different Professionals. Glossary of Terms. References.