AUTISM: A SENSORY NATURE DISORDER? / AUTISMO: UM TRANSTORNO DE NATUREZA SENSORIAL?
AUTOR(ES)
ROBERTA COSTA CAMINHA
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO
2008
RESUMO
The diagnosis of autism is based on a triad of impairments that includes communication problems, social impairments and repetitive and restricted patterns of behaviors, interests and activities. Although this diagnosis criterion does not make reference to sensory impairments, evidence arising from autobiographical accounts of high-functioning individuals with autism, suggests that the autistic disorder is directly related to an impaired sensory apparatus. Such evidence is complemented with scientific research based mostly on retrospective accounts from parents and caretakers. Studies indicate that by the first year of an autistic child´s life, sensory impairments are already apparent, and may be useful to an early identification of the disorder. Considering the importance of the sensory apparatus to the development of a child´s interpersonal relations and the fact that approximately 69% to 80% of autistic individuals present sensory problems, the purpose of this work is to suggest a link between the triad of impairments associated with autism and an impaired sensory apparatus in babies, thus starting to approach autism as, perhaps, a disorder of sensory nature.
ASSUNTO(S)
aparato sensorial autism problemas sensoriais triad of impairments sensory impairments triade de prejuizos sensory apparatus autismo
