Associações entre Sinais Precoces de Autismo, Atenção Compartilhada e Atrasos no Desenvolvimento Infantil

Early Intervention in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract. Early intervention in autism has become possible with the identification of this disorder at earlier ages, but the scientific production on this subject is still very incipient. The present study aimed to characterize scientific production in Brazil regarding early intervention in the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), resorting to the database of the Capes Journal Platform ( Plataforma de Periódicos Capes). The procedure used for the theoretical search was an integrative literature review. The discussion on the analysis of the review occurred with the inclusion of articles published in Portuguese, between 2001 and 2020, with the keywords: “intervention”, “early” and “autism.” As a result, a total of 83 texts were found. Of this total, 65 articles were published in peer-reviewed journals and made available as an online resource on the Capes Journal Platform. In the next phase of data analysis, we decided to categorize the articles included in the search process ( N = 25), based on the following categories: “autism” (19) and “early autism intervention” (6). A very low percentage of publications related to this topic were identified in the search universe, although an increase in studies has been observed in recent years. Nonetheless, we concluded that the six articles on early intervention agree that the sooner the disorder is diagnosed and the child is stimulated, the greater the effectiveness in the development of communication and language, as well as social interaction.

Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Premature Subjects Hospitalized in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Considering that the average age for diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is 4–5 years, testing screening methods for ASD risk in early infancy is a public health priority. This study aims to identify the risks for development of ASD in children born prematurely and hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and explore the association with pre-, peri- and postnatal factors. Methods: The children’s families were contacted by telephone when their child was between 18 and 24 months of age, to apply the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT). The sample consisted of 40 children (57.5% boys). M-CHAT screening revealed that 50% of the sample showed early signs of ASD. Although the frequency of delayed development was higher in boys, this difference was not statistically significant between the sexes (p = 0.11). Assessment of the association between perinatal conditions and early signs of autism in children hospitalized in an NICU exhibited no correlation between the factors analyzed (birth weight and type of delivery). The findings indicate a high risk of ASD in premature children, demonstrating no associations with gestational and neonatal variables or the hospitalization conditions of the NICUs investigated.

Impact of a provider training program on the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder at psychosocial care units in Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To develop, implement, and verify the impact of a training program for health care providers working with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in psychosocial care centers for children and adolescents (Centro de Atenção Psicossocial à Infância e à Adolescência - CAPSi) in São Paulo, Brazil.

METHODS

This quasi-experimental study was conducted with 14 professionals from four CAPSi units. The training program consisted of six phases: 1) pre-intervention observation; 2) meeting with staff to assess the main needs of the training program; 3) developing materials for training and evaluation; 4) meetings to discuss program implementation; 5) a final meeting for case discussion and evaluation; and 6) distance supervision. Three measures were used to evaluate the training program: i) the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) questionnaire; ii) videos containing questions designed to assess program comprehension; and iii) a satisfaction survey.

RESULTS

Thirteen videos were produced to as visual aids for use during the training program, and a further 26 videos were developed to evaluate it. The program was well evaluated by the participants. The video responses and KAP questionnaire scores suggest that staff knowledge and attitudes improved after training.

CONCLUSION

The positive findings of this study suggest that the tested training program is feasible for use with multidisciplinary teams working in the CAPSi environment.