PSYCHOLOGICAL REASONS AND ETHICAL ISSUES RELATED TO EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND INTERVENTION IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

In the past few years, the reported incidence of autism has increased at a remarkably high rate across the world. However, this accelerating trend may not be due to an actual increase in the number of people who exhibit behaviors characteristic of autism, but may be attributed to other factors. This paper presents the problematic of the increased rates in Autism Spectrum Disorders and offers a brief description of early signs during the first and second years of life. The early intensive behavioral intervention is presented as being an effective method for young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Some psychological and ethical aspects are presented in order to point the importance and the necessity of early intervention.