Autismo e família: construindo entendimentos

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (TEA) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impairment of two areas of development: socio-communicative skills and restricted and repetitive behaviors which influence the relations and the exchanges established with the surroundings. The family is the primary social group, constituting an extremely important support system for the individual to develop, to be formed and to learn to live in society. When a child is born with autism the impact of the diagnostic on the parents causes a change in the cycle of the family life, demanding additional effort for the parents since they have to reorganize in order to adapt to the family with a new reality. The goal of this research is to investigate what implications the diagnostics of autism spectrum disorder have on the family. It is a descriptive, bibliographic, documental study carried out through a review of literature. For this review studies that answered the following guiding question were selected: What are the implications of a diagnostic of TEA on the family? Based on the research the conclusion is that when a child is born with autism, the impact of the diagnostic on the family causes alterations in the family cycle, demanding joint effort to reorganize and to adapt to a new reality. The adaptations and changes that take place at the family and social level are significant. The support networks and the strategies of family coping facilitate adjustment and diminish the anguish and anxiety of the family living with an autistic member.