ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book seeks to share insights derived from work with autistic children whose autism seems to be primarily psychogenic in origin. These insights have shed light on a hidden part of certain neurotic patients—both adults and children—which has constituted a barrier to their emotional and intellectual functioning. There are limits to one's capacity to do this, but the fact that many mothers of autistic children have said that what have written in earlier books on autism 'rings true' has encourage to feel that have managed to do this to some extent. Since this promises to throw light on the psychogenic autism encountered in adult neurotic patients, the book deals with the capsule of autism encountered in such neurotic patients. Some autistic children are undoubtedly brain-damaged. But there are other children whose autism seems to be psychogenic in origin.