Participation of Children with Typical Development and with Autistic Spectrum Disorders in Play Situations in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

Children’s play is recognized as an occupation that favors children’s development and autonomy. Studies carried out with children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) showed impairments in participation in playing. This study aimed to describe the participation of children with typical development and with ASD in play situations in the context of Early Childhood Education. It was an exploratory and descriptive qualitative study that used the observation of playing behavior in school as an instrument of data collection. Six children between 4 and 5 years old participated in the research, three with typical development and three diagnosed with ASD. Although the study was not intended to make comparisons, the main results showed differences between the two groups. Children with ASD showed development of playful behavior not consistent with age and concrete play with absent or rudimentary social interaction. These results point to reflections in the context of Occupational Therapy for the development of strategies aimed at the participation of children in Early Childhood Education, indicating the need to promote mediated opportunities and/or with toys adapted according to the interests of children with ASD.