Physiotherapia Croatica, Vol. 23 No. 1, 2025.
Izvorni znanstveni članak
Parents’ perceptions of early intervention and developmental strategies for children on the autism spectrum
Nina Ćorluka
; Josip Juraj Strossmayer University in Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Anita Matić
Slavko Čandrlić
Dunja Igrec
Nikolina Lazić
Sažetak
Introduction: Early intervention is a systematic
approach aimed at supporting children with autism
spectrum disorder symptoms, helping to minimize these
symptoms and enhancing developmental potential
from prenatal to preschool age.
Aim: To survey parents about their methods of obtaining
necessary information for therapies, their awareness
of early intervention, and their opinions on the role of
exercise in their children’s development.
Materials and Methods: The study was conducted
from January to March 2024, involving 36 parents of
children with autism spectrum disorder. Participants
completed an anonymous questionnaire via Google
Forms, including sociodemographic data and questions
related to early intervention and exercise.
Results: Significant developmental changes in children
were observed between the ages of one and two, with
speech absence being the most common initial symptom.
The time from recognizing the first symptoms of autism
to diagnosis often exceeded one year. Notably, 67%
of parents reported familiarity with early intervention,
primarily gained through the Internet and discussions
with experts. Parents emphasized the importance
of their involvement in therapy (69%) and expressed
satisfaction with their understanding of therapy benefits
(42%).
Conclusion: Parents of children with autism spectrum
disorder demonstrate a satisfactory level of knowledge
about therapy methods, early intervention, and their
role in the therapeutic process, underscoring their
proactive involvement in their children’s development.
Ključne riječi
Hrčak ID:
330846
URI
Datum izdavanja:
5.5.2025.
Posjeta: 67 *