ART THERAPY AND AUTISM

Autism is a developmental condition that affects social interaction and behavior in human beings. The condition falls under a wider groupknown autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There are some diagnosticcriteria in DSM-5 for ASD [1]; the pathognomonic symptoms of thedisease revolve around impairment in social communication, andbehaviors that are restrictive or repetitive in nature. PsychiatristLorna Wing proposed a central triad of symptoms, which can be seenin Fig. 1 [2,3]. It should be noted that social imagination refers to anautistic person's inability to predict and understand the behaviors ofpeople around them, rather than a lack of imagination as a whole.The condition can be present from birth or develop due to environmentalfactors or other medical causes. Elements such as genetics, as well aspsychological and neurological development, may also play a key rolein the condition [4].Although there is no cure for ASD, there are some strategies that canbe used to help aid an individual with autism to grow and achieve themost out of their lives. One of these approaches is the use of art therapy