PERCEPÇÕES DOS FAMILIARES SOBRE A DESCOBERTA DO TRANSTORNO DO ESPECTRO AUTISTA EM CRIANÇAS: REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA

Abstract

This article aims to identify, in the literature, the perception of family members about the discovery of the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children. This is an integrative literature review study, carried out in the Web of Science, CINAHL, MEDLINE, LILACS and SciELO databases, in July 2020, using the descriptors "Perception", "Family", "Diagnosis", “Autism Spectrum Disorder” and “Child”. Original studies were included, published in full, in Portuguese, English or Spanish that addressed the research problem. The collection was carried out using a specific form, with methodological critical analysis by levels of evidence, whose data were analyzed by thematic categories. The final sample quantified eight articles that showed, among family members, lack of knowledge and difficulty in dealing with the diagnosis, showing feelings of anger, sadness, denial, shock and stigma. The lack of support/professional support, as well as social and health resources, was notorious. The discovery of the diagnosis causes significant impacts on the family structure, aggravated by the difficulty in accessing support services and adequate treatment. The need for continued education of health professionals and popular education is emphasized.