"A remarkable achievement. Drs. Rogers and Dawson have succeeded in translating the latest and best scientific evidence into practical suggestions for improving your child's social and communication skills. They write with clarity, insight, and even humor. This is a book you will prize highly." - Peter Szatmari, author of A Mind Apart: Understanding Children with Autism and Asperger Syndrome "I was so overwhelmed when my child was diagnosed. This book is the road map I needed, written by experts I trust." - Laura Shumaker, author of San Francisco Chronicle autism blog

Sally J. Rogers, PhD, is Professor of Psychiatry at the M.I.N.D. Institute at the University of California, Davis. She is a pioneering autism researcher known for her work on early intervention for preschoolers, imitation deficits, family interventions, and autism in infancy. With Geraldine Dawson and colleagues, Dr. Rogers developed the Early Start Denver Model, the treatment approach that is the basis for this book Geraldine Dawson, PhD, is Chief Science Officer at Autism Speaks and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She served as Founding Director of the renowned University of Washington Autism Center. An internationally recognized autism expert with a focus on early detection and intervention, brain imaging, and genetic studies, Dr. Dawson is a passionate advocate for families Laurie A. Vismara, PhD, is a clinical research scientist at the M.I.N.D. Institute at the University of California, Davis, and a board-certified behavior analyst. Dr. Vismara's interests include developing innovative ways to teach early intervention techniques to professionals and parents

Introduction. Part I: Getting Started. Setting Up Your Child's Early Intervention Program. Taking Care of Yourself and Your Family. How Your Early Efforts Can Help Your Child Engage with Others and Boost Your Child's Learning. Part II: Everyday Strategies to Help Your Child Engage, Communicate, and Learn. Step into the Spotlight: Capturing Your Child's Attention. Find the Smile!: Having Fun with Sensory Social Routines. It Takes Two to Tango: Building Back-and-Forth Interactions. Talking Bodies: The Importance of Nonverbal Communication. "Do What I Do!": Helping Your Child Learn by Imitating. Let's Get Technical: How Children Learn. The Joint Attention Triangle: Sharing Interests with Others. It's Playtime! Let's Pretend! Moving into Speech. Putting It All Together. Appendix. Toys and Books for Your Young Child with Autism. Resources.