Autism Spectrum Disorder: Increase Your Awareness With the Help of the Library

Autism is affecting more and more lives. The Toronto Public Library can help you increase your awareness of this very complex disorder.

Articles

Find many full text, current articles in the library's databases. Here are some examples:

In the Health Reference Centre Academic database, you can find the full text of an article published in the Townsend Letter in Oct. 2013. It begins: "Autism is the fastest-growing developmental
disability in the United States–more children are now diagnosed with Autism
Spectrum Disorders (ASD) than with cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. The rate
of ASD has increased from 1 in 100,000 births to 1 in 54 male births, as
reported by the Centers for Disease Control in 2012."

Or check out the Teen Health and Wellness database. It has articles on Autism Spectrum Disorder under the following subjects:

What is Autism?
Myths and facts about autism
Ten great questions to ask when a sibling or friends is Diagnosed with autism
The problems that come with autism
How autism is diagnosed
Treatment options
Other autism spectrum disorders
How can having an autistic sibling or friend affect my life?

To locate these databases, go to to the A-Z list of databases on the Articles & Online Research page of the Toronto Public Library's website.

Need help using databases? Some of the library's user education classes include information on how to search databases. Or you can always ask a librarian at your local branch to show you. You'll be amazed at how easy it is! You'll need your Toronto Public Library card to access the databases.

Library Programs

The Library is offering a program called "Science in History: The History of Autism" at both the Runnymede and Brentwood branches this month.

The theme of Leaside's Monday Afternoon Book Club for October is Autism.

Books

Of course the Library also has many current books on the subject. Examples include the three below. There are many more.