Ricardo Canal Bedia

La detección precoz del autismo

El autismo es un trastorno grave del desarrollo de origen prenatal, que afecta a la persona durante toda su vida. Durante la pasada decada numerosas investigaciones han aportado informacion y experiencia sobre las posibilidades de los sistemas asistenciales para detectar precozmente el autismo. Este movimiento hacia la identificacion de signos de sospecha ha llevado a un reconocimiento de que hoy es posible la detectar antes los casos, lo que esta mejorando el pronostico del autismo. En el articulo se revisan las ventajas de la deteccion precoz y la atencion temprana, se exponen los signos precoces del autismo y se analizan los instrumentos de mayor interes para la deteccion precoz en nuestro entorno. El articulo finaliza con una exposicion breve sobre el estado actual del programa de cribado en Castilla y Leon, concluyendose que la coordinacion interprofesional, la sensibilizacion y la implicacion social son aspectos clave para avanzar en la deteccion precoz del autismo en nuestro pais.

Prevalence of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders in Average-IQ Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Meta-analysis

Since their separation as independent diagnostics, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) have been conceptualized as mutually exclusive disorders. Similarities between both disorders can lead to misdiagnosis, especially when it comes to average-IQ adults who were not identified during childhood. The aim of this review was to examine the occurrence of SSD in average-IQ adults with ASD. Electronic and manual searches identified a total of 278 references, of which 10 were included in a meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of SSD in the total ASD sample was close to 6%, pointing to a high co-occurrence of the two conditions. Further research is needed to determine the factors that predispose members of this population to the emergence of psychotic disorders.

Intervención psicoeducativa en alumnos con trastornos del espectro del autismo en educación primaria

Although there are psychoeducational interventions based on research for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) validated empirically, many teachers and specialists often lack the knowledge, skills and necessary opportunities to apply them correctly (Simpson 2004; Sack-Min, 2008). The aim of this study is to define the knowledge and enforcement of the professionals who work in the psychoeducational interventions for students with ASD. Based on current systematic reviews of interventions in ASD, a list of programs based on different levels of empirical evidence was developed. According to this list and the study of Hess et al. (2008) a questionnaire was carried out to collect data on the knowledge and application of those programs. The results show that professionals’ knowledge is adequate as well as the use of the intervention programs in the schools of Special Educational Needs. Differences were only found in the usage of these interventions by Therapeutic Pedagogy teachers. A school’s network might be implemented to better transfer knowledge to those which have less resources.