Early Start Denver Model for Young Children with Autism

“Among the crowd of treatments, interventions, and purported cures that proliferate around autism spectrum disorders, the Denver Model has long stood as a beacon of empirical rigor and developmental sensitivity....Sally Rogers and Geri Dawson, two of the most experienced and accomplished psychologists working in autism today, have laid out the details of a modification of their program designed for toddlers and very young children....By conducting a carefully designed study before publishing their program, they have established an empirical basis for it that provides a high level of added value. Parents and educators who use the program have not just its authors' endorsement, but a scientific basis for validity. The book is written in an engaging and accessible way. One of its best features is its excellent first chapter, which explains in lay terms what is known about brain development and ASD....This book adds greatly to the growing literature on evidence-based naturalistic behavioral treatments for children with ASD. Its attention to the needs of children under three, now frequently diagnosed with the syndrome, as well as its comprehensive scope and reader-friendly style should guarantee it a well-deserved place on the bookshelves of all who are engaged in the difficult task of optimizing the developmental trajectory of young children with this syndrome.”

—Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders


“Sets an extremely high standard against which future manuals will be judged. Even for those not intending to replicate the programme in its entirety, the strategies for enhancing play, imitation and communication, and for improving parent/child interaction are potentially extremely helpful for parents and teachers, and for professionals advising them.”

—Child and Adolescent Mental Health Journal


“This book marks a very significant milestone in the development of appropriate interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorders. The integration of goals and teaching strategies from developmental, behavioral, and context-oriented approaches is unique. The chapters on theory will press even experienced interventionists to think about what they are attempting and why, and the detailed descriptions of activities show exactly how theory meets practice. With multisite research underway to test the encouraging results of early studies, this manual will enable interventionists to think more broadly; choose concrete, measurable, and useful goals for each child; and collaborate across disciplines within a comprehensive intervention framework.”

—Catherine Lord, PhD, ABPP, Director, University of Michigan Autism and Communication Disorders Center


“Rogers and Dawson have met an important need for early intervention service providers with this stunningly comprehensive manual. The great strength of the manual is its blend of scientific and practical knowledge that focuses on producing important developmental outcomes for children. It presents an assessment process and instrument (the Early Start Denver Model Curriculum Checklist) that pinpoint important developmental goals, as well as detailed information about practices and fidelity that will be of great benefit to service providers who want to implement the model. The Early Start Denver Model for Young Children with Autism is one of the best examples of translating science into practice; it will serve as the standard against which future treatment manuals in the field are judged.”

—Samuel L. Odom, PhD, Director, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill