出版社：Faculdade de Educação, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul
摘要：Autism is an early-onset developmental disorder marked by delays and deviance in the areas of social, communication and play skills, as well as repetitive and restricted patterns of interests and behaviors. Considerable empirical evidence has accumulated in the past 5 to 10 years suggesting that, in general, the earlier appropriate intervention is commenced for children with autism, the more likely one is to maximize the child’s potential thus achieving a better outcome. This finding highlights the need for comprehensive developmental disabilities evaluations focused on the toddler years. This chapter provides and overview of principles and elements of assessment of toddlers at risk for autism from a comprehensive developmental approach, in which normative developmental patterns -- in particular the social and the communication domains -- set the framework for the understanding of delays and deviance in socialization evidenced in young children with autism. A brief outline of future directions in the assessment of socialization patterns in babies and toddlers is also provided, which may capitalize on current technological advances emerging in the studies of basic social orientation mechanisms.
关键词：Autism; special education; developmental disorder.
