Problems of multidisciplinary research in epidemiology of autism

Abstract

The article deals with the main problems and regularities of the scientific method formation to autism as a disorder from the point of view of the interdisciplinary approach in order to identifying the main trends of psychoprophylaxis and specialized care. The historical retrospective analysis of symptoms of ASD is analyzed: lack of communication and social interaction, limited numbers of interests and repetitive behavior, lack of speech or nonuse of speech for communication, high-level cognitive skills and special abilities, lack of non-verbal communication and empathy, problems with coordination of movements, and others.

The author shows the main approaches to the historical modifications of the disorder: from the childhood schizophrenia, early childhood autism to autism spectrum disorders. Taking into account the variability of the indicated symptoms, such factors of the spread of autism as a disorder are distinguished:

˗        psychological (hypothesis about early traumatic experience and lack of empathy);

˗        neurological (conditioned by brain dysfunctions),

˗        ecological (increasing of chemical pollution in the environment, overuse of fertilizer in agriculture),

˗        genetic and epigenetic,

˗        social (technologicalization of society, reduction of the number of direct interpersonal interactions, release of data and improving of diagnostics), etc.

The dynamics and causes of the statistical indicators growth of the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders, the importance of early diagnosis for the socialization of persons with autism, also regularities in the dynamic of exibiting symptoms in adulthood are analyzed. There is approved that such kind of dysontogenesis causes the severe disabilities in the child’s interaction with the environment, consequently that showed the necessity, first and foremost, of scientific research of early childhood age.

The role of parents’ predictions of their children development and the individual, structured, integrated therapeutic and educational environment in autistic children socialization is analyzed.

It is found, that continuous monitoring by specialists, and also by parents, can guide individual adaptation program to optimize and maintain the person with this spectrum disorder.