From the detection of indicators of risk for autism to early intervention

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by persistent deficits in communication and social interaction, besides repetitive patterns of behavior and restricted interests. The purpose of this program was to verify the effect of the application of a parenting teaching program / caregivers about  their child's performance. An 18-month-old girl with ASD and her caregiver participated in the program. It is almost experimental, intra-subjects, type AB (baseline, treatment and follow-up). An individualized program to teach the caregiver ludic procedures was conducted to promote social interaction and an increase in the interactive shifts between both participants. The performances were registered  in 40-min weekly sessions for a year. Data from the caregiver's responses were followed by Tau-U. This statistic, not parametric, revealed that not all the caregiver´s responses, in the intervention phase, showed strong effects of the treatment, while others attested its robustness. With 95% likelihood of success, the intervention procedures significantly affected  the following caregiver´s responses: "using children's songs" and "making a funny or complimentary commentary to have the child return to play." There was a great increase of Izabel´s initiatives and the caregiver´s responses as well as both several types of responses (vocal/verbal, gestural and mixed). Thus, the caregiver´s training program strongly influenced the shifts frequency and the child´s types of responses; and that the caregiver intervention, guided by a professional, can be effective and adequate to the Brazilian socioeconomic context.