Autismis old and unruly. It's been a part of us since we first left handprints oncave walls 40, 000 years ago. AUTISM AND US covers a long-stretchview of its neurological history and how society has judged it. Withquotes from old medical records, folk-tale beliefs, and Victorian literature, the book conjures up the 19 th century mix of ignorance, cruelty, fumbling knowledge, and surprising love that led to the first medicalrecognition of autism as a social disorder. From that medically significantrecognition has grown ourpresent day neurological and cognitiveunderstanding.
EustaciaCutler, autism expert and mother of Temple Grandin, delivers a colorful andreliable account of the pioneers it has taken for autism to gain understandingand acceptance in families, neighborhoods, schools and job markets.