Autism spectrum disorders

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorders used synonymously with Pervasive Developmental Disorders consist of disorders with mainly socio-communicative deficits, and restricted and repetitive activities, behaviors and interests. Lacking social referencing, deficit in the joint attention, restricted communicative functions and deviated forms of communicative acts are some of the significative underlying impairments. Afflicted children develop communicatively and socially - to different degree in individual cases - but in the limits imposed by the disorder. The assessment - which is wider than the diagnosis -is performed by multidisciplinary teams. Interventions are multimodal, biopsychosocial and multi-institutional, and depend on the age and the developmental potential of children. In childhood and adolescence, the interventions typically include interactionally and behaviorally oriented therapies, especially in the early preschool age; specialized psychological support, speech-therapy and pedagogical work; supports and interventions provided by school and social welfare systems.