AUTISMO: COMO IDENTIFICAR SINAIS PRECOCES DE TRANSTORNO DO ESPECTRO AUTISTA EM CRIANÇAS ENTRE 12 A 24 MESES

Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterized by challenges in the areas of communication, social interaction and behavior. The current prevalence is estimated at 1:36 children, which equates to approximately 1 in 36 children being diagnosed with ASD in Brazil. Case report: W. K. S. A., a native of Capanema, a municipality in the northeast of Pará, was born by normal delivery, at term, overweight, apgar 9/10, with no immediate neonatal complications, had speech delays and difficulty interacting with his parents, so he was transferred to the FSCMPA for a better technical analysis. Mother, 32 years old, G2P1A0, denies consanguinity, used the drug valproate for up to 5 weeks of pregnancy, denies drug use and says that there are people with neuropsychiatric conditions in the family. She reports that the pregnancy was planned, started with early prenatal care and took place in a referral maternity hospital. During prenatal care, morphological ultrasounds and regular laboratory tests were carried out, with no structural or genetic abnormalities identified. Discussion: In the case described, the mother is 32 years old, has a family history of autism, started her prenatal care as early as 6 weeks gestation, had several ultrasounds, and none identified congenital malformations. At the age of 12 months, the mother began to notice delays in her male child's development compared to other children of the same age. He observed difficulty in maintaining eye contact, absence of communicative gestures such as pointing or waving and absence of progressive babbling. In addition, repetitive behaviors were noted, such as hand waving and intense fixation on specific objects, such as toy wheels. During the consultation, they observed a lack of communicative gestures, a lack of interest in playing with other children and repetitive behaviors. After a multidisciplinary assessment, in addition to standardized tests and behavioral observation, the diagnosis of ASD was confirmed. Early intervention included occupational therapy, speech therapy and parental guidance. Conclusion: The relevance of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is directly related to its impact on child development and the need for early interventions to optimize prognosis. Although ASD cannot be cured, the identification of early signs between 12 and 24 months is essential to guide health professionals in the diagnosis.