Autism in Kindergarten

Pervazivni razvojni poremećaji dijele se u pet potkategorija gdje je autizam jedan od njih. Ostali poremećaji su autistični poremećaj, Rettov poremećaj, dezintegrativni poremećaj u djetinjstvu, Aspergerov poremećaj i pervazivni razvojni poremećaj neodređen koji uključuje i atipični autizam. Aspergerov sindrom najsličniji je samom autizmu po simptomima i uzroku. Drugi poremećaji dijele neke od istih znakova ali vjerojatno imaju različite uzroke. Autistični poremećaj pervazivni je razvojni poremećaj koji većinom počinje u prve tri godine života te zahvaća gotovo sve psihičke funkcije i traje cijeli život. Osnovni simptomi ovog poremećaja su nedostatak socijalne interakcije, nedostatak verbalne i neverbalne komunikacije i poremećaj u razvoju govora. Bitna obilježja autističnog poremećaja su izrazito abnormalan i oštećen razvoj socijalnih interakcija i komuniciranja te izrazito smanjeni interesi i aktivnosti. Osobe s autizmom također pokazuju i različite oblike ponavljajućeg i ograničavajućeg ponašanja. Ovaj poremećaj prvi je opisao američki psihijatar Leo Kanner 1943. godine. Prema Kanneru poremećaj se javlja tri do četiri puta češće kod dječaka nego kod djevojčica, a prevalencija je 4-6 zahvaćenih na 10000 djece. Svaki roditelj i odgojitelj koji se susreo s djetetom koje ima poremećaj iz autističnog spektra, želi mu pomoći uspostaviti komunikaciju jer dijete često ima poteškoća u verbalnom izražavanju. Među takvom djecom velike su individualne razlike. Usmjerenost na potrebe djeteta i područje njegova razvoja veoma je bitno u planiranju i radu odgojitelja. Također, odgojitelj je taj koji bi trebao napraviti takvo okruženje za aktivnosti u kojima će djeca samostalno ili na osnovi indirektnog utjecaja istraživati. Materijali i aktivnosti za učenje trebaju biti konkretni. Dječji vrtići sve više prepoznaju važnost uključivanja djece s razvojnim poremećajem u vrtićke programe, ali i suradnju s roditeljima kao bitnu stavku uspješne integracije djeteta.Pervasive developmental disorders are divided into five subcategories where autism is one of them. Other disorders are autistic disorder, Rett's disorder, disintegrative childhood disorder, Asperger's disorder and pervasive developmental disorder indeterminate whitch includes atypical autism. Asperger's syndrome is most similar to autism itself due to the symptoms and cause. Other disorders share some of the same signs, but probably have different causes. Autistic disorder is a pervasive developmental disorder that mostly begins in the first three years of life and affects almost all psychic functions and lasts for a lifetime. The main symptoms of this disorder are the lack of social interaction, the lack of verbal and nonverbal communication, and the development of speech disorder. Main features of autistic disorder are extremely abnormal and impaired development of social interaction and communication and significantly reduced interest and activity. Individuals with autism also show different forms of repetitive and restrictive behaviors. This disorder was first described by US psychiatrist Leo Kanner in 1943. According to Kanner, the disorder occurs three to four times more often in boys than in girls, and the prevalence is 4-6 per 10000 children. Any parent and educator who has encountered a child with an autistic spectrum disorder wants to help him establish communication because the child often has difficulty in verbal expression. Among such children there are large individual differences. The focus on the needs of the child and the area of its development is very important in the planning of the activities for the educators. Also, the educator is the one who should make such an environment for activities where the children will independently or indirectly investigate it. Learning materials and activities should be specific. Kindergartens increasingly recognize the importance of involving children with developmental disabilities in kindergarten programs, as well as collaboration with parents as an essential element of successful child integration